President of Aleam proposes law that strengthens protection for women and combats alcoholism

Defense of women

Proposal aims to create “Women’s Prevention Week against Alcoholism”, among other protection and combat measures

Manaus (AM) – State deputy Roberto Cidade (UB), president of the Legislative Assembly of Amazonas (Aleam), proposed and had it transformed into Law No. 6,584/2023, a measure that establishes the “State Program for the Prevention of Alcoholism among Women”. The Law proposes to guarantee that women who use alcohol excessively have specific monitoring by the Public Authorities.

According to Census data, women make up the majority of the national population and also in Amazonas. Therefore, the law sheds light on a social aspect that has had a major impact on women, which is alcoholism.

For the deputy, the topic needs to be demystified and the female public needs to receive special attention so that the problem can be overcome.

“Although alcohol dependence has singularities between the two genders, it is undeniable that the entire network of care and combating alcoholism needs to be restructured for this new reality. Therefore, creating a public policy aimed specifically at women will facilitate actions by the Public Power to monitor and treat them”,

he stated.

Data from the Female Alcoholism Association indicate that, in the last 10 years, alcohol consumption among women has grown by 40%. According to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), one in four women consumes alcoholic beverages excessively, with 2% of them developing some degree of dependence.

According to the Health and Alcohol Information Center (CISA), the effects of alcohol consumption on women have several specificities, including the menstrual cycle, pregnancy and breastfeeding; social factors, such as motherhood; and organic factors, such as body water composition in the body, anatomy, absorption, metabolism and presence of hormones.

According to a report from the World Health Organization (WHO), 1.6% of Brazilian women aged 15 or over have a disorder related to alcohol use, with 0.5% having a diagnosis of dependence.

Week against alcoholism

The Law also provides for the creation of “Women’s Prevention Week against Alcoholism”, to be held in the week of February 18th, when National Day to Combat Alcoholism is celebrated.

According to the proposal, the State Program for the Prevention of Alcoholism among Women will be developed by the State Department of Health (SES), State Department of Social Assistance (SEAS) and State Department of Justice, Human Rights and Citizenship (Sejusc ).

Potential harm from alcohol use to women’s health:

• Liver damage: greater propensity to develop liver inflammation;

• Cardiovascular system: greater risk of alcohol-related heart disease;

• Breast cancer: greater risk of developing the disease from daily consumption of a dose of alcohol;

• Pregnancy: any amount of alcoholic beverages during this period represents a risk for the mother and the fetus, which will be subject to learning difficulties, behavioral impairments and even Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.

*With information from consultancy

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