Alcoholism is on the rise in Israel — here’s why

Alcohol abuse is a worldwide problem that has become even more concerning in the last few years. Although there are many laws and regulations regarding the legal drinking age in every country that try to control the negative drinking behaviors of youth, it seems that binge drinking is on the rise among teenagers worldwide.

Israel is no exception when it comes to confronting the problem of the rising trend of alcohol abuse. Although Israelis used to be seen as moderate drinkers and infrequent drunkards, in the last several years, the country faces a steadily growing problem of alcohol abuse.

According to the law, the legal age for purchasing and drinking alcoholic beverages in Israel is 18. However, according to a recent study, alcohol consumption has become an increasing problem among adolescents and young adults.

Why is alcoholism on the rise?

Like in any other part of the world, alcohol abuse in Israel has various causes and consequences. The most common causes of alcohol addiction are either social, financial, or related to emotional pain.  The experts from Inspire Malibu explain that most drinkers develop an alcohol addiction as a coping mechanism for their problems. Whether they experience a traumatic event which leaves them with the emotional pain they need to numb or they experience financial problems, alcohol consumption helps them disconnect from their real-world problems.

Also, other very common reasons why people start drinking alcohol are strongly connected with social causes. Especially youngsters, experience the pressure from their peers to develop drinking habits in order to integrate into their group of friends. Others start consuming alcohol out of curiosity because they have heard from their peers that it is a fun activity.

How is Israel trying to fight back the problem?

Alcohol abuse in Israel is a very concerning public health issue. According to the Health Ministry of Israel, over a million people consumed harmful amounts of alcohol. Moreover, what is even more worrying is the fact that estimates about the alcoholism problem in Israel show that almost 94% of alcohol addicts remain untreated or never diagnose their drinking problem.

As mentioned before, Israel has a very strict rule which prohibits youngsters under the age of 18 to buy or drink alcoholic drinks. Moreover, it is obviously also illegal to sell or offer alcoholic drinks to minors. Yet, it seems that Israel has many other laws and regulations in an attempt to discourage binge drinking behaviors. For example, it is illegal to serve or have alcoholic drinks in public places if they are not covered. Also, shops are not allowed to sell alcohol to any customer, no matter if they are adults or teenagers, between the hours of 11 pm and 6 am.

What are the consequences of alcoholism?

The consequences of alcohol abuse can be social, financial, and related to a poor health condition or even death. Alcohol addicts’ overall health is often very poor because alcohol consumption in large amounts has been linked with a multitude of health issues such as the increased risk of certain types of cancer, liver problems, increased risk of heart conditions, and depression.