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Double drink prices, urges doctors -
The Telegraph - UK ^ | March 5, 2004 | Celia Hall

Posted on 03/05/2004 12:00:54 PM PST by UnklGene

Double drink prices, urge doctors -

By Celia Hall, Medical Editor (Filed: 05/03/2004)

Doctors called yesterday for the price of alcohol to be almost doubled in an attempt to reduce the harm caused by excessive drinking.

The Academy of Medical Sciences, an independent body of senior doctors and researchers, has concluded that attitudes to drinking need to change.

Click to enlarge The best way to cut the amount people drink is to limit the affordability and availability of alcohol, they say.

The doctors' leader, Prof Sir Michael Marmot, said: "Alcohol is a good friend and a bad enemy. We are not against alcohol. It gives pleasure and also confers health benefits."

However, the academy argues that drinking levels should return to those of the early 1970s when the population drank on average seven litres of alcohol per head a year. This compares with the 11.1 litres now consumed. The figures represent a rise of 50 per cent in 30 years.

They say there is a direct link between the relative cheapness of alcohol and the increasing amounts consumed.

The doctors have called for the price of beer, wine and spirits to be increased to 1970 levels. In relative terms alcohol was nearly twice as expensive 30 years ago, they say.

Sir Michael, professor of epidemiology and public health at the University College London, said such measures would have a greater impact on the pockets of young people who drank too much than on people who drank sensibly. "We believe that if you can reduce the average you will also be able to do something about the heavy drinkers," he said.

"A strategic programme is needed to curb the nation's escalating level of drinking in the interests of individual and public health. The country has reached a point where it is necessary and urgent to call time on runaway alcohol consumption."

The academy's report, Calling Time, also proposes limits on the amount of alcohol people can bring in from Europe and lower drink driving limits - down from 80mg per 100ml of blood to 50mg and to zero for drivers younger than 21.

The report says the current travellers' allowance gives a heavy drinker a 272-day supply.

They say this should be reduced to the permitted level of nicotine imported for personal use which gives a 20-a-day smoker a 40-day supply.

"Educational approaches have been disappointing but this may be swamped by contrary advertising," the report says. "Price modulation usually through tax increase is highly effective, particularly in under-age drinkers.

"A 10 per cent rise in the price of all alcoholic beverages has been estimated to reduce mortality from alcohol-related conditions by seven to 37 per cent."

Prof Ian Gilmore, registrar of the Royal College of Physicians and a member of the working party, accepted that their recommendations would not please politicians. "The report makes it very clear that targeting problem drinkers is not sufficient," Prof Gilmore said.

"It collects the compelling evidence that one of the most effective ways of reducing harm to individuals is to reduce the escalating national consumption of alcohol.

"This challenge makes alcohol an issue for society as a whole, and we encourage a wide debate on the policy options of proven benefit, such as increasing price and limiting access, unpalatable to politicians though they may be. The doctors said that drinking at levels of one or two drinks a day provided proven health benefits but that higher amounts began to do harm.

Deaths from chronic liver disease had risen from 124 in men and 86 in women, aged 45 to 54, in 1970 to 805 and 405 respectively in 2000. Alcohol is responsible for 70 per cent of cirrhosis deaths.

Prof Gilmore said: "I now see liver cirrhosis in people in their 20s and 30s, pretty women, who think they will get a warning sign. But the first thing you know is that you go yellow and your belly swells up. People are not just drinking more, they are drinking younger."

The report says that over 30 years chronic liver disease has escalated by more than 450 per cent.

A spokesman for the Department of Health said the Cabinet was producing its own report on reducing harm caused by alcohol in the next few weeks.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: alcohol; bottomsup; chugalug; passmeabeer; pufflist; sintax
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1 posted on 03/05/2004 12:00:54 PM PST by UnklGene
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To: UnklGene
We need more government control!
2 posted on 03/05/2004 12:01:39 PM PST by UnklGene
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To: UnklGene
Maybe they need to study what happened during American prohibition.
3 posted on 03/05/2004 12:02:59 PM PST by TheSpottedOwl (Until Kofi Annan rides the Jerusalem RTD....nothing will change.)
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To: UnklGene
the academy argues that drinking levels should return to those of the early 1970s when the population drank on average seven litres of alcohol per head a year. This compares with the 11.1 litres now consumed. The figures represent a rise of 50 per cent in 30 years.

Maybe the intrusion of government busybodies into the most mundane of individual activities is driving more people to drink.

