Denormalisation of alcohol

[Maurice Picarda]

On a day when a well-liked public figure was killed, one way or another, by booze - in a country where minimum pricing legisation has been scuppered by legal challenges from whisky interests - who's in favour of laws to make tougher for the drink industry?

Minimum pricing per unit sounds good, and could be ratcheted up in tandem with aggressive taxation. Raising the limit for legal purchase to 21 would be great. Advertising bans, plain packaging, stringent guidelines on how broadcasters feature alcohol consumption pre-watershed: all of these could work, too. And, at some point in the next twenty years, they will be applied.

So, which Urbanites would go to the barricades for Diageo and InBev?

 

[Chick Webb]

I would rather not have to pay more for my booze. The only one of your suggestions I could possibly support might be a clampdown on advertising. Booze advertising can crop up in inappropriate places and times.

 

[brogdale]

Nothing there about education or awareness-raising? Both things that could be funded by taxation on the industry profiting from our consumption. I am against further state control on what I choose to drink.

 

[DotCommunist]

people would just brew their own and its a gift for smugglers and cartels. You can't legislate these things out of existence, all you do is hand the buisness from global mecorp cunts to shady international gangs.

 

[lizzieloo]

Alcohol consumption amongst kids isn't what it used to be, it seems to have become a bit passé

 

[mr steev]

Minimum pricing per unit sounds good, and could be ratcheted up in tandem with aggressive taxation

Hit the poor most and create a bigger black market of cheap dodgy alcohol (which has been shown with the increase in loads more counterfeit cigarettes)

You'll never stop people drinking.

 

[Maurice Picarda]

people would just brew their own and its a gift for smugglers and cartels. You can't legislate these things out of existence, all you do is hand the buisness from global mecorp cunts to shady international gangs.

International cooperation would certainly be a good thing; realistically, as long as it worked at a European level, we'd be fine. And yeah, let's ban the production of alcohol without a license, and the sale of home brew kit. Might as well.

 

[SpookyFrank]

I always say the same thing when this debate comes up: if you want people to drink less don't make booze more expensive, make life less depressing.

 

[Maurice Picarda]

Alcohol consumption amongst kids isn't what it used to be, it seems to have become a bit passé

I think you're right: denormalisation happens organically, governments can simply help it along a bit.

 

[mr steev]

Alcohol consumption amongst kids isn't what it used to be, it seems to have become a bit passé

The culture of drinking all day in the pub has certainly faded.

 

[Maurice Picarda]

Nothing there about education or awareness-raising? Both things that could be funded by taxation on the industry profiting from our consumption..

Yes, very good shout.

 

[SpookyFrank]

I've known families ruined by a parent spending all the food/leccy money on drink. I don't think they'd drink less if you put the prices up, the kids would just have even less to eat

 

[Nancy_Winks]

The less power the Government has the better imo.

 

[Johnny Vodka]

Minimum pricing per unit sounds good, and could be ratcheted up in tandem with aggressive taxation. Raising the limit for legal purchase to 21 would be great. Advertising bans, plain packaging, stringent guidelines on how broadcasters feature alcohol consumption pre-watershed: all of these could work, too.

I agree with much of what you're saying, bar raising the age to 21. I don't see why booze shouldn't be subject to at least the same restrictions as ciggies. Furthermore I'd apply the same restrictions and taxes to shitty foods, especially those aimed at kids (no more Tony the Tiger or Star Wars tie-ins) - in a few years there will be more illnesses due to sugary foods/obesity than there will due to booze or fags.

 

[Maurice Picarda]

I've known families ruined by a parent spending all the food/leccy money on drink. I don't think they'd drink less if you put the prices up, the kids would just have even less to eat

If booze was cheaper, would they have bought more leccy or would they have bought more booze?

 

[lizzieloo]

The culture of drinking all day in the pub has certainly faded.

 

[Chick Webb]

Alcohol consumption amongst kids isn't what it used to be, it seems to have become a bit passé

I find it sad. Pubs closing, which might be ok if people were off doing something else more "wholesome", but I suspect they are spending more time alone at home.

 

[Johnny Vodka]

The less power the Government has the better imo.

Most things should be legal. But the ability of companies to push them should be reigned in.

 

[Maurice Picarda]

I agree with much of what you're saying, bar raising the age to 21.

The culture of spending the years between 18 and 21 in a pub, with the very occasional lecture, plays a large part in developing unhealthy drinking habits.

 

[mr steev]

I find it sad. Pubs closing, which might be ok if people were off doing something else more "wholesome", but I suspect they are spending more time alone at home.

I dunno. It does appear like that but, anecdotally, my 18 year old nephew and his mates all drink. They just do it at home. Gather round a mates house at 8, have a drink and then go to a club at 11ish. They've just cut out sitting in the pub

 

[Maurice Picarda]

The less power the Government has the better imo.

Nasty, brutish and short.

Not you, Nancy - that's life in a state of nature, without government.

 

[Chick Webb]

I dunno. It does appear like that but, anecdotally, my 18 year old nephew and his mates all drink. They just do it at home. Gather round a mates house at 8, have a drink and then go to a club at 11ish. They've just cut out sitting in the pub

That's no good to me! I like a nice pub, and hope to never be in a nightclub again.

 

[lizzieloo]

The culture of spending the years between 18 and 21 in a pub, with the very occasional lecture, plays a large part in developing unhealthy drinking habits.

I spent pretty much all my time from about 16 to 24 in pubs I very rarely drink now

 

[beesonthewhatnow]

who's in favour of laws to make tougher for the drink industry?

Not me.

Minimum pricing per unit sounds good,

No, it doesn't.

Raising the limit for legal purchase to 21 would be great

No, it wouldn't.

 

[Supine]

They should just increase the weekly recommended allowance for number of units. It's way to low at the moment!

 

[Johnny Vodka]

The culture of spending the years between 18 and 21 in a pub, with the very occasional lecture, plays a large part in developing unhealthy drinking habits.

As long as the age of sexual consent, when you can join the army, pay tax, etc are raised too - otherwise it makes no logical sense. When you're an adult, you're an adult! It's not like alcohol being unavailable to under 18s stops them drinking anyway.

 

[DotCommunist]

funny how its those liberals like JV who are the voices of draco on this issue

 

[cesare]

Better to do something about the circumstances that contribute to drink as anaesthesia/self medication, I'd have thought. Cause, not symptoms.

 

[SpookyFrank]

If booze was cheaper, would they have bought more leccy or would they have bought more booze?

Alcoholics rarely drink the cheapest thing they can find IMO, so maybe people wouldn't generally drink more if prices went down.

 

[SpookyFrank]

Nasty, brutish and short.

Not you, Nancy - that's life in a state of nature, without government.

Well the government would say that wouldn't they? Like an abusive husband saying, 'you're nothing without me'.