UK: Plan to raise price of alcohol

[7zark7]

[size=+1]Plan to raise price of alcohol[/size]

The government's top medical adviser has drawn up plans for a minimum price for alcohol which would double the cost of some drinks in England.

Under the proposal from Sir Liam Donaldson, it has been reported that no drinks could be sold for less than 50 pence per unit of alcohol they contain.

It would mean most bottles of wine could not be sold for less than £4.50.

A Department of Health spokeswoman said the government "had not ruled out" taking action on cheap alcohol.

Sir Liam's proposal is aimed at tackling alcohol misuse and is set out in his annual report on the nation's health.

But he said Sir Liam was influential and had advocated a ban on smoking in public places long before it became law.

Our correspondent added that recent research from the Department of Health had shown that a minimum of 50 pence per unit of alcohol would reduce consumption by almost 7%.

A Department of Health spokeswoman said: "We have not ruled out taking action on very cheap alcohol - it's clearly linked to people drinking more and the subsequent harm to their health."

"Any decisions we make will take into account their wider economic impact during this difficult time.

"It would be wrong to make sweeping changes without consideration of all the options suggested by our research published in December.

"We need to do more work on this to make sure any action we take is appropriate, fair and effective."

The Portman Group, set up by drinks manufacturers to promote sensible drinking, said it opposed the plan to increase the price of drink.

It's chief executive, David Poley, told The Sunday Telegraph: "This would hit the pockets of hard-working families who are already struggling to make ends meet, and it would not deter those people who drink to get drunk."

Earlier this month the Scottish government published plans for a minimum price per unit of alcohol, which is strongly opposed by retailers and the drinks industry. No price threshold was set.

Setting a minimum price could have a particular impact on "own brand" or "value pack" beers and ciders.

Sir Liam's report is due to be published on Monday. The proposals as they stand do not apply to Wales or Northern Ireland.

Ministers are determined to tackle the problem of alcohol misuse, which impacts on health, crime and anti-social behaviour.

The NHS bill for alcohol abuse is an estimated £2.7bn a year.

The most recent figures show hospital admissions linked to alcohol use have more than doubled in England since 1995.

Alcohol was the main or secondary cause of 207,800 NHS admissions in 2006/7, compared to 93,500 in 1995/96.

The figures include hospital admissions for a specific alcohol-related condition - such as liver disease, but also admissions where alcohol is a contributory factor but not the main cause - such as falls due to drunkenness.

Of hospital admissions in 2006/7 specifically due to an alcohol-related diagnosis, almost one in 10 were in under 18 year olds.

The number of alcohol-related deaths in England has doubled since the early 1990s to nearly 9,000 a year.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/uk/7944334.stm

Published: 2009/03/14 22:26:52 GMT

© BBC MMIX

 

[7zark7]

[size=+1]Scots plan to stop cheap alcohol[/size]
Measures to tackle alcohol abuse by stopping cut-price offers have been outlined by the Scottish Government.

It has proposed a range of measures including the radical step of a minimum price per unit. It would be the first country in Europe to take the step.

The minority government said it also plans to ban discount deals on alcohol.

SNP ministers decided against raising the off-sales age limit to 21 - but will create powers to allow such curbs to be imposed on a local basis.

Local chief constables will also be able to request such a move.

Other measures include restricting the display and marketing of drink to specific areas within off-sales premises.

Scottish ministers also plan to create legal powers to introduce a "social responsibility fee" for some retailers. The way forward for all drinking-related incidents is to bill those involved G, London

They decided not to go ahead with proposals to introduce alcohol-only checkouts in supermarkets and shops.

They said this had been opposed, particularly from small retailers, who lacked the floor space and staff.

Ministers denied being "anti-alcohol", amid opposition party concern that the proposals were being forced through.

The Scottish Government plans to use the existing licensing act to introduce the minimum price per unit of alcohol.

The details of that will be worked out with economists to find the most effective level.

