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Manitoba’s liquor labour dispute may have put a wrap on its fourth full day of picketing, but the signs are still up, leaving many liquor stores closed and some addictions experts troubled.
Their main concern pertains to the risks of alcohol withdrawal.
“Alcohol problems become kind of medically dangerous when you have physical dependence,” psychologist Michael Ellery said. “If you’ve been using alcohol consistently for a long time and your tolerance has gone up, or if you stop using it suddenly, then you can experience what we call a withdrawal syndrome.
“For alcohol, that withdrawal syndrome can sometimes be medically dangerous.”
President of Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries (MBLL), Gerry Sul, says the Liquor Mart on Ellice and Hargrave is one of five Winnipeg stores and six province-wide that MBLL has kept open amid the strike this week.
The province’s other 50-plus MBLL locations, mostly scattered throughout rural parts of Manitoba, have been on lockdown since Tuesday.
Richard, who Global News isn’t identifying to protect the people he helps through Alcoholics Anonymous, says he’s concerned about how some people will manage with alcohol suddenly cut out of their lives.
“In some cases they may actually need to go to the hospital, but in all cases they’ll start recognizing, ‘Well, how am I going to deal with getting up in the morning? How am I going to deal with the relationships in my life?’” he said.
Dr. Ellery said people who have been using alcohol for a long time may feel more anxious, jittery and irritable if they go cold turkey, but adds, “The actual medically dangerous stuff doesn’t necessarily happen right away.”
He said it can take up to a week, or even 10 days, before someone’s life could be in danger.
“Certainly seizures are going to be a concern if they’ve been drinking every day,” Richard said.
Both Dr. Ellery and Richard recommend going to the hospital or seeing a doctor if you are experiencing any withdrawal symptoms.
“You can go to the emergency room, or you can go to the Rapid Access to Addiction Medicine Clinics — the RAAM Clinics — and those would be places that have people that know how to help with that,” Dr. Ellery said.
Richard also encourages people to reach out to AA.
“We’re here for anybody who needs us,” he said.
In a statement provided to Global News, an MBLL spokesperson said they’re confident the $9.2 million in social responsibility funding they’ve distributed to addictions treatment and support programs this year will help minimize negative impacts associated with Liquor Mart closures.
— with files from Rosanna Hempel
© 2023 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.