Minimum Unit Price

[Strongers]

I agree with many of the points made on here. However, I’m alittle narked that seemingly all the social engineering that this government does involves more taxes. Smoking is bad for you so more tax, drinking is bad for you so more tax, and cars are bad for the planet so more tax!
In regards to the opening question about minimum unit price, I don’t think that it will affect us pub goers down south as we are already paying through the nose for a pint. £4 a pint is creeping up fast and I’m not talking about the square mile.
Mid December Tesco were selling 36 cans of generic lager for less than £20... Maybe the days of cleaning mud off the boots with fosters after a Christmas morning walk are gone as it’s no longer cheaper than water from the tap.

[ETA]

I agree with most of this except I don't believe alcohol has any health benefits - the people who abstain are likely to be uptight in other areas of their life or have existing health problems which they need not to aggravate - this would tend to distort any large scale study on mortality rates of tee-totallers versus moderate drinkers.
.

There's quite a lot of independent research on file to suggest there are health benefits. Some of it is socialogically based so is open to interpretation, and some of it is, as you say, reductionist in its approach so ignores other lifestyle factors.

Objective medical research has demonstrated that low levels of alcohol can reduce blood pressure, and blood levels below a damaging threshhold can promote tissue regeneration - surprisingly, even liver issue. European wines (white and red) contain high levels of antioxidants, some beers are rich in vitamin B etc etc etc.

However, the words "stochastic" and "threshhold" come up time and again, and there is no doubt that, as with any drug, excessive consumption will cause damage, often irreperable.

The social and spiritual benefits to which you refer are, I would argue, health benefits in their own right as mental and spritual wellbeing are very much part of our holistic health.

Now if you don't mind, I'm off to the pub to get seriously healthy.

[hondo]

"50 years ago on Tuesday, a key report was published that marked the beginning of a change in our relationship with smoking"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-17264442

[NickDavies]

Might I suggest that the whole thing isn't really to do with health, though it is understandable that the debate on how we Brits misuse alcohol has been steered in that direction. The problems started around the end of the 80s with the creation of the 'night time economy' in towns and cities across the country, and all of the came about due to relaxations of the planning regulations at the time. High street shops were closing even then due to the creation of ever bigger shopping precincts, both in and out of town. Councils needed a way to keep the business rates coming in and were gulled into believing that turning empty furniture shops and electricity board showrooms into bars, cafes and restaurants would both bring in rate revenue and provide a civilised atmosphere to attract visitors. The ever helpful breweries and newly emergent pubcos had a rather less rosy image of the night time economy, realising that the most profit would come from youngsters with cash to spare, and we quickly ended up with whole streets of All Bar One's Walkabouts, Yateses, It's a Screams, Tiger Tigers and any number of others. So the councils got their business rates, the breweries got their profits, but the cost was town centres full of pissed-up youngsters causing havoc every weekend. The whole thing was - and is - highly visible. Cue TV shows like Binge Britain, censorious articles in the Daily Mail, much huffing and puffing about the 2003 Licensing Act and of course the health police jumping on the bandwagon.

As we all know, the amount of alcohol being consumed is currently falling. The problem is the way in which it is consumed, not the quantity. If your typical market town is a relaxed and civilised place to be on a Saturday night, just like its equivalents in France or Spain or Italy we wouldn't have a 'national drink problem' and the health police wouldn't have a bandwagon to ride on. Minimum pricing is just tinkering at the edges. Until the whole issue of how are towns are organised (and that involves a whole lot more that just vertical drinking barns) is addressed this isn't going away. But with so many powerful vested interests, supermarkets, retail developers as well as breweries and pubcos, none of whom are there for the benefit of society, that isn't going to happen any time soon.

[ETA]

I think the Daily Mash summarises the issue quite well, and though this item doesn't actually mention drinkers, I am sure we will be next.

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/h...-201203074981/