The same law will also be modified to ban drinks offers such as buy one-get-one-free and prevent the use of alcohol as a "loss leader".

The paper outlining the plans pointed out that some retailers had moved away from quantity discounts to straight price cuts such as selling 24 can packs of lager for £7 or premium vodka at £6 for a 70cl bottle.

Ministers said they did not believe alcohol should be discounted in the same way as other commodities.

The blueprint said the amount of advertising by supermarkets over recent months suggested that cheap alcohol did play a key role in determining where people shop.

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said: "Plummeting prices and aggressive promotion have led to a surge in consumption, causing and adding to health problems ranging from liver and heart diseases to diabetes, obesity, dementia and cancers.

"We have listened to those who responded to the consultation and modified our proposals where appropriate.

"But we remain determined to press ahead with tough policies to tackle alcohol misuse."

The Tories said the pricing plans were "horribly flawed", while Labour warned against rushing measures through.

It branded the SNP's proposals "an unworkable mess" and said they were "unsupportable" in their current form.

The Liberal Democrats warned against "stigmatising a generation" with the proposals to raise the off-sales purchase age.

Fiona Moriarty, director of the Scottish Retail Consortium, said the plans would add costs to responsible shoppers without making any difference to irresponsible drinking.

She said: "Irresponsible drinking is not about price or availability yet this is the main focus of the government's approach.

"We need to develop solutions that educate rather than alienate, instead the government has retreated to its bunker and is neither listening to the evidence presented nor willing to tackle these issues in a consensual manner."

The Portman Group, an alcohol industry body which promotes responsible drinking, said the government was not listening to reason.

Chief executive David Poley said: "People who drink to get drunk would not be influenced by these measures.

"We should be targeting the harmful drinking minority through better education and effective law enforcement."

Paul Waterson, chief executive of the Scottish Licensed Trade Association, welcomed the focus on the "irresponsible promotions and practices in off-sales".

He said: "Not only does the SLTA agree with minimum pricing, it's a view shared by licensed trade leaders from the rest of the UK and Ireland."

Doctors and police leaders also backed the Scottish Government.

Dr Peter Terry, chairman of the British Medical Association in Scotland, said: "We particularly welcome its proposals on minimum price and promotions, as evidence shows that the increased affordability of alcohol is driving the damaging levels of consumption in Scotland."

Det Ch Supt John Carnochan, spokesman for the Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland, said: "Fundamentally, if you want to reduce violence then you need to reduce access to alcohol.

"We know that the group most at risk from violence is young males aged 10 -29, so if you limit access to alcohol in certain areas then it can only be a good thing, especially as it is done with local agreement and is locally relevant."

Jack Law, chief executive of Alcohol Focus Scotland, said: "Change won't happen overnight. But the combined efforts of government, health and police services, the alcohol industry, licensed trade and the voluntary sector should ensure significantly fewer Scots' lives are affected by alcohol misuse."

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/scotland/7917824.stm

Published: 2009/03/02 10:29:25 GMT

© BBC MMIX

 

[7zark7]

[size=+1]Hospital alcohol admissions soar[/size]
Hospital admissions linked to alcohol use have more than doubled in England since 1995, an NHS report shows.

Alcohol was the main or secondary cause of 207,800 NHS admissions in 2006/7, compared to 93,500 in 1995/96.

There has also been a 20% rise in the number of GP prescriptions for treating alcohol dependency in the past four years, the NHS Information Centre said.

The British Liver Trust warned that the health impact of alcohol would only get worse in years to come.

Tim Straughan, chief executive of the NHS Information Centre, agreed that alcohol was placing an ever-increasing burden on the NHS.

The figures include hospital admissions for a specific alcohol-related condition - such as liver disease, but also admissions where alcohol is a contributory factor but not the main cause - such as falls due to drunkenness.

Of hospital admissions in 2006/7 specifically due to an alcohol-related diagnosis, almost one in 10 were in under 18 year olds.

In 2006 there were 6,500 deaths related to alcohol, of which two thirds were men - a 19% rise from 2001 figures.

