Burmese Refugees' Alcohol Misuse and Its Impact on Integration

• In Event: 2151 - Section on Alcohol, Drugs, and Tobacco Roundtable
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: 1. Communities, Networks, and Drug Problems

Abstract

Battle Creek, a small Midwest city in Michigan, is home to approximately 3,700 Burmese refugees, most of whom are Christians and find employment in factory jobs. In the past two years, a pressing crisis has been brewing in the Burmese community. Excessive alcohol consumption among Burmese men has led to an alarming number of DUI/DWI (driving under influence/driving while intoxicated) arrests. Burmese DWI offenders’ significantly high blood alcohol levels (.32-.35) suggest potential mental health issues and their high rates of probation violation indicate the ineffective substance abuse treatment after their arrests. This paper analyzes how different perceptions and proposed solutions among three social institutions—the criminal justice system, the mental health care system, and Burmese ethnic churches—lead to the failure of correcting alcohol misuse behavior among the Burmese. The paper will discuss major challenges facing Burmese activists on this particular issue and examine the greater impact of Burmese DWI arrests on their integration.

Author

• Chien-Juh Gu, Western Michigan University