Increase in Alcohol Sales = Rise in Alcohol Poisoning

Yes, it's a festive season - season to be golly and all things GREAT.

But people being people, (to some) to be golly & merry, alcohol consumption is a MUST. Not only that, it becomes EXCESSIVE....

Sorry lah.....not trying to be preachy....

But, hey, we wanna celebrate many many more Xmas to come, right?

CHANNELNEWSASIA reports:

"Alcohol sales are up this holiday season, with wholesalers and bars reporting a 30 to 50 percent increase in alcohol sales. But hospitals have also reported an increase in the number of patients admitted for alcohol-related problems this festive season. It seems like many Singaporeans are going all out to celebrate a year of higher bonuses and good economic growth. Other than drinking in pubs, they are also going to wholesalers to stock up on alcohol in large quantities.

Hock Tong Bee, one of the largest alcohol wholesalers around, is seeing a 40 percent increase in sales this season. Most of its customers buy 24 bottles and above, at a go, to get a discount. And the company estimates that the number of consumers buying direct from wholesalers has doubled this year...........................Hospitals say that, like previous years, more patients are being admitted for alcohol poisoning during this festive period. While they used to see five cases on average each night, this has increased to as much as 15 to 20 per night in the last three weeks.

Dr Gregory Cham, Consultant, Accidents & Emergency Department, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, says: "Some of these patients lose consciousness and sometimes they lose control of their airway because excessive amount of alcohol also induces vomiting. Some of the vomit may enter the lungs and cause lung damage. If there is a lot of vomiting, this can also cause a tear in the oesophagus and some of these patients can vomit blood significantly.” Other common sightings at the A&E departments this season are disoriented drunks who come in with broken bones and fractures from falls, and cases from drink-driving car accidents.

Between January and November this year, there were 525 accidents caused by tipsy drivers...."