Journal of Alcoholism & Drug Dependence
Open Access

What is the Impact of Alcohol Ban on Prevalence of Under-trial Prisoners of Liquor and Narcotics Drugs Related Acts violation in Bihar-A Twelve Year (2010-2021) Comparative Cross-sectional Study

Piyush Kumar^1* and Advocate Anupama^{2 *}Correspondence: Dr. Piyush Kumar, Department of Health, Senior General Medical Officer, Government of Bihar, India, Email:

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Introduction

Background/rationale

There is a global prerequisite for making and implementing a diminution strategy in the want of drugs of addiction, both legal and banned, which may otherwise lead to plentiful negative health, family, socio-economic and mental consequences [1]. During the 63rd session of the WHA (World Health Assembly), held at Geneva in May 2010, including India the 193 global member states reached on consensus for global strategies to trim down the detrimental use of alcohol by adopting resolution WHA63.13. The key objective behind the strategy is to improve health and socio-economic outcomes for individuals, families as well as communities, by reducing morbidity and mortality caused by injudicious use of alcohol leading to negative social-economic consequences.

The (GoI) Government of India enforced The Narcotic Drugs And Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, ACT NO. 61 OF 1985 with guidelines, protocols and essential framework to reduce drug abuse and sale in India [2]. Newer psychoactive substances discovered are being added regularly to the list of psychotropic substances. This issue of addiction, both legal and banned, is quite complex as well as complicated requiring essential interventions in public health measures and awareness added with positive efforts to control the trafficking/smuggling/manufacture of these narcotic drugs/alcohol. The alcohol was not included in the NDPS act, health is a subject matter of state as per constitution of India hence the states are endowed with powers to make-exercise laws as per requirements of the state.

Alcohol is totally banned (with other drugs/substance listed in NDPS act) in the state of Bihar, India, since 01-04-2016 notified in the official Gazette Notification No. 3893 dated 21.12.2015 [3]. The Government of Bihar, in order to shrink the hazard of liquor, introduced new Excise Policy within (local law) the State for prohibition of alcohol from 01.04.2016. The Bihar Excise Act, 1915 was amended and new amendment Act, 2016 from 01.04.2016 was enforced, Vide Gazette Notification No. 1485 dated 05.04.2016. Absolute Prohibition of sale and consumption of liquor in any form was declared in the State of Bihar. Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act, 2016 was notified on 2nd of October 2016 to put into effect complete ban of alcohol consumption/ sale in the territory of Bihar.

The NFHS (National Family Health Survey-5) carried out at households in all the districts of Bihar from 9 July, 2019 to 2 February, 2020 revealed the fact that there is failure of absolute alcohol ban in Bihar which is quite evident from report of violence against women under the intoxication/influence of alcoholism in Bihar in India [4]. Due to severe criticism of liquor ban policy, the Bihar Liquor Prohibition Bill 2022 with new amendment is introduced, as a huge number of people were in various jails for liquor crimes, majority of which belonging to economically-socially weaker sections [5]. The Honourable Chief Justice, Supreme Court of India (CJI) stated that people are eagerly waiting in India for getting justice and the cases of liquor violations crime in Bihar increased the burden on courts [6].

Several people losing their lives due to consumption of fake toxic local liquor as well as unemployment emerged in people previously worked in alcohol industry added increased smuggling, trafficking in Bihar as a major side effects of liquor ban mainly due to lack of proper framework, unplanned enforcement of ban without taking lessons from ban enforcement in other states [7]. One research, study shows a positive and noteworthy effect of unemployment on drinking behaviours and the findings are strong to numerous sensitivity tests. The policemen, doctors and other government officials have been arrested for violation of the alcohol ban [8]. The framework and plan for implementation of alcohol ban should be discussed with the health department [9,10].