The north west had the highest rate of alcohol-related admissions at 170 per 100,000, while the lowest was the east of England which had 72 per 100,000.

Survey results also contained in the report showed more pupils aged 11 to 15 years who say they have never had an alcoholic drink increased from 39% in 2001 to 45% in 2006.

But those who admit to drinking are drinking more - consuming 11.4 units per week on average, the highest figure ever recorded by the survey.

And 30% of 15 year olds said it was fine to get drunk at least once a week, the poll of over 8,000 teens found.

Among adults in 2006, 72% of men and 57% of women reported drinking an alcoholic drink on at least one day in the previous week.

And 12% of men and 7% of women reported drinking on every day in the previous week.

According to the NHS Information Centre alcohol was 69% more affordable in 2007 than in 1980.

Dr Varuna Aluvihare, a liver specialist at Kings College Hospital said: "We are talking about a younger age group, drinking sometimes huge quantities, which can be damaging.

"We are seeing people in their 20s and 30s. When I started practising, we saw people in their 50s."

Frank Soodeen, spokesperson for Alcohol Concern said the figures confirmed what they had heard from frontline NHS staff.

"The government needs to shape a response that meets the challenges thrown up by this bulletin.

"Information campaigns are a great first step, but we also need urgent investment in treatment systems that help steer problem drinkers away from harmful behaviour before they develop chronic conditions."

Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo said the government was working harder than ever to reduce alcohol-related hospital admissions.

"The NHS spends £217m a year on specialist alcohol treatment and I have just launched a £6m campaign to make sure people know their units and know how much they're drinking."

Alison Rogers, chief executive of the British Liver Trusts said: "This is set to hit England hard over the following years because liver disease can take up to 10 years to develop.

"We need action now to protect people's health to stop health harm from alcohol spiralling out of control."

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/health/7414322.stm

Published: 2008/05/22 09:31:28 GMT

© BBC MMIX

 

[7zark7]

Now I am no fan of alcohol, but the idea of punishing people by increasing the purchase price because some people have no self-control, is ridiculous.


mods - hope you don't mind me dumping all three articles here. I thought they were quite relevant...

 

[AfterGlow]

Cheap booze blamed for British binge drinking

Nation’s top medical adviser calls for increase in price to curb problem

Some fear cheap booze available in Britan is fueling a binge drinking problem in the nation.


Associated Press
Mon., March. 16, 2009

LONDON - Two-for-one specials. Alcopops to make booze tasty to teens. Supermarket prices that reward buying in bulk. And pubs on every street corner, making it easy to start your day with a liquid lunch.

No wonder that Britain's notorious binge drinking is so out of control that the government's top medical adviser came out Monday in favor of stiff new price policies to cut off the massive flow of cheap booze.

"Cheap alcohol is killing us as never before," Chief Medical Officer Liam Donaldson said as he delivered his annual Public Health report. "The quality of life of families and in cities and towns up and down the country is being eroded by the effects of excessive drinking."

Donaldson described a culture where anything goes — with cheap drinks, two-for-one specials and underage drinking — helping to cause public health costs to soar out of control. Anyone who goes out late at night in London or other major cities would know what he was talking about — it has become common for teenagers and young adults to drink until they drop.

"Let's try and imagine a country where nobody is physically or sexually assaulted because of alcohol," he said. "Let's try and imagine a country where nobody dies in an accident caused by alcohol, where no child has to cower in the corner while its mother is beaten by a drunken partner, where the streets are welcoming for all on a Saturday night and where the streets are free of urine and vomit on a Sunday morning."

Donaldson said per capital alcohol consumption has fallen since 1970 in many European countries, but has increased by 40 percent in Britain, where beer, wine and spirits have remained relatively cheap, particularly when bought in bulk in supermarkets.

Bringing in a minimum price regime based on a charge of at least 50 pence (70 cents) per alcohol unit would have a substantial, immediate impact, he said.

