World No Alcohol Day Date in the current year: October 2, 2024

People have consumed alcoholic drinks for recreational purposes for thousands of years; there is archaeological evidence of intentionally fermented drinks being made as early as the Neolithic period. Alcohol affects the central nervous systems and produces effects such as euphoria, happiness, increased sociability, and decreased anxiety.

Although the consumption of alcoholic beverages is fully legal in most parts of the world, except for some majority-Muslim countries, a few Indian states and some Native American reservations in the United States, alcohol is a drug that causes a plethora of detrimental health and social effects. Immoderate alcohol consumption primarily affects the central nervous and digestive systems; ethanol is associated with brain damage, liver damage, cancer, and birth defects in infants whose mothers consumed alcohol during pregnancy.

The impact of alcohol on society is also extensive. It increases crime rates (common alcohol-related crimes include violent crime, automobile accidents resulting from drunk driving, sexual assault, and public intoxication), imposes a burden on healthcare system, brings economic losses to individuals and societies, and can have a substantial impact on one’s work performance and relationships.

The creation of World No Alcohol Day was proposed by the Indian delegation at the 2008 World Health Assembly in Geneva. The date of October 2 was chosen to commemorate the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, a prominent leader of the Indian anti-colonial movement who was also involved with the temperance movement. Gandhi viewed alcohol as a foreign influence and supported the idea of national prohibition.

Although the proposal of the Indian delegation was supported by eleven Southeast Asian countries, the observance wasn’t formally established. Despite this, World No Alcohol Day has been observed by various organizations, including the International Council of Nurses, since it was originally proposed in 2008.

There are many ways to observe World No Alcohol Day. You can learn more about the harmful effects of alcohol and the benefits of temperance, abstain from alcohol at least for a day and encourage others to do the same, and spread the word about the observance on social media with the hashtag #WorldNoAlcoholDay. If you have problems with alcohol, this is the day when you should finally reach out for help; if you have a loved one who is struggling with alcoholism, let them know that you are there for them.

World No Alcohol Day should not be confused with World Alcohol-Free Day, also known as World Temperance Day. The latter is observed on the next day, October 3, to commemorate the birthday of John B. Finch, one of the leaders of the temperance movement in the United States who gave lectures on temperance and founded Red Ribbon reform clubs in Nebraska.