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{
    "id": 1414635,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1414635/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 374,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Aldai, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Marianne Kitany",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Temporary Speaker. I stand to support this Report. When we look at alcoholism in our country today, we realise that a lot of the barriers or blocks that had been put in place are all gone. When I was growing up, alcohol was only sold to adults. The only people who could go to a bar or hold a drink were adults. We, as young people, would never touch a bottle of alcohol or take any alcohol at all. Today, the community has changed. We know children who are in primary and secondary schools and are already engaging in alcohol and substance abuse. Those children live in our community and we watch them grow. Our laws having changed, there is no communal care and protection that used to be there when I was growing up. A lot of that alcohol is from illicit brews or it is alcohol that is brewed in homes. In my home village, for example, there are so many illicit brews. If you look inside those containers, they have all sorts of dirt and animals such as snakes and other things. You wonder how adults and young children consume those particular alcohols. County governments are the ones who are licensing bars. When we were young, there was no bar which was allowed to operate near a school or a homestead. Today, every door you walk past near your house, there is either a bar or a liquor store. When there are such things all over, what do you expect of the population, especially the young children? They will try to consume that particular product that is easily available, either in the next-door bar or liquor store as they get out of their homes. The drive to have licenses controlled is a very good thing. It is timely. County governments need to not only look at their licensing regime, but also realise that alcohol and substance abuse is real. Therefore, they should restrict the number of places that can be licensed, taking into consideration schools and communities nearby. Alcohol sales should be in restricted areas just like it used to be. That could help limit the use of alcohol. Today’s generation is slowly deteriorating because they are involved in alcohol and substance abuse. The drugs are easily and readily available to them. This begs the question: If they continue being irresponsible, who will take up the leadership positions in future?"
}