The percentage of women consuming alcohol has doubled in the last four
years in Gujarat, technically a dry state, since its inception in 1960, according
to the recently released National Family Health Survey (NFHS- 5) report for
2019-20, PTI reported.

The survey covered a total of 33,343 women and 5,351 men from the state.

Of the women surveyed, nearly 200 claimed they consumed liquor, a rise
from the 68 women who had said so in the NFHS-4 survey for the year 2015-16.

Sociologist Gaurang Jani on Monday attributed the rise in the percentage
of women drinkers to “party culture” and greater acceptability of
liquor consumption in society.

“The middle class and upper middle class have embraced the party
culture in recent times. As a result, women in families have also started
consuming liquor. Earlier, men used to go out to drink. Now, a new culture of
consuming liquor in family parties has emerged,” said Jani.

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“People are throwing family parties to celebrate even small events.
Moreover, kitty parties have also contributed to higher liquor consumption
among women, NRIs are also bringing liquor with them and enjoying it during
house parties here with relatives,” he claimed.

For NHFS-4, the sample size in Gujarat was 22,932 women and 5,574 men.

The survey also shows that liquor consumption among men has halved
during the last four years.

In the 2015-16 survey, 618 men had claimed they consumed liquor, and
this has come down to 310 men in the latest report.