Alcohol: As old as humanity itself
Quebec as a model

Of all the peoples on earth, only the denizens of the far north have not developed any "mind-altering substances" – the term used by Louise Nadeau, a professor at the University of Montreal and chair of the Standing Committee on Addiction – and that’s simply because they cannot grow anything that can be fermented, chewed or smoked.

"South American Indians chew coca leaves and North American Indians had magic mushrooms. In India, people drink a cannabis-based concoction. So why is alcohol so widespread, as opposed to these other traditions? Because western European colonists imposed their customs and because the raw materials for producing it can be found almost everywhere," notes Nadeau.

Alcohol has been a part of human culture practically since the dawn of human history. Archeological findings show it is reasonable to assume that wild grapes were used to produce wine in Southeast Asia 9,000 years ago, states Nadeau in Vivre avec l’alcool (Éditions de l’Homme, 1990).

 

 

Louise Nadeau,
Member of the Board of Éduc'alcool.

 

 

As Western civilization grew, methods for producing alcoholic beverages were refined, leading to the development of wine, cider, spirits and beer. Western culture is permeated with references to alcohol, notes Louise Nadeau, a professor at the University of Montreal and chair of the Standing Committee on Addiction.

In fact, all peoples around the world – except for North American and Australian aboriginals – developed some sort of alcoholic drink, as well as other substances based on indigenous plants. Alcohol can be produced by fermenting the sugars in almost any plant product, such as grapes, apples, sugar cane, potatoes and beets.

With the growth of Western civilization, methods for producing alcoholic beverages were refined, leading to the development of specific types of drinks: wine, cider, spirits and beer. Western culture is permeated with references to alcohol. Homer mentions it in the Iliad and the Odyssey.

The Bible contains about 150 references to wine - its pleasures and its consequences - which has become laden with symbolism. "Christ’s first miracle was turning water into wine at the marriage at Cana," says Nadeau. "It is believed that in ancient times, wine came to replace the blood and human sacrifices offered up to appease the gods."

However, all pleasures, even mystical ones, have their limits. Every culture has had to establish rules to ensure a balance between enjoyment, abuse and dependence. Once again, Nadeau explains, colonialism imposed Western law around the world. As a result, alcohol is tolerated nearly everywhere, while other substances, including soft and hard drugs, are forbidden.

Some cultures have found their own balance. In Greece, for example, where people have been sipping ouzo for 4,000 years, drunkenness is rare. "Inebriation is severely frowned upon, socially. The same is true in Bordeaux, where an entire lifestyle has been built around the cultivation of good taste. Quebec is coming around to this way of seeing things."

We have seen then the emergence of the new standard of "socially acceptable" drinking. Louise Nadeau believes that we have achieved a certain level of sophistication in Quebec, through a carrot-and-stick strategy that encourages moderation while imposing strict laws. "The promotion of moderate drinking, the criminalization of driving while impaired, and the introduction of such services as Nez Rouge have made people think about their behaviour and made them more accountable. As a result, the concept of the designated driver is quite common today; similarly, you can turn down a drink without being called a party-pooper."

Unfortunately, perfection is still far away. "Dozens of people are still killed on Quebec roads every year," says Nadeau. "Alcohol is a factor in four cases out of ten. Furthermore, every year 325 teenagers commit suicide, and while alcohol may not be the cause, it often helps them carry out the deed."

Occasional drunkenness, or "binge drinking," has also become a serious problem. "Most alcohol-related tragedies do not involve chronic alcoholics. They involve ordinary people like you and me, who drink too much on a particular occasion. Problems start to arise after you've had five drinks (a bottle of wine contains six); and 20% of Quebecers admit to having five or more drinks at least five times a year." Sadly, too, car accidents are only one problem among many. Domestic violence, street fights, and a host of crimes and desperate acts are all on the terribly costly list of drinking-related disasters.