Britain's alcohol problem.

reply to post by woodwardjnr


Sounds more like alcohol has a British problem.

reply to post by woodwardjnr


NGOs would no more pay a volunteer then they would bay at the moon. The money is all for those at the top. Volunteers are people who feel that they are working for a good cause. Good grammar is not necessary as a matter of fact. So as to appear to be just one of the people you see.

So what did cause you to post this article? did you do no research to see how inaccurate it was...how misleading.

TIRED OF CONTROL FREAKs

reply to post by woodwardjnr

and costing the tax payer billions

It sounds as if that is your biggest problem.

Stop paying for other people's healthcare.

Problem solved.

Originally posted by TiredofControlFreaks
reply to post by woodwardjnr

 

NGOs would no more pay a volunteer then they would bay at the moon. The money is all for those at the top. Volunteers are people who feel that they are working for a good cause. Good grammar is not necessary as a matter of fact. So as to appear to be just one of the people you see.

So what did cause you to post this article? did you do no research to see how inaccurate it was...how misleading.

TIRED OF CONTROL FREAKs

It doesn't look like there's much I can say to convince you, so i'll leave you to your paranoid delusions. I take it as a compliment. I posted the thread because I heard the story on BBC radio in the morning then saw a documentary on BBC2 about alcohol consumption and thought I'd make a thread about it. Have a look at my other threads and posts and see how NGO they are. That's what i do if I doubt someones credentials on this site.

I don't want to control anyone, that's for people to take their own choice on what they put into their body. Believe me I am no saint myself and hoped not to come across as sanctimonious in this thread.

First the cigs now the pints!

Nothing is wrong here - it is part of the British Culture. Go have a pint and chill out. They are statistics, if people want to drink themselves silly let them. If the smoke until they have black lungs let them. The reality is the everyone thinks it is a social problem. It is an individual's choice. Make the consequences theirs too, you get sick - you die unless you can pay to have someone cure you.

No one ever put a gun to your head and said smoke and drink.

reply to post by dalan.


What and go the American route on Healthcare, where you spend twice as much of your nations gdp on healthcare and are still slaves to the insurance companies. No thanks. It dont seem to be working that well for you guys at the moment.

The NHS aint perfect, but puts the US system to shame.

reply to post by woodwardjnr


its not really important whether or not you are an NGO volunteer. If you are and I manage to out you, you will simply change names and come right back. If you are not - my apologies - however, I suggest you research a subject before getting excited and posting it on here.

The original story and likely the BBC documentary are propaganda pieces to convince the public that something needs to be done.

TIRED OF CONTROL FREAKS

reply to post by Suspiria


It is, 16 year olds can drink beer, cider or wine with a meal, an adult has to buy it tho

reply to post by TiredofControlFreaks


The drinks industry is heavily represented in the governments advisory body.As I posted in my OP. There is little chance they will be looking to decrease their own sales and profitability with their advice. No one is going to take alcohol away from the British public, but surely some medical advise on the dangers of too much consumption is not a bad thing. Surely it is better people have the facts when it comes to things like this.

reply to post by RevelationGeneration


While I am all for supporting your herbal choice, I will question your God slant.

Jesus himself was such a boozer, that when the party he was at ran out of wine (bear in mind these were big Amphora's of the stuff too") he waved his magic wand, said oolgybooglywooo and, poof, there was more booze.

reply to post by TiredofControlFreaks


He isn't an NGO stooge. He might, at times, be a wishy-washy lefty but he certainly isn't in the pay of some odd-ball charity. Granted, i don't know him personally, but I have spoken to him a lot on here and he has never once mentioned anything about working for an NGO. In fact, he mentions quite a lot about not working for health reasons.

reply to post by michaelmcclen


Almost agree with what your saying, supermarkets are the biggest problem here, pubs cant drop prices as the majority are beer tied, you dont make any profit with a tied beer...most property/brewerys sell beer at double the market value so the publican cant drop the prices or he/she will be running a loss

reply to post by Surreptitious


A lot of people on benefits are screwing the system for every penny they can so they can afford to drink and have nothing better to do than get wasted.
I live in flats and half the people here are on multiple benefits and drinking themselves to death. You never see them buying food over the shops, its always spirits and cheap beer. Take my neighbours for example. The woman is supposed to have a bad back and struggles to walk but she seemed fine the other month when she was chasing after her dog out in the back garden! It was a very funny moment. Since then her dog and her daughter have both been taken off her, she has been banned from the local shop and made many enemies in the local area which is now starting to effect my family, but still she manages to get steaming drunk everyday. Its a nightmare.
Also just to point out there is a pub very close to where we live which is still open but you never see any of the drunks from my flats anywhere near the place. They all go to my neighbours and drink, EVERY NIGHT. It sounds like world war 3 in there some nights, it's insane and i could tell you endless stories.

This is what happens when a government gets addicted to sin taxes. They might give lip service to the problem of excess alcohol consumption, but behind the scenes they are wringing their hands with glee.

reply to post by EnlightenMe2012


Report her for Benefit fraud mate! You can do it anonimously and online..

I can send you the link, I was this close to doing it to my own sister a few weeks ago....

Report scum like her. People like them p.ss me off, because i'm unemployed and on benefits and if I ever mention this to people (for whatever reason) its always the bad eggs who tarr us all with the same brush. Those on benefits especially the majority are so because they NEED to be, not because they WANT to be.
I don't drink, never done drugs, or spent cash on cigs, yet because i'm on benefits I can't enjoy these 'luxuries' these scammers seem to do.

reply to post by DaMod


i'm not sure if this question has been addressed but.....the drinking age in the UK IS 18. full stop. no questions asked. if a 14 year old is in a pub drinking alcohol then they are breaking the law. as is the landlord of the pub.

also, most places, stores and pubs have gotten together to introduce a policy called 'think 21'. this means that unless a person looks 21 or over, they will have to prove that they are 18 or over with a valid ID, in order to be sold alcohol or allowed entry into a licensed premises.

eX.

I understand that there is an issue with drink here in Britain. My favourite tipples are ale, and rum. However, there is a difference between a person who drinks an awful lot, and a person who is addicted to alcohol. I , in my history , have drunk ridiculously, and yet am