Anger at "disastrous" impact of cheap booze
Friday January 8th, 2010
Health campaigners gave a warm welcome to a report today calling for tougher action to prevent alcohol abuse.
Nursing
and medical leaders want Britain to consider minimum pricing to combat
excessive drinking and growing levels of illness caused by the problem.
The report, from the UK House of Commons health select committee, is expected to criticise the British government for paying too much heed to drinks manufacturers and retailers in its alcohol policies.
The British Medical Association head of science and ethics, Dr Vivienne Nathanson, said: "This cosy relationship needs to end and we need radical action to tackle alcohol misuse including minimum pricing, higher taxation, reduced availability, improved regulation and better treatment for patients who have alcohol addiction problems.
"At a time when the NHS is facing cuts, it is shocking that every year millions of pounds are spent treating patients for the illness and violence that goes hand in hand with alcohol misuse. A reduction in alcohol misuse would free these valuable resources for other life-prolonging treatments."
Dr
Peter Carter, chief executive of the Royal College of Nursing, said Britain
had a "disastrous" relationship with alcohol.
He said: "The number of people in this country suffering as a result of excessive drinking is simply scandalous. Up to 40,000 lives a year could be saved by reversing this growing societal problem."
The report calls for increases in taxes on alcohol in Britain - with many MPs backing the idea of minimum pricing.
The president of the Royal College of Physicians, Professor Ian Gilmore, said: "It is no longer possible to ignore the evidence which suggests that improved regulations would save lives.
"This authoritative report from the Health Committee gives welcome impetus to the consensus, much wider and deeper than the Westminster Government has acknowledged, that the time has come for stronger regulation, particularly on price and availability."
Tags: Drug and Alcohol Abuse | Internal Medicine | Nursing & Midwifery | UK News
Printer friendly page