Alcohol causes 3 million deaths per annum globally; responsible for 5.1% of the global burden of disease, gender wise harmful consumption of alcohol is about 7.1% in males compared to 2.2% in females [11]. Alcohol is leading risk factor of premature mortality and disability in between 15 to 49 years age, accounting for 10 percent of mortality in this age group. Underprivileged population and especially economically susceptible populations have higher alcohol-associated mortality and morbidity. Regular intake of alcohol by the husband has been effectively associated with deprived mental health of women [12]. Alcohol consumption increases partner violence, escalating the violence by plummeting reflex inhibitions, clouding thinking-judgment and deteriorating ability of interpretation [13]. Psychiatric health issues like delusional and antisocial personality disorder, paranoid schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, formulate the man more likely to commit sexual crimes. In the cases of Bobbit, Manu Sharma, Nirbhaya etc., liquor consumption by criminals/culprits were the significant factor in such heinous crime against women.

This study with data from NCRB (National Crime Records Bureau) will help policy and decision maker to understand the impact of alcohol ban on the title mentioned question, for potential policy/ decision making to control alcohol consumption. There is urgent need to think over the ongoing act against alcohol consumption in Bihar aggravated by socio-economic and other factors. Here it is important to mention that alcohol was not banned under NDPS act [14]. Just sending people to jails under various sections is not enough to decrease the addiction/trafficking/smuggling/ manufacture of this narcotic drugs/alcohol. The regular death of citizens of Bihar due to consumption of toxic alcohol is a big menace to the Government alcohol ban policy which can be rectified by proper IEC etc., [15].

Objective

In the light of the previously discussed background this study based on NCRB data is aimed to analyse the Prevalence of Under-trial Prisoners of Liquor and Narcotics Drugs Related Acts violation in Bihar. The key objective of this study is to find out impact of alcohol ban on the prevalence of Under-trial Prisoners of Liquor and Narcotics Drugs Related Acts violation before the intervention (i.e. alcohol ban) and after alcohol ban.

Methods

Study design

This was a quantitative, cross-sectional, deductive, comparative, large-scale study done in all 38 districts of the state of Bihar, India from 1st January 2010, to 31st December, 2021. The period before 2016 was considered as pre-alcohol ban era and from 2016 is considered as alcohol-ban era. Six pre and post era data mean were compared to assess the situation.

Setting

The study was carried out by continuously recording data found in NCRB of Ministry of Home Affairs [16]. The population covered in this study includes all 38 districts of Bihar, India. As per data obtained from NCRB, the total Under-trial Prisoners of Liquor and Narcotics Drugs Related Acts violation during study period were 72008 (age-sex etc. next version). The financial burden of prisoners in the public jail of Bihar is entirely covered by Government.

Participants

Participants were prisoners from various jails of 38 districts of the state of Bihar. The selection of participants is as per research question.

Eligibility criteria

Under-trial Prisoners of Liquor and Narcotics Drugs related Acts violation from various jails of 38 districts of the state of Bihar was eligible. articipants were prisoners from various jails of 38 districts of the state of Bihar. The selection of participants is as per research question.

Study variables and operational definition

The outcome variable of this study was Under-trial Prisoners of Liquor and Narcotics Drugs related Acts violation. Under-trial Prisoners of Liquor and Narcotics Drugs related Acts violation was defined as:- Any accused person of Liquor and Narcotics Drugs related Acts violation in Bihar kept in judicial custody during the study period for (1) Liquor and Narcotics Drugs Prohibition Act violation, (2) Liquor and Narcotics Drugs Excise Act violation, (3) Liquor and Narcotics Drugs NDPS Act violation.

Descriptive data and variables

The descriptive data, statistical analysis and variables are listed in Tables 1 and 2.

Table 1: Under-trial prisoners in different year before alcohol ban.

Table 2: Under-trial prisoners in different year after alcohol ban.

Data sources/measurement

Data collection and quality assurance: Data were collected, observed analysed with Microsoft office from electronic records of NCRB. To ensure data quality, it was checked for accuracy, reliability, completeness, and consistency. It was checked for inconsistencies, missing values, and for incompleteness, analysed with Microsoft office software and STATA 15.1 for further analysis.

Data availability

National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), India-available at- https://ncrb.gov.in/en

Bias: To reduce the bias the next version will compare the state of Bihar with other states of alcohol ban and final version will discuss the scenario across the 36 states and union territories of India.

