By: Natasha Archary
A Greenland town has issued an immediate 2-week alcohol ban after several suicide attempts and reports.
Authorities in Tasiilaq eastern Greenland said the alcohol ban was necessary after 15 domestic disturbance reports, 2 suicides, 4 suicide threats and 6 other incidents of violence.
The small town has just under 2 000 residents and due to the spike in alcohol-related medical emergencies, health facilities don’t have the capacity to treat people.
Greenland will have the ban in place until 17 September and if there is a decline in alcohol-related incidents officials will consider lifting the ban.
Apart from the alcohol ban, the town has introduced a series of social initiatives to reduce recurring violence and alcohol abuse incidents.
Tasiilaq has recently opened a family treatment centre and a youth centre but mayor Ludvigsen admits more needs to be done
The news comes after recent research shows that a full alcohol ban was effective in curbing trauma cases from alcohol-related incidents in South Africa.
A study by the University of Cape Town (UCT) and Stellenbosch University (STU) found fewer trauma cases were reported during lockdown levels with an alcohol ban in place compared to periods where alcohol sales were only restricted.
Researchers used data from all trauma-related patients presented to the emergency centre of Mitchells Plain Hospital from March 1 2020 to September 29 2020 and corresponding periods during 2019 were exported from an existing database.
Earlier this month, the country was divided on whether alcohol should be sold at petrol stations.



