Medico-legal implications of alcohol consumption

Throughout the recorded history, alcoholic beverages have been used in many societies for many purposes - as psychoactive substances, intoxicants, liquids to quench thirst, sources of calories, etc. Whatever the social and personal valuation of the alcoholic beverage use, positive or negative or mixed; drinking alcoholic beverages carries with it some potential for social and health harm, both to the drinker and to others. Some harms are immediate, notably injuries and other harms associated with intoxication or an elevated blood alcohol level. Others are more long-term, such as cumulative damage to family or work life or social position, or chronic damage to health, etc.

A large number of medico-legal issues also arise as a result of the use/abuse of alcohol. The doctors concerned with such cases should be aware of these and their ramifications on the case, while evaluating them in their entirety. Consent is a very essential pre-requisite for every medico-legal examination, however, the fact that the patient is in an intoxicated condition at that material time leads to certain complications, which have to be borne in mind. This article describes the various medico-legal issues related to alcohol consumption, as would be encountered in the professional life of a physician.