Commentary on Editorial “Towards an evidence based alcohol policy”

Mahesh Rajasuriya

doi:10.4038/sljpsyc.v2i2.4040

Abstract

We received a detailed response on the editorial of the previous issue “Towards an evidence based alcohol policy”. Instead of publishing it as a Letter to the Editor, which would have limited the length of the response, we decided to publish it as a commentary. We have also invited the author of the editorial to repond to the commentary. Correspondence on this topic is now closed. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4038/sljpsyc.v2i2.4040 SLJPSYCH 2011; 2(2): 51-52

Highlights

Editors’ note: We received a detailed response on the editorial of the previous issue “Towards an evidence based alcohol policy”
Apparent erroneous interpretation of original sources The only reference in the opening paragraph of the editorial, which is to a report on illicit drug trends in Pakistan is used to substantiate the argument that Pakistani youth are turning to substances such as heroin in the absence of alcohol [2]
There is a claim that Pakistan ‘has an estimated population of 500,000 chronic heroin users, one of the highest heroin use rates per population in the world’ citing the report

Summary

Introduction

Editors’ note: We received a detailed response on the editorial of the previous issue “Towards an evidence based alcohol policy”. It is stated that there is such a policy in Pakistan, enacted in 1977 by the president; and a current legislator has made an attempt to overturn this, with support of politicians and the media in Pakistan who blame the no-alcohol policy for the emergence of high heroin use in that country. Another series of historical observations are cited about the Russian Revolution where Czar Nicholas II banned the manufacture and sale of vodka in Russia and how his alcohol supplies were ransacked during the Russian revolution.

Results

Conclusion