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Epidemic of Political Pressure Groups

Written by Jack C Tickler   
Binge Out on Epidemic of Health Warnings 3 Days ago Karma: 0
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Image: http://teamusk.com/images/teamusk-headlines-epidemic-booze.gif

Text and Research:

Binge Out on Epidemic Warnings from Little Known Pressure Groups

Using the word "epidemic" in any press release seems to guarantee instant celebrity status for a whole range of small pressure groups intent on forcing their narrow one issue view and agenda down the publics' throats. Politicians from all sides jump on the band wagon for a free PR ride. Throw in a "continental" comparison and make sure to mention Britain's lack of culture to really get things going.

"One does not see binge drinking in continental countries... where children and young people have grown up with a responsible attitude towards alcohol."

A quick look at the statistics shows if you drink like a Continental Person, you die like the Continental Person. Per capita, France had the sixth highest alcohol consumption rate in the world, with 13.5 litres of pure alcohol consumed per adult per year. Alcohol is involved in around half of the deaths from road accidents in France, half of all homicides and one-quarter of all suicides. Rates of cirrhosis of the liver are more than double our own.

Sales of all types of alcohol for home consumption have increased by 42 percent since the July 1st 07 ban on smoking in public places. This has lead to young people "filling up" or "pre-drinking" at home on cheaper booze prior to descending on city and town centres in a state of drunkenness previously achieved only "after" a night out.

In 1997, the UK consumed 7.5 litres per head of 100 percent alcohol, the USA 6.6 and France 11.5. Britain has risen to number seven in the world in its per capita alcohol consumption, overtaking France for the first time in 2003.

The rise of alcohol consumption seems to be driven by the year on year growth in drinking-at-home led by wine. More women now drink wine than men (69 percent versus 62 percent according to Mintel) in Britain though both sexes drink similar quantities at home ( but women make 70 percent of wine purchases in supermarkets).

Women quite frequently start off an evening OUT with wine at home, using wine as a mood enhancer and then may well share a few bottles with friends in a bar. They then tend to move on to other drinks later in the evening. The mixing of drink types is a main contributor to involuntary vomiting and passing out. Men tend to start drinking beer or cider much earlier in the day and continue through to the early hours in "one session". Price promotions of spirits sold as "shots" or "chasers" during Happy Hours often seem to fuel early hours violence, as the rapid intake of a new type of alcohol, on top of pints of beer already consumed can lead to extreme drunken behaviour.

Legislation and price controls seem to work in some countries like Sweden and Finland. While in other countries a steady, daily consumption of alcohol seems to avoid the excessive public drunken scenes. In the UK, like many North European countries, consumption of alcohol rises to the highest level on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights giving rise to the Binge Drinking myth.

This is a trend NOT an epidemic.
 
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