The Movement of "Drinking Tea Instead of Alcohol" as Health Promotion

Taiwan aboriginals had no alcohol abuse 100 years ago on account of the short production of millet which was the main raw material. Due to the colonization in 1895 and the implementation of the system of the governmental monopoly of tobacco and alcohol, the aboriginal traditional strict custom that millet wine was the bridge between the aboriginals and their ancestors was destroyed. The monopoly sales system brought alcohol abuse to all aboriginals in Taiwan which caused serious health problems, no working ability, drunk driving accidents, and increasing domestic violence. The author organized the promotion team and held more than 300 times of health education in 5 aboriginal townships to prevent alcohol abuse and change the lifestyle and attitude of the aboriginals from the source. In the second stage, the promotion team found there should be a local long-lasting strength in each aboriginal community. Therefore, the “tea friend club” was set up one after another. This movement has been promoted for 12 years and still going on. At that time, the director of the Hualien County Health Bureau affirmed that this was a pioneering work in the public health sector.