Raise Your Hand for … Alcohol

October 31, 2019

(Literally & figuratively, this is not meant to be a “dry” subject for a blog 😊)

Consumption of alcohol = fall into a stupor; Consumption of drugs = fall to your death!

I was told that one of the largest smuggling & illegal consumption of alcohol is in this region of the world … and it’s very believable!

We see this consumption around us– it’s a fact of life.  Why can’t the government and rulers over the last four decades see … accept … and monetize that? 

Our laws allow minority, permit-holders to purchase locally produced alcohol and it is taxed, which is fine.  However, far far more smuggled foreign alcohol is illegally sold and consumed (and not by minorities) - with no monetary benefit accruing to the government.  If our Governments stop policing so-called “moral values & virtues” of its citizens, the economic benefit to the Country is humungous!  

“There is a qualitative factor too- one of perception … that we are a progressive nation, a good place to live and work…” (https://cber.uark.edu/johnsonretailalcohol.pdf); and that the Country respects each person’s right to practice his/her religion as they individually choose (their “sins” are between them and God).

The government taxes local alcohol production; so why is importing - and taxing - foreign alcohol “haram”?  “Interest” on loans is considered “haram” – then why is it still paid on World Bank, IFC and other multilateral loans.  Let’s be pragmatic and collect revenues- not hypocritical and suffer socially, economically and morally. 

By allowing sale of higher-cost, imported alcohol with lower-cost, local production - one covers all social sectors of the population as per their income levels.

(p.s.- as is apparent, I’m not covering the negatives of alcohol consumption 😊)