Encourage drinking in moderation, says NAHO report

A report from the National Aboriginal Health Organization says safe-drinking education is necessary and singles out excessive booze consumption or binge drinking rather than alcoholism as the cause of social problems in northern communities.

“It is the quantity in binge drinking that results in problems,” says the report, researched and written by former Nunavut Arctic College instructor Marja Korhonen.

The report says communities and governments need to work towards a “culture of moderation” in Inuit drinking habits.

“Intoxication is an expected and tolerated outcome… though this may have historical roots in observations of whalers or explorers, the pattern can be changed,” says the report.

But giving up booze isn’t the way, the report suggests. Rather it’s developing “controlled drinking” habits. The goal of encouraging drinkers to cut down or a “harm reduction” strategy is, according the report, “a less stressful, less guilt-producing path to change, while reducing community, family and individual physical and mental harm.”

The report also favours the establishment of community-based treatment over regional treatment facilities.

However, it says the only program now offering this approach is through Tungasuvinngat Inuit’s treatment program for Inuit in Ottawa.