UK Wants To Outlaw Cheap Booze

UK Prime Minister David Cameron has suggested putting a minimum price on all alcohol purchases nation-wide, after claiming that the alcohol abuse “scandal” was costing the National Health Service (NHS) over £2.7 billion ($4.24 billion) annually.

The Prime Minister signalled that he was ready to throw his weight behind a plan, which is already being implemented in Scotland, where supermarkets and pubs would be forced to charge a minimum of 45p ($0.71) per unit of alcohol.

UK Prime Minister David Cameron has suggested putting a minimum price on all alcohol purchases nation-wide, after claiming that the alcohol abuse “scandal” was costing the National Health Service (NHS) over £2.7 billion ($4.24 billion) annually.

The Prime Minister signalled that he was ready to throw his weight behind a plan, which is already being implemented in Scotland, where supermarkets and pubs would be forced to charge a minimum of 45p ($0.71) per unit of alcohol.

In addition, other initiatives that Cameron would try to introduce include plans for a “Drunk Tank” – where people unable to walk home would be sent by the police to sleep in, “Booze Buses” – which would pick up drunk passengers and take them to a drunk tank”, as well as a system whereby nightclubs would have on-site paramedics so as to treat drunken patients on the spot and ease the burden on the NHS.

During a visit to a hospital on Wednesday, Cameron noted that A&E services for alcohol abuse cases had cost the country nearly £1 billion out of the £2.7 billion every year, while the wider cost to society was approximately between £17-22 billion.

“Every night, in town centres, hospitals and police stations across the country, people have to cope with the consequences of alcohol abuse. And the problem is getting worse,” stressed Cameron, as quoted by The Guardian.

[quote]“Over the last decade we’ve seen a frightening growth in the number of people – many under-age – who think it’s acceptable for people to get drunk in public in ways that wreck lives, spread fear, and increase crime.”[/quote]

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According to a recent study cited by The Telegraph, a minimum price of 30p per unit of alcohol could prevent up to 300 deaths a year, while setting it at 40p would save 1000 lives, and 50p more than 2,000.

Last year alone, there were more than 200,000 hospital admissions in UK caused primarily by alcohol, which is a 40 per cent rise in the past decade. The number of patients admitted with acute intoxication has also more than doubled to 18,500 since 2002-03.

[quote]”This is one of the scandals of our society and I am determined to deal with it,” said Cameron.[/quote]

“As figures today show the NHS is having to pick up an ever-growing bill – £2.7 billion a year, including £1 billion on accident and emergency services alone. That’s money we have to spend because of the reckless behaviour of an irresponsible minority.”