MPs have called for a fundamental overhaul of government policy to curb excessive drinking. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8446799.stm This comes after a report into the health and cost effects on the Country and indicated that all earlier education programs had hardly made a difference to the problem. Now there’s a surprise! Did the ban on cigarette advertising make a fundamental difference to curb smoking? Have the constant increases in tobacco duty stopped people from smoking?
There may have been limited reductions however, the constant pressure on smokers has in effect also created a black market industry around tobacco. There has also been a knock on effect with drinking since the ban on smoking in pubs and enclosed places… The licensed trade has seen a sharp decrease in the amount of people drinking in the relatively controled environment of the public house. The report states;
“The facts about alcohol abuse are shocking… What is required is fundamental culture change.”
Those two quotes are undoubtedly correct however; to attempt to lay the blame on the doorstep of most pubs is firstly misguided but convenient and secondly, one of the major reasons for the closure of public houses at the rate of one per week. The government report goes on to say that any increase in alcohol duty will not affect responsible drinkers but will help the NHS?
Why should ordinary people suffer because of the Booze Britain White Lightning chav drinkers? This is where the excessive drinking culture starts! There is little or no effective enforcement preventing kids getting access to extremely strong alcohol. Booze which they consume in vast quantities and in uncontrolled environments.
Why not introduce maximum %ABV strengths like in a lot of the USA? Why not introduce compulsary ID for alcohol purchase? This is also prevelant in a lot of America and yes, it may be a partial imposition on responsible adults but not actually one that many object to!
The Government suggestion is a load of tosh and just another cash cow opportunity for a failing administration that is totally unable to get a grip of the situation. All it will do is punish responsible drinkers and increase crime among the young!
Dave's Bankside Babble 
2 thoughts on “More Booze Tax?”