ESWATINI 3RD IN THE WORLD IN ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION

MBABANE – Eswatini has been listed as the third highest country in alcohol consumption per capita.

Statistics that were issued by Wise Voter yesterday showed that emaSwati, who took alcoholic beverages, were over indulging. The survey was based on individual consumption, not a percentage of the entire population. The survey statistics defined alcoholic beverages as those which went through the process of fermentation and have been a staple of human society as far back as records go. Examples of alcoholic beverages include beer, wine and hard liquor (such as whiskey, tequila and vodka). Alcohol, which is a depressant, is designated as a drug and regulated by governments.

The survey report mentioned that one serving of alcohol was classified as 0.0177 fluid litres of alcohol. This corresponds with 0.354 litre can/bottle of beer, one 0.148 litres glass of wine, or one 0.044 litre shot of liquor. When comparing alcoholic consumption across countries, organisations will look at litre of pure alcohol.

According to the survey, Zimbabwe has the highest alcohol per capita globally. An individual Zimbabwean, according to the survey, may consume 62.8 litres of pure alcohol when comparing the alcoholic beverages they would have taken in 12 months, with a prevalence alcohol dependence of 2.2 per cent. Tunisia came second with 36.6 litres consumption per capita. The country has a prevalence alcohol dependence of 0.2 per cent. The Kingdom of Eswatini was placed in third place with 34.4 litres of alcohol consumption per capita, with prevalence alcohol dependence of 2.5 per cent.
All top three countries, according to the report, do not have alcohol illegality but drinking is allowed to people above the age of 18 years old.

In 2018, the World Health Organisation (WHO) stated that Eswatini was among countries identified to have high per capita consumption of alcohol globally, estimated to be at 9.9 litres per capita compared to a global average of 6.4 litres per capita. Other countries that followed Eswatini were Maldives with a consumption of 33.7 litres of alcohol consumption. The country has a prevalence alcohol dependence of 0.9 per cent. South Africa was placed in seventh position, with consumption of 29.9 litres per capita. The neighbouring country, according to the report, has a prevalence alcohol dependence of 2.4 per cent, which is a point below Eswatini.

The statistics compared 180 countries in the world. The country with the least alcohol consumption, according to Wise Voter, was Kuwait with one litre per capita. Heavy consumption of alcohol can be dangerous and lead to alcoholism. Serious side effects include decreased motor skills function, liver failure, cancer and death.

According to a study that was conducted by Oxford Economics when assessing the economic impact of the Eswatini’s beer industry in 2019 with a focus on its contribution to GDP, jobs and taxes, which was presented by Minister of Commerce Industry and Trade Manqoba Khumalo, the beer sector contributed around 1.2 per cent to Eswatini’s national gross domestic product (GDP).

He said one in every 91 jobs in Eswatini was linked to the economic activity of beer, which amounts to more than 3 200 jobs and over 25 000 livelihoods. Furthermore, two per cent of national tax revenue collected comes from economic activity linked to beer.

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