Tax to battle binge drinking?

[Lissa]

Heard this story on Radio 1 news yesterday, and wondered what others thought of this idea? Personally, although I'm not a drinker, I think it's ridiculous to punish responsible adults for the illegal and/or binge-drinking actions of others.


'Top doctors are calling for a rise in the price of alcohol to combat Britain's growing booze problem.

They say it's because binge drinking's leaving 13 children a day in hospital and for the first time ever, people in their 20s are getting things like liver disease.

They say this could be tackled by an extra 20p tax on a pint of beer and a pound on a bottle of vodka.

They think it would stop up to a third of alcohol-related deaths, which have doubled since the 1990s.'

The tax on cigarettes doesn't seem to have restricted the increase in youngsters smoking so why should it work on alcohol.

Drinking is part and parcel of life in the UK and its the norm for many to boast about how much they've drunk and how intoxicated they were.

Perhaps they need to adopt some of the anti smoking measures towards alcohol consumption. Mind you I cant see how banning beer in pubs will work

Yeah same logic as the extra tax on fuel will stop the global warming .... yeah ... it's all about $$$

Best and most simple answer is zero tolerance.This with compulsory breath testing on leaving any pub or club. A heavy fine and life time ban from said establishments in the future.The "drink-walk" limit of course can be set a touch higher than that allowed for vehicke drivers,but such slobbish and anti social behaviour should not have to be tolerated.

Linked to this should be more responsibility placed upon bar owners. Fining them for persons being caught leaving their premises way too drunk.

Originally Posted by Pedrosa

Best and most simple answer is zero tolerance.This with compulsory breath testing on leaving any pub or club. A heavy fine and life time ban from said establishments in the future.The "drink-walk" limit of course can be set a touch higher than that allowed for vehicke drivers,but such slobbish and anti social behaviour should not have to be tolerated.

Linked to this should be more responsibility placed upon bar owners. Fining them for persons being caught leaving their premises way too drunk.

That sounds like a policy the Nazi, sorry Labour party, would be proud of alright!

Binge drinking isn't the result of the price of alcohol (see France), it's a symptom of complex social issues, namely a lack of social responsibility for one.

I don't see how the government expects people to become more responsible if they keep taking responsibility away from people

Originally Posted by Flamin_Squirrel

That sounds like a policy the Nazi, sorry Labour party, would be proud of alright!

Binge drinking isn't the result of the price of alcohol (see France), it's a symptom of complex social issues, namely a lack of social responsibility for one.

I don't see how the government expects people to become more responsible if they keep taking responsibility away from people

Why thankyou.

Well at the end of the day there is a whole generation and then some of parents who have failed miserably in empowering their off spring with a real sense of what is acceptable social behavioiur and what is not. I therefore fail to see how they can now contribute in anyway to rectify this situation.

Originally Posted by Pedrosa

Well at the end of the day there is a whole generation and then some of parents who have failed miserably in empowering their off spring with a real sense of what is acceptable social behavioiur and what is not.

Ah yes, but you're missing the most important point as most people do in these situations.

That point is that no matter how awful parents may be, they're almost certainly going to be better than any half baked, poorly (if at all) thought out, outrageously expensive and ultimately useless policy that the government will come up to try and rectify the problem.

The government stepping back and letting people sort themselves out may take time and may mean things continue to get worse before they get better, but I think it's now become clear that incessant government meddling certainly isn't working.

Originally Posted by Flamin_Squirrel

Binge drinking isn't the result of the price of alcohol (see France), it's a symptom of complex social issues, namely a lack of social responsibility for one.

The British have been binge drinking for a long time (since the vikings). It's not a modern problem. This is worth a read.

[G]

I would be happy if they increased tax on non essentials like beer and cigaretes if they are going to reduce tsome of the 50p per litre duty on fuel.

Originally Posted by graemepaterson

they are going to reduce tsome of the 50p per litre duty on fuel.

I can envisage that happening.