Saturday fun, Sunday regret: What’s the worrying trend about ‘weekend’ drinking

After a long work week one might be tempted to relax. While these methods of relaxation may vary, the most common amongst this is the problem of drinking alcohol.

A problem prominent in individuals who choose to drink alcohol on the weekends. The group, commonly referred to as the “weekend” alcoholics, are people who may drink heavily on Friday and Saturday nights, but abstain during the week.

While this pattern may not seem harmful at first, the weekends combine to create a problem that may chronically affect a “weekend” alcoholic’s livelihood.

According to a 2009 study, published by the Lancet, sales of alcohol witnesses a growth rate of eight per cent in the past three years. Out of the total alcohol drinkers, one-fifth of the individuals are dependent drinkers requiring “help”.

The concern, however, doesn’t end there. The 2009 study also found that the “average age of initiation” had dropped from 19 years to 13 years in the past decade. Additionally, the study also found that spirits account for 95% of the beverages drunk in India. This is especially concerning, since spirits contain, at least 20 per cent alcohol by volume.

A recent study done by Statista, validates this growth by displaying how consumption of alcohol (in billion litres) has risen from 4.86 in 2020 to 6.21 in 2024.

Additionally, it references a study wherein over 88 per cent Indians aged under 25 drink alcohol.