How unfortunate it is for one to begin the journey that will lead them to the sunset of their life by towing that path of gratuitous alcoholism? Excessive consumption of alcohol kills yet some people by sheer moral default seem to find solace and succour in inebriation. I wonder what at all can move people into becoming uncontrollably alcoholic. Is it poverty, hard times, family issues, boredom or just that one want to speed up their exit (death) from this troubled world? Whatever their reason for taking to drunkenness, I see their action as completely unacceptable and irresponsible.

Death has stricken again, laying its icy hands on a close one; overwhelming me by emotions with tears streaming down my bony cheeks, falling down in thuds like a broken chain of beads. I have been losing friends who are dear, and are more of brothers to me than mere friends are within the last couple of years to alcoholism. At writing, I have one of my farm helps who was more of a family member than an ordinary labourer about to be laid in state and be buried by 11:00 am today, Saturday 23/07/11. This is how devastating addiction to alcohol can be. The repercussions of the uncompromising but negative attitudes of alcoholics on their loved ones have always been painful, stressful and financially ruinous. Those addicted to drugs, alcohol or whatever ruins the human life with the accompanying adverse effects on their family, friends and society are simply selfish. Alcoholics only think about how best to satisfy their sullen souls without any respect for the feelings of their close ones. If they knew how hurtful we get when they knowingly or unknowingly harm themselves through such lethal addiction, they might reconsider their actions for the better but how would they know as mentally and selfishly blind as they are.

I will soon be writing on how best we can reduce the production of that lethal "akpeteshi" brewed from rusty nails, liquid sugar, etc. as it is the order of the day in Ghana among most "akpeteshi" distillers. This type of "akpeteshi" is unhealthy for human consumption. It contributes immensely to the death toll in Ghana, I should think. I will strongly advise that people stay away from alcohol addiction as it kills. Friends of those addicted to alcohol must try as hard as they can to persuade them to get medical attention. Should there be any means to get them hooked off their taste, why not implement it with alacrity?

May the soul of the latest victim of alcoholism as under discussion, Bawumi, rest in perfect peace. May he never touch alcohol in his new world and may God grant him eternal rest devoid of hassles. May his loved ones learn lessons from his ill fate to go out to educate others on how fatal alcoholism is. Amen

Rockson Adofo