4 posted on 03/05/2004 12:05:32 PM PST by tdadams
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To: UnklGene

"In related news, drinkers have been reported being 'slightly' upset with the suggestion, and have decided to pay the doctors a friendly 'visit'. Now back to you..."

5 posted on 03/05/2004 12:06:23 PM PST by freeeee ("Owning" property in the US just means you have one less landlord)
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To: SheLion; Great Dane; Madame Dufarge
Higher prices for drinks,

Smaller food portions....

Thank YOu Thank You, O Taliban of the West.
6 posted on 03/05/2004 12:07:44 PM PST by swarthyguy
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To: UnklGene
Great plan. Now we can add desperate drunks to drug addicts mugging people for a fix.
7 posted on 03/05/2004 12:09:29 PM PST by Cicero (Marcus Tullius)
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To: UnklGene
And in other news... Guinness good for you - official

Bottoms up!
8 posted on 03/05/2004 12:10:11 PM PST by Pyro7480 ("We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid" - Benjamin Franklin)
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To: TheSpottedOwl
Yea right, what could the Europeans possible learn from us?

CoughCough-noappeasement/federalism/billofrights/abolishslavery/wincoldwar-CoughCough

EXCUSE ME!
9 posted on 03/05/2004 12:10:44 PM PST by ruiner
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To: UnklGene

MMMM...beer. (drools)
10 posted on 03/05/2004 12:12:19 PM PST by Pyro7480 ("We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid" - Benjamin Franklin)
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To: UnklGene
Why don't the morons just institute a total ban on booze? After all, it worked so well in America. These poeple don't care one whit about anyone's health - this is just another way to raise effing taxes.
11 posted on 03/05/2004 12:12:24 PM PST by 45Auto (Big holes are (almost) always better.)
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To: UnklGene
Hey it's a vice and no one has a natural right to be able to purchase alcohol without being taxed. If you don't want to pay the tax, don't but the alcohol or make yoour own. It's your choice. I got not problem making it more expensive to drink alcohol, more than a drink a day, and alcohol isn't good for you.
12 posted on 03/05/2004 12:12:43 PM PST by realpatriot71 ("But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise . . ." (I Cor. 1:27))
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To: UnklGene
We'll raise up our glasses against evil forces saying Whiskey for my men & beer for my horses!!!!
13 posted on 03/05/2004 12:13:49 PM PST by Feiny (Drawing on my fine command of language, I said nothing.)
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To: swarthyguy; *puff_list; Just another Joe; Great Dane; Max McGarrity; Madame Dufarge; MeeknMing; ...
Boy oh boy! Talk about Government Control! Everything travels through the Jet Stream.........won't be long and this stink will rub off on the U.S.
14 posted on 03/05/2004 12:14:37 PM PST by SheLion (Curiosity killed the cat BUT satisfaction brought her back!!!)
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To: UnklGene
Here is an example of an arisotcratic oligarchy using class warfare to force their puritannical panacea down our throats.
15 posted on 03/05/2004 12:15:48 PM PST by PaxMacian
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To: realpatriot71
more than a drink a day, and alcohol isn't good for you.

Thanks for the advice, mom.

16 posted on 03/05/2004 12:16:25 PM PST by freeeee ("Owning" property in the US just means you have one less landlord)
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To: swarthyguy
Thank YOu Thank You, O Taliban of the West.

Pity people who enjoy drinking! But now they give the smoker a rest? Going after drinkers and the obese. Oh boy! It never ends, does it!

17 posted on 03/05/2004 12:17:13 PM PST by SheLion (Curiosity killed the cat BUT satisfaction brought her back!!!)
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To: realpatriot71
I got not problem making it more expensive to drink alcohol, more than a drink a day, and alcohol isn't good for you.

Great, mind if I tax your internet? How about tripling your gasoline tax?

18 posted on 03/05/2004 12:17:52 PM PST by Shryke
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To: SheLion
Think I was joking about short skirts and high heels?

There was a radio report about some jurisdiction wanting women in particular to dress "modestly" when coming into the townhall.court for official business.

Some town in the US with apparently a large ROP population, and we don't want to offend the sensibilities of the "precious little darlings"(as Orianna Fallaci calls them).
19 posted on 03/05/2004 12:18:26 PM PST by swarthyguy
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To: realpatriot71
Hey it's a vice and no one has a natural right to be able to purchase alcohol without being taxed. If you don't want to pay the tax, don't but the alcohol or make yoour own.

Then I guess you approve of removing the laws banning distilling your own spirits?

20 posted on 03/05/2004 12:19:28 PM PST by steve50 ("Every decent man is ashamed of the government he lives under." -H. L. Mencken)
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