Statistics on alcoholism among students are hair-raising indication of future Bhutanese generations being over indulging in the spirit and subsequent violence born out of inebriation.
This is what predicted by the recent survey among students at Gaeddu College of Business Studies by professor Dr. David L Luechauer and lecturer Umesh Jadhav.
The simple statistics convey that 25% missed classes or turned in assignments late, 32% believe that they need alcohol to have fun time and 22% feel threatened by the students who consume alcohol.
In a homogeneous sample of 400 students of the college, 63% are found alcoholics of which 84% consume at least thrice in a month, while 17% have crossed the threshold limit of chronic alcoholism.
Himself recovering from chronic alcoholism, Dr. David L Luechauer said that the research was aimed at helping people realize that alcoholism cannot be taken ‘normal’ for everyone, as it is being taken in the country right now.
The finding of the survey at Gaeddu College is indicative of the fact that a 20 to 35 percent of the college graduates are already too imbibing.
“If this is the case of alcoholism among college graduates, it does not paint a happy picture for future Bhutan,” said the researching professor, Dr. David.
“Clearly the country does not have the resources to help a lot of alcoholics, especially the future leaders, to get sober.”
