Alcohol: a health hazard

Alcohol is habit forming; inebriating health hazard, Islamic ban on alcohol is based on Quranic advisory, the advisory has a medical basis:

‘They will question you concerning wine and gambling. Say: ‘’In both there is great sin, and some profit for men. But the sin is greater than the profit’’ (2:219).

Alcohol becomes a sin as it constitutes body abuse, and no one has the right to abuse what the nature provides. The abuse in case of alcohol is due to the harmful affects on various systems that constitute the human body; we may summarize it as follows:

In the digestive system, it affects special living environment called flora in the mouth. The flora makes it difficult for dangerous bacteria to survive. Once this natural defence gets hindered, the health of gums and teeth is affected.

The sensitive inner lining (mucous membrane) of throat and food pipe (esophagus) gets irritated and weakened and chronic irritation could be a pre-cancerous state.

In the stomach, chronic (alcoholic) gastritis could result from alcohol affecting the protective covering that guards inner lining (mucous membrane) of stomach against harmful effect of hydrochloric acid.

Hydrochloric acid, otherwise much needed natural product in stomach acts a powerful antiseptic against toxic substances in the food. The disturbance of digestive system also influences intestines; the computerized natural harmony of digestive system is thrown out of gear.

Liver breaks down (detoxifies) alcohol as it is taken to be a harmful chemical by human body. In chronic alcoholics liver remains engaged with duty of eliminating alcohol forgetting its natural duties, eventually the damaging effect of overwork results in diseased liver—

Alcoholic Cirrhosis. Liver plays a leading role in the consumption of fatty nutrients in the blood. Once liver is weakened, fatty substances cause hardening of blood vessels (arteriosclerosis) and increased blood pressure.

Besides alcohol affects cardiac function as fat deposits accumulate in the heart. Apart from drunkenness, alcohol has long term damaging effect on nervous system.

The psychological outfall could result in family and social disorder. Numbness and laziness induced by alcohol could on a mass level affect productive talent of society.