Abuse of alcohol has developed as a significant problem among indigenous communities, notably among Alaska Natives. This calls for immediate intervention and the development of more constructive lifestyle choices. Since the introduction of alcohol to Alaska Natives in the 1950s, the catastrophic consequences of alcohol have reached worrisome levels of social disruption by the 1980s. These impacts have grown increasingly apparent since the introduction of alcohol.
In the absence of a movement toward more positive behavioral choices, the harmful effects of substance misuse and alcoholism will continue to wreak havoc on the lives of a great number of people living in these areas.
In spite of the fact that the district of Minto has established a “dry” status, which prohibits the sale and importation of alcoholic beverages, the attraction of alcohol continues to pose a considerable threat, particularly to the younger members of the community.
Concerns have been expressed, as they should be, among the leaders of Minto over the possible long-term effects that this scenario may have on their cultural heritage, the wellness of their community, and the territorial integrity of their territory.
Following the implementation of federal laws that led to the relocation of the Cherokee Nation to Oklahoma more than a century and a half ago, the Cherokee Nation now has more than 65,000 people who live in the rural and urban parts of the region.
The Indigenous community is experiencing a disturbing prevalence of drug misuse, including alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and cocaine, at rates that are higher than those of their non-Indigenous counterparts. This is due to the fact that the demographic is disproportionately skewed towards the youth, with more than one-third of the population being under the age of 17 years old.
Substance misuse among individuals of Native American descent has been related to serious repercussions, including physical injuries, an increase in the number of interventions initiated by law enforcement, and an increase in the number of incidents involving child neglect and abuse.
According to the Tribal Child Protective Services of the Cherokee Nation, drug addiction has been recognized as a key issue in 39 percent of their caseload, indicating the significant impact that substance misuse has on the health and safety of those in the community.
Furthermore, the results of the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse from 1989 show that there is a significant disparity in the use of alcohol among teenagers in the United States of America in general and among those of American Indian and Alaska Native family ancestry.
The propensity for early alcohol and drug experimentation placed Native American teenagers at a heightened danger of experiencing significant health, relational, and communal challenges. This is due to the fact that around 80 percent of the latter group has experimented with alcohol, contrary to the fact that just fifty percent of all American adolescents have done so.
Among the most important aspects of alcohol misuse in Native American tribes are the following:
- Abuse of alcohol and drugs not only causes problems for the individual, but it also has a profound influence on families and communities as a whole. This has repercussions for every member of the community, from the person who is battling with addiction to their family, friends, and colleagues.
- It is important to note that the consequences of substance misuse among these societies stretch across mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional aspects, which highlights the overall suffering that is caused by these practices.
- Alcoholism is a problem that frequently affects many generations within these societies. It may have a negative impact on as many as three or four generations. Furthermore, it poses a substantial threat to the generations who will come after them.
- The panorama of drug misuse within Native American cultures is further complicated by the presence of several underlying concerns, which include stress-related behaviors, cultural shame, despair, and self-loathing. These difficulties coexist in addition to alcohol dependency itself.
A strategy that targets not just the symptoms of alcoholism but also the numerous underlying problems that contribute to this widespread epidemic is required in order to effectively address alcohol dependency and the obstacles that are connected with it in Indian communities.
