| Summary: | Alcohol abuse is attributed to four percent of the global burden of disease and associated with over 60 medical conditions. This burden is borne disproportionately by the indigenous peoples of our world. Two such indigenous populations, albeit far from one another, who are suffering from alcohol abuse are the San in Botswana and the First Nations in Canada. Both marginalised populations have high rates of alcohol abuse; however, there is a clear need for more research into the epidemiology. The public health response to alcohol abuse in indigenous populations is at a different stage in Canada and Botswana. In Canada, alcohol abuse among the First Nations has been on the agenda of public health since the release of the Indian Relations Paper in 1975. In Botswana, alcohol abuse among the San has yet to be recognized– the government response has been blind to ethnicity. This paper examines the similarities and differences between alcohol abuse issues, providing evidence that increased collaboration would lead to benefits for both populations. Neither side, those responsible for the public health of the San or First Nations, has an impeccable record – both sides could learn much from the successes and failures of the other, and other indigenous populations suffering from alcohol abuse globally.
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