Preface
Various parliamentary groups in the UK (Westminister, Holyrood etc) are looking at the possibility of implementing minimum pricing for alcohol. This Beeb article gives a good explanation of what’s being proposed:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17482035
My thoughts
This sort of scheme will only encourage more binge drinking. Although successive UK governments have been succeeding in their goals of getting Britain to drink less (per annum), it’s drastically changing our drinking habits.
Instead of drinking a few pints more regularly, people are saving up the SAME amount of money for a big night on the town. Increasing the price will either mean people can only binge drink maybe once a fortnight than once a week. It doesn’t change the tendency to binge.
Also – part of the problem is that they pre-drink, head into town and then the sheer quantity consumed at home hits them only once they are in the centre of town.
If you look at other European countries alcohol consumption, they don’t have binge drinking problems and they don’t have enforced minimum pricing schemes. We should we be any different?
My two cents (pence) would be to REDUCE how much it costs for people to have a good time when they’re already out, so they don’t go into town already fully tanked on alcohol. Bar tenders can keep an eye on punters, refuse to serve them if they’re getting too drunk, and if they are asked to leave the premises before they’re completely wasted, bouncers at other establishments will be able to prevent them from entry.
This also actually gives the police force a tool for handling drunken anti-social behaviour. Police can correlate drunk and disorderly arrests and drinking establishments. They can proceed to take action against such an establishment (warnings, fines etc) to reduce the number of unacceptable drunk and disorderly patrons.
FINALLY, more people out in pubs drinking, the more bar staff required to serve them – more jobs. Pubs will be more likely to open, franchises opening new branches if they’re busy, and even more jobs being created. More people with jobs, the more people spending. The people spending, the more our economy recovers. Win, win and win?
Current Mood:
Alarmed
Cool
Mischievous
Surprised
Esctatic
Angry
Abashed
