alcoholism

My cousin, Lop Nob Tshering, died last week. He was a teacher at Dechenchholing MSS and had barely turned 45. He died at home, suddenly. Family and friends all agree that he died because of alcohol – he was a chronic alcoholic.No one knows how many people die at home from alcohol related problems. My cousin lived in Thimphu. And yet he died suddenly and at home. Imagine what happens outside Thimphu. Imagine the number of alcohol related deaths that go undetected. That number must surely be much higher than the number of people dying because of alcohol in…

Dorji died a few days ago. He was my classmate in Kanglung. He died of alcohol related problems.Dorji was among the 75 of us who entered Class XI in Sherubtse College, Kanglung in 1982. Another two of my classmates from this batch have also died – Devi Bhakta and Thinley Penjor. Both of them died from alcoholism.One of my classmates was recently in the ICU. He’s still recovering from alcohol related complications. At least three more classmates are chronic alcoholics. And many of us are heavy drinkers.Alcohol has already killed three of my classmates. And it threatens to kill…