"Every year there would be 3,393 fewer deaths, 97,900 fewer hospital admissions, 45,800 fewer crimes, and 296,900 fewer sick days," he said.

His report said the new pricing strategy would set a minimum price of 4.50 pounds ($6.30) for a bottle of wine; a minimum of 14 pounds ($19.70) for a bottle of whiskey, and a base price of 6 pounds ($8.50) for a six-pack of beer.

By comparison, a major London supermarket Monday offered 30 cans of Foster's beer for 16 pounds ($22.50), which works out to just over 3 pounds ($4.20) for six cans of beer, roughly half the minimum price the health adviser seeks.

Donaldson's recommendations are nonbinding, and Prime Minister Gordon Brown was quick to distance himself from the proposal Monday.

"We do not want the responsible, sensible majority of moderate drinkers to have to pay more, or suffer, as a result of the excesses of a small minority," Brown said.

It is clear that Brown does not want to add to his considerable political burdens by becoming known as the prime minister who raised alcohol prices in the middle of a steep recession.

He was joined by Conservative Party leader David Cameron, who is far ahead in polls in advance of the next general election, which must be held by the summer of 2010. He said the new plan would penalize responsible drinkers and called instead for problem drinkers to be targeted.

Public reaction seemed muted, with some complaining about the government's "nanny state" approach to social problems.

"It's disgusting," said John Michael, a 65-year-old entrepreneur. "Too much tax. Too much government. For the people who have problems, there are laws. Laws are in place so they should abide. People shouldn't be treated like children."

Computer systems analyst Suzanne Hamilton said the new policy would make it impossible for her and her husband to find wines in their price range.

"I think it's penalizing everyone for a minority problem," she said. "My husband and I have been trying to find wines for under 4 pounds ($5.60). I think the government is always trying to find a problem and slap us on the hand."

link

 

[kultron]

Holy shit, reading the responses of those that oppose this are funny as hell. The British people are more deluded than I thought. I live in Western Canada, and in my province we taxes the shit out of alcohol and cigarettes, I am amazed that one can buy bottles of wine for under 8 bucks (4.50 GBP), this is unheard from around here, good luck getting a good glass of wine in a sitdown restaurant for that price. Or 30 beer for less than a dollar a beer? That's sick. At least whenever I see drunks in the street or smell gross-ass tobacco smoke in the air, at least I can comfort myself with the fact that taxes are going back into the system. I don't see how this is 'penalizing' anyone. If you're a moderate drinker, why would you care? Just drink less, don't drink at all, or buy cheaper alcohol, it's that simple. Alcohol isn't really that great or that good for you (especially women), except if you're an alcoholic. I don't see how anyone could oppose the raising of alcohol taxes slightly unless you're an alcoholic, or a selfish asshole that just can't bear to cope with ones' materialistic desires being curbed slightly.

 

[Huaca]

More nanny state government. Another sign of the decline of civilization and personal liberty. Totalitarian government sucks.

 

[chuchu]

What the hell? Soon they will ban alcohol or at least make it too expensive to afford for most folks circa 1930s. The more things change the more they remain the same.

 

[7zark7]

Holy shit, reading the responses of those that oppose this are funny as hell. The British people are more deluded than I thought. I live in Western Canada, and in my province we taxes the shit out of alcohol and cigarettes, I am amazed that one can buy bottles of wine for under 8 bucks (4.50 GBP), this is unheard from around here, good luck getting a good glass of wine in a sitdown restaurant for that price. Or 30 beer for less than a dollar a beer? That's sick. At least whenever I see drunks in the street or smell gross-ass tobacco smoke in the air, at least I can comfort myself with the fact that taxes are going back into the system. I don't see how this is 'penalizing' anyone. If you're a moderate drinker, why would you care? Just drink less, don't drink at all, or buy cheaper alcohol, it's that simple. Alcohol isn't really that great or that good for you (especially women), except if you're an alcoholic. I don't see how anyone could oppose the raising of alcohol taxes slightly unless you're an alcoholic, or a selfish asshole that just can't bear to cope with ones' materialistic desires being curbed slightly.

