Rapid Responses to:
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Rapid Responses: Rapid Responses published:
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Excessive alcohol drinking.
- Gareth Lloyd (19 March 2004)
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The beginning?
- Chris CK Chung (19 March 2004)
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"Government announces plan...."
- JK Anand (23 March 2004)
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Gareth Lloyd, retired M23 1PY
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Ever since man found how to make wine from grapes excessive drinking has been the norm. The reason is simply that people like the taste and the effect and that, like one thing, one drink leads to another. One thing is for certain. It is not possible to educate against excessive drinking though this cheap management solution has been attractive to successive Governments with successive failures. There is only one way to prevent excessive drinking and that is to price alcohol beyond acceptance. Then, of course, people will turn to alternatives such as cannabis, cocaine or heroin. The best contribution the Government could make to show the seriousness of their intent to curtail drinking is to make alcohol a banned drug for all footballers and football managers. This would, at least, set an appropriate example. Competing interests: None declared |
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Chris CK Chung, SHO Orthopaedics Great Western Hospital, Swindon
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It is welcome to read that alcohol is being seriously looked at and if this strategy is maintained then hopefully, like smoking, the outcome will be beneficial for all. The key I think is responsible use of alcohol. How each individual responds will be different. Yes, alcohol is a drug. I believe like others, that it can act as a "gateway" drug. The chief of the Los Angeles Police Department on interview in tackling America's drug problem went on record to say that alcohol (and smoking) abuse is the first step towards harder drug use. If you grew up having to hear Sectarian songs on a Saturday night by drunken people and see people intoxicated arguing with a brick wall then it is unlikely that you think that being drunk is cool. Responsibility is the key word, it should be on every drinks advert and that would be a good start. Competing interests: None declared |
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JK Anand, Retired Not applicable
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More humbug. The PM says we enjoy alcohol with few if any ill- effects. May be true. Alcohol is a drug blessed by the Christian sacrament. Provided it is used only in conection with religious services of the various Christian denominations, it will be safe. The trouble is that it has become the lubricant of Swinging Britain and it fuels British economy. Until the Chancellors of the Exchequer unhook themselves from the breweries, distilleries, off- licences,pubs, and clubs, alcohol-related diseases will continue to proliferate. Stop wasting money on alcohol- related health promotion if you are going to continue making alcohol an essential ingredient of life. First it was gin. Now Vodka is one of the "basket" of groceries that Her Majesty's Government takes account of when measuring inflation. Have the Royal Colleges and the Faculty of Public Health taken note of this curiosity? Tobacco is another beneficiary of this odd economic culture. The European Community gives a subsidy of 500 million euros every year to tobacco growers in the EC countries (Italy and Greece at the moment). At the same time the governments shout "Smoking is harmful to health". Logical? The Indians of Central and South America are told to stop growing coca. The Afghans are told to stop growing poppy. The Italians and the Greeks are ENCOURAGED - SUBSIDISED - to grow tobacco. Why don't the Royal Colleges, the Faculty of Public Health and the BMA call for an end to this subsidy? Dr JK Anand Retired public health physician Competing interests: I take alcohol sometimes. I do not smoke |
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