Dry January: A Political Issue or an Inconvenience?
Photo Courtesy: Rasheedhrasheed
Dry January has found itself the subject of the latest controversy in France after the French Government refused to support the growing trend of alcohol abstinence this year. Marc Fesneau, the French Minister of Agriculture and Food, defended the reluctance of the government to support Dry January, saying "I don't think the French need to be given lessons by anyone”, and that drinking alcohol is a “way of life that also deserves respect”. Fesneau’s comments highlight the difficulty of government interference in issues that seem more like a personal choice than a political issue. However, due to the normalization of unhealthy drinking habits at the hands of France’s own president who was recorded drinking a bottle of beer in 17 seconds, the necessity of addressing it in the fact of it becoming a public problem has become clear.
France sees 41 000 alcohol-related deaths on average per year, being its biggest preventable killer in people under the age of 30. These figures show how the choice to drink alcohol is not a purely personal one as it has knock-on effects for the French universal health care system. Alcohol abuse accounted for 246 000 hospitalisations in 2019. These huge numbers, which are ultimately avoidable, makes it difficult or even impossible, to view alcohol use as a lifestyle ‘that deserves respect’.
Viewing Dry January as a minor trend with no real benefits to the participants would be a grave mistake. A study by De Visser revealed that 86% of Dry January participants saved money, 70% were sleeping better and 67% had better concentration. It can be seen that alcohol abstinence, even short term, can improve people’s general health, as well as the health of their wallet. With the government implementing a new campaign to make the country smoke-free by 2032, it is hard to understand why the government refuses to treat alcohol abuse with similar seriousness, and why it has been so ardent in their opposition to Dry January. The benefits of cutting down on drinking are enormously beneficial to the livelihood and health of citizens.
It cannot be denied that progress has been attempted by the French government in raising awareness of the dangers of alcohol use. The alcohol guidelines published in 2019 state that no more than 2 drinks should be consumed daily, and that alcohol-free days should be incorporated in the week. This is a step forward in terms of highlighting the problem of excessive drinking. Yet, with WHO guidelines advising that “no level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health”, France’s version looks meager and inadequate. However, stricter guidelines are not likely to be implemented any time soon, after $200 million was put aside by the French government to support the struggling wine industry last August. After such a major spend, the government would be reluctant to back any campaign against alcohol that could further hinder the struggling industry.
The French government refusal to support the Dry January campaign is not a case of respecting a ‘way of life’ that involves alcohol use, but rather a refusal to recognise a significant problem that causes many preventable deaths per year. The fact that 24% of the French population drink more than the recommended amount shows that education on alcohol must be brought to the attention of the government, and must be prioritized. Perhaps it is Fesneau, and the rest of the French government, who need to be given a sobering ‘lesson’ about the dangers of the ‘way of life’ characterized by alcohol misuse.