15.02.12
Pledge to make responsible drinking a reality
Prime Minister David Cameron will vow to tackle the binge drinking “scandal” today on a visit to a hospital. He is set to call for bars, supermarkets and the drinks industry in England to do more to help ensure “responsible drinking becomes a reality and not just a slogan”.
Alcohol abuse costs the NHS £2.7bn each year and alcohol related costs to society could total between £17bn and £22bn. The Government is set to publish its alcohol strategy forEnglandlater this year, and is expected to recommend a minimum price per unit of alcohol.
Scotland has already introduced an Alcohol Bill that could see minimum pricing become law before the summer, although an exact price has not yet been agreed.
Cameron will talk about the significant growth in the number of people who think it is
“acceptable…to get drunk in public in ways that wreck lives, spread fear and increase crime”, many of whom are under the legal drinking age.
He is set to suggest ‘drunk tanks’ to house people overnight while they sober up and more police on patrol in A&E, and will say: “Whether it’s the police officers in A&E that have been deployed in some hospitals, the booze buses in Soho and Norwich, or the drunk tanks used abroad, we need innovative solutions to confront the rising tide of unacceptable behaviour. This isn’t just about more rules and regulation. It’s about responsibility and a sense of respect for others.”
Labour has indicated they back the proposal of minimum pricing. Last December, shadow public health minister Diane Abbott said: “All the medical evidence points to the need for a minimum price per unit of alcohol. Alcohol abuse is not just a health issue; it is a public order issue.”
Tell us what you think – have your say below, or email us directly at [email protected]