Alcoholism in Costa Rica

Alcoholism is a serious problem among some Costa Ricans and expats here. Unfortunately, as many ticos say, “We have a very deeply-rooted guaro (drinking) culture.” This really comes as little surprise since drinking establishments are found on what seems to be almost every street corner. The nation’s main beer company, La Cervecería de Costa Rica, sponsors concerts and many other events all in the name of promoting the consumption of alcohol. At times it seems like a river of beer flows freely at the events like the yearly Palmares and Zapote festivals and even during Easter Week.

May 20th is International Drunk’s Day (El Día Internacional del Borracho) which is widely celebrated in some circles here. “Nunca falta un borracho en una vela,” is a popular Costa Rican expression that epitomizes this country’s Guaro culture. Simply put, this phrase implies that at almost any celebration including baptisms, carnivals, weddings, family events and even funerals and wakes, alcohol is widely consumed. It seems that there is always someone who is hasta el culo, I.e. very drunk. Although prohibited by law, some individuals even think of ingenious ways to smuggle liquor into the country’s stadiums to watch soccer matches.

International Drunk’s Day was originally conceived in Mexico in the year 2006. Actually many Mexicans oppose this celebration since it is estimated that there are over 5,000,000 people with alcohol abuse problems in that country. In addition, alcohol is linked to many traffic accidents and is the leading cause of death among young people between 15 and 30 years of age.

Despite being a beer-loving country, Costa Rica only has an alcohol dependence rate of of only 3.1 percent. For comparison, the U.S. has a rate of 4.7 percent. And other countries in Latin America have a higher rate. So do not do not assume that every Costa Rican has a drinking problem.

Over the years I have witnessed a number of retired expats drink themselves to death due to boredom and loneliness. For the first time in their lives, retirees find themselves with a lot of spare time on their hands and do not know what to do with it.

In Costa Rica the solution is simple —stay busy! The country offers 100s of activities from which to choose in order to stay occupied and happy, so boredom should not pose a problem. Meeting people is easy if one makes an effort. I have lost count of the number of times that I heard expats utter this phrase, “I have more friends and acquaintances here than I ever had back home.”

The bottom line: By staying active expats are less likely to fall prey to alcoholism.