Cambodia is facing a mounting public health crisis as alcohol consumption spirals out of control, particularly among its youth. Once known for its Buddhist restraint, the country has seen drinking become a social norm, with beer cheaper than soft drinks and no legal age restrictions on purchase or consumption. Across Phnom Penh, shopfronts turn into makeshift bars each evening, serving endless cans of Cambodia beer. Behind the laughter lies a troubling reality: underage binge drinking is fuelling school dropouts, gang activity, drug use, and domestic violence. Experts warn the nation’s limited resources leave it ill-equipped to confront the fallout. “There’s definitely a connection between mental illness and alcohol consumption,” says Father Kevin Conroy, a Catholic priest and mental health expert who has worked in Cambodia for two decades. He describes seeing children as young as ten drinking beer at village gatherings — a stark illustration of how deeply alcohol has penetrated everyday life. Campaigners point to three main drivers: low taxes making alcohol cheap, aggressive marketing targeting young people, and unrestricted availability. “Alcohol has no regulation,” says Yong Kim Eng of the PDP-Center, noting that even monasteries sell and consume alcohol. While some communes have introduced local age limits, enforcement remains patchy. The statistics are sobering. A 2023 health survey found nearly a third of drinkers were aged 15 to 18, while 70 percent of men consume alcohol, with one in ten drinking daily. The World Health Organization has long warned of the risks, linking alcohol to over 200 diseases, traffic accidents, and violence. Yet Cambodia’s government, stretched thin by economic and political pressures, has struggled to respond. Recent steps include banning adverts that encourage excessive drinking or use women to promote alcohol, but campaigners argue these measures barely scratch the surface. With alcohol normalised in social life and marketed as aspirational, the country’s young population — median age just 26 — is particularly vulnerable. As researcher Pa Chanroeun of the Institute of Democracy of Cambodia warns: “Young people are the future leaders, but are being damaged by alcohol use.” Without stronger regulation and support systems, Cambodia risks sacrificing its next generation to a crisis hiding in plain sight. -2026-03-22
