Poll suggestion: Dry January - What's Your Take on Alcohol?

Dry January Bump, the second.

True. I see Americans like, for example, morejps on YouTube (Joel), who seem to have a mindset of “let people do what they want” and doesn't wants to be so overcontrolled (my own word) as things often are elsewhere. You can also see how much he enjoys drinking - he mentions it frequently in his reaction videos. To me, he looks like someone who could easily slide into it. If he doesn’t take care, he could become an alcoholic sooner or later.

From my experience, people who really like alcohol won’t listen to warnings anyway. Alcoholics usually only agree that there is a problem when they have hit rock bottom and their life is seriously broken. That’s what makes it so sad.

Personally, I disagree with the strict approach in some Arabic countries, but there are also countries where alcohol is treated far too loosely. Russia is probably the best example: before having a conference, people first drink half a bottle of vodka. It’s considered impolite to refuse alcohol in Russia. Poland is close to that mentality, Germany is close to Poland, and Italy and France are not that far behind Germany either.

In the Northern countries, I think alcohol is regulated in the best way overall. The movie 'One for the Road' shows very well how some people behave in Germany when they are drunk.

The Nordic model works due to specific demographic, cultural, economic, social, etc. conditions unique to those locales.

It will not work in the Anglosphere, Eastern Europe, Africa etc.

Where are our resident Nordics? @Jessica , @Peter_PBN ?

[I don't know whether to be glad or concerned that AI can express this more lucidly than I can, but here it is:

Nordic alcohol policies work because they’re embedded in high-trust, low-corruption societies with cultural consensus; without those conditions, similar controls tend to produce black markets and greater harm.

@NYVKE​ 

I just researched a little. Seems like Russia and Poland have strongly changed in the last decade. Seems like Germany now has the most loose control. It's a boozer paradise. At least until they hit the bottom.