Intended for healthcare professionals

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Editor's Choice

Minimum alcohol pricing: a shameful episode

BMJ 2014; 348 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.g110 (Published 08 January 2014) Cite this as: BMJ 2014;348:g110

Rapid Response:

Re: Minimum alcohol pricing: a shameful episode

Shame and guilt are common features of entrenched alcohol use disorders: think of the 'G' in the CAGE screening questions. However, Godlee is right that Her Majesty's Government appear shameless about the secret cupboards, drawers and flowerpots where they hide their alcohol policies.

Thanks to evidence collected in this week's BMJ, we can now offer Cabinet Members a personalised screening tool for occupational shame:

Commercial interests come first;

Abdicate health responsibilities to someone else, anyone else;

Gag in-house experts on alcohol;

Exaggerate the impact of any proposed change on “responsible drinkers” i.e. voters.

Right Honourable Members who score 3 or more should immediately give themselves a Pat on the Back (and perhaps the pocket).

1 Godlee F. Minimum alcohol pricing: a shameful episode. BMJ 2014;348:g110

Competing interests: Have worked on alcohol and public health since the 1980s

09 January 2014
Woody Caan
Editor
Journal of Public Mental Health
Duxford, Cambridgeshire CB22 4PA