• CitizenKong@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    And unlike cannabis use (as far as I’m aware), alcoholism is actually a real problem in Japan, because drinking alcohol is not only socially acceptable but downright enforced.

    • Corkyskog@sh.itjust.works
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      2 months ago

      It’s even worse, because over a third of Japanese are allergic to alcohol and probably shouldn’t be consuming for increased health risk.

      • CitizenKong@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        I know what you mean, but it’s not an allergy but the lack of a gene to metabolize alcohol properly. So it’s more comparable to lactose intolerance (which over 70 percent of Asians also have).

        • Corkyskog@sh.itjust.works
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          2 months ago

          It’s not an “allergy”, but it still has detrimental health effects. Not having the enzyme greatly increases cancers related to drinking, among many other health impacts.

          Allergy is just a way to explain it more simply.