Alcohol evidence and policy: Decimalise measure of alcohol

doi:10.1136/bmj.328.7449.1203

BMJ 2004;328:1203 (15 May), doi:10.1136/bmj.328.7449.1203

Letter

Alcohol evidence and policy

Decimalise measure of alcohol

The first 100% of the full text of this article appears below.

EDITOR—With respect to Plant's editorial on the alcoholharm reduction strategy for England,¹ the "unit of alcohol"was really intended to suit imperial measure, but it is fartoo complex and vague to be of any practical use to people onan evening out, or even in.

Most people could manage the concept of actual millilitres ofalcohol in each glass and keep a running total. It would beideal to provide a simple pharmacokinetic chart linking millilitresconsumed, body mass index, and liver function to failing thebreathalyser test, but it would be a useless defence in court.

In short: no units, just millilitres.

George J Addis, retired consultant physician

49 Whittingehame Court, 3 Daventry Drive, Glasgow G12 0BQ gjaddismd@aol.com

Competing interests: None declared.