Results and Discussion

This novel cross sectional research study revealed that as compared to the period when alcohol was not banned in Bihar there is 1190.39 percent increase in the under-trial prisoners violating Bihar Liquor and Narcotics Drugs Excise Act under which the alcohol comes mainly. Added to this the research study also revealed that there is 355.12 percent and 169.30 percent increase in the under-trial prisoners for violation of Liquor and Narcotics Drugs Prohibition Act as well as Liquor and Narcotics Drugs NDPS Act respectively during the period when alcohol is banned in the state of Bihar as compared to same period before alcohol ban.

• The total Under-trial prisoners violating Liquor and Narcotics Drugs Prohibition Act in pre-alcohol ban era (2010-2015) were 254 while in the alcohol ban era (2016- 2021) it was increased to 902.

• The total Under-trial prisoners violating Liquor and Narcotics Drugs Excise Act in pre-alcohol ban era (2010- 2015) were 4643 while in the alcohol ban era (2016-2021) it was increased to 55270.

• The total Under-trial prisoners violating Liquor and Narcotics Drugs NDPS Act in pre-alcohol ban era (2010- 2015) were 4062 while in the alcohol ban era (2016-2021) it was increased to 6877.

• The mean total Under-trial prisoners violating Bihar Liquor and Narcotics Drugs related Act in pre-alcohol ban era (2010- 2015) were 1493.17 (95% Conf. Interval-Mean- 953.1367- 2033.197) while in the alcohol ban era (2016-2021) it was 10508.17(95% Conf. Interval-Mean-5098.689 -15917.64).

• The mean total Under-trial prisoners violating Liquor and Narcotics Drugs Prohibition Act in pre-alcohol ban era (2010- 2015) were 42.33 (95% Conf. Interval-Mean- 28.82325- 113.4899) while in the alcohol ban era (2016-2021) it was 150.33(95% Conf. Interval-Mean-18.67425- 319.3409).

• The mean total Under-trial prisoners violating Liquor and Narcotics Drugs Excise Act in pre-alcohol ban era (2010- 2015) were 773.83 (95% Conf. Interval-Mean- 446.9875- 1100.679) while in the alcohol ban era (2016-2021) it was 9211.66(95% Conf. Interval-Mean-4339.854 -14083.48).

• The mean total Under-trial prisoners violating Liquor and Narcotics Drugs NDPS Act in pre-alcohol ban era (2010- 2015) were 677 (95% Conf. Interval-Mean- 339.9047 -1014.095) while in the alcohol ban era (2016-2021) it was 1146.17(95% Conf. Interval-Mean-564.9319 -1727.401).

The above information can be seen in Tables 1, 2 and Figures 1, 2.

Figure 1: Impact of alcohol ban on total number of under-trial prisoners in Bihar.

Figure 2: Impact of alcohol ban on mean number of under-trial prisoners in Bihar.

Limitations

This is a novel study to find out impact of alcohol ban on Prevalence of Under-trial Prisoners of Liquor and Narcotics Drugs related Acts violation in Bihar in a new way. This is the first study to compare the impact of alcohol ban on Prevalence of Under-trial Prisoners of Liquor and Narcotics Drugs related Acts violation in Bihar during the pre-ban and ban era of liquor.

Conclusion

Despite the liquor ban in Bihar, the National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-5 (2019-21) revealed that mostly women in Bihar face domestic violence (emotional, physical or sexual). First and significant one is that alcohol consumption is going on indicating failure of complete ban implementation and another is that the alcohol consumption increases violence against women. Hence alcohol consumption must be controlled on a global basis as its consumption is directly related to increased violence against women. After the complete alcohol ban in Bihar in 2016, it is found that mostly Dalit and Adivasi were arrested under the new prohibition law. Majority of the Under-trial prisoners are not able to get released on bail due to lack of suitable sureties or pay the adequate bail amount. There is a vital need for policy review with socio-legal intervention to ensure their legal rights [17]. The Bihar Government latest Prohibition and Excise (Amendment) Bill, 2022 is formulated with view to reduce the above burden [18].

In brief the key features of this bill are to specify the punishment for consumption of liquor. This Bill empowers the state government to order/enforce certain penalties for liquor related offences.

• Offences under this Act are tried by a Sessions or Special Court.

• This Bill provides for trial of: (i) Consumption of liquor by Executive Magistrates, and (ii) all other cases by Special Courts.

• Offences under this Act are non-compoundable. This Bill makes all offences compoundable.

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