When in France, I can buy better wine for less money - yet the French don't have anywhere near the same levels of drink related problems that we do here in the UK. Therefor, altering the price will not have much an effect on the problem they say they are trying to tackle.

The government has allowed a problem to get out of control so they can increase tax as a 'solution'. They do the same with vehicle fuel tax: Increase the tax to raise more money under the guise of tackling the congestion / pollution 'problem'. They don't care about tackling the problem - THEY JUST WANT MORE MONEY!

I very rarely drink and haven't been drunk in years, so I don't buy alcohol - but I am against the idea as it won't solve the problem and I hate the idea of the Government gaining more money through the back door.

 

[static_mind]

They tried something simmiler here in Aus. To curb drinking in teenagers they put a massive tax on pre mixed drinks. Everyone just drank hard spirits instead.

It failed and now some are talking about dropping the law. Few people think it was anything to do with curbing drinking, more so just raiseing taxes.

"what ever a politician says, hes talking about money"

 

[ChemicalSmiles]

Ciggs just went up a dollar..... Making illicit substances even more appealing to me.

 

[7zark7]

Suppose I should add this here...

[size=+1]UK youths among worst for drink[/size]
British teenagers are the third worst binge drinkers in Europe and their alcohol abuse is causing serious illnesses, a report has found.

More than half of 15 and 16-year-olds admitted regularly drinking to excess, the research by the University of the West of England revealed.

Only those in Denmark and the Isle of Man fared worse out of 35 nations.

Prof Martin Plant, who led the study, said a minimum price for alcohol of 50p per unit would save 3,000 lives a year.

The government's top medical adviser, Sir Liam Donaldson, has drawn up plans for a similar minimum price for alcohol which would double the cost of some drinks in England.

Prof Plant said doctors are treating patients at an ever-younger age for serious complaints like liver sclerosis and psychiatric problems.

Many were dying prematurely as a result, he added.

TOP FIVE BINGE-DRINK NATIONS
• Denmark: 49%
• Isle of Man: 35%
• UK: 33%
• Austria: 31%
• Ireland: 26%
Source: European School Survey Project on Alcohol (Teenagers aged 15 and 16 who admitted being drunk in last 30 days).

"There is a clear scientific consensus that alcohol education and mass media campaigns have a very poor track record in influencing drinking habits," he said.

"Far more effective - and cost effective - policies include using taxation to make alcohol less affordable.

"It is therefore recommended that a minimum price of 50p per unit of alcohol should be introduced. This would save over 3,000 lives per year."

The study recorded how many youngsters admitted being drunk in the month before they were interviewed.

The figures, from 2007, also showed UK girls are more likely to get drunk than boys.

The UK sample included 1,004 boys and 1,175 girls.

Young People's Minister Delyth Morgan said the problem was known and was already being tackled.

"We have not ruled out taking action on very cheap alcohol - it's clearly linked to people drinking more and the subsequent harm to their health," Baroness Morgan said.

"Any decisions we make will take into account the wider economic impact during this difficult time and it would not be right to penalise the overwhelming majority of responsible drinkers," she added.

"The challenge now is to target those young people who are drinking more often."

The government had published advice on the harm to health of alcohol and intended to make drug and alcohol education statutory.

The report said: "It is clearly no longer socially unacceptable for females to drink heavily or to become intoxicated.

"This may reflect factors such as greater female social and economic empowerment and changing social roles as well as the marketing practices of the beverage alcohol industry."

The study - the most detailed of its kind - also found high levels of relationship, delinquency and sex problems in the UK amongst 15 and 16-year-olds.

Cigarette use by European teenagers has fallen since 1999 - and in the UK since 1995, it added.

Some 11% of UK teenagers also reported having used cannabis in the 30 days prior to the survey.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/education/7965675.stm

Published: 2009/03/26 19:51:26 GMT

© BBC MMIX