Alcohol and Drugs in Micronesia

Alcohol abuse has developed into a major problem in the Micronesian islands, causing serious health and social ills.

Marijuana, introduced to the islands by the Peace Corps, is the only drug readily available to the population, even though it is illegal. Unlike the western world where marijuana use is often the first step toward serious dependency on hard drugs, the economy of most of the islands doesn't allow the vast majority of the population to even experiment with hard drugs, much less develop a dependency.

Alcohol, however, is cheap enough so that most Micronesians can find a way to buy or make it.

Until the sale of alcohol to the local population was legalized in the early 1960's, Micronesians made their own acohol by fermenting young coconuts to make tuba, or by mixing dry yeast with sugar and water and allowing it to ferment for a few hours. A few people who had the know how and materials, built stills and sold the grain alcohol, often cut with coffee.

After the sale of alcohol was legalized, the consumption skyrocketed -- especially the sale of beer.

Public drunkeness, drunk drivers, child and spousal abuse, have now become major social ills of almost all the Micronesian islands. Chuuk and Yap supposedly have the highest per capita consumption, but all the islands consume a large amount of alcohol.

Practically all the alcohol being consumed is imported, which has a negative effect on the states' and nation's economy. It isn't at all uncommon for workers to drink up their paychecks before getting home. In years past, especially for government employees, the wives of the workers would congregate at the work place on paydays to take possession of their husbands' paychecks before they would get off work.

On the follwoing pages are several articles about alcohol and drug use in the islands.

Alcohol and Drug Abuse in the FSM · Youth Drinking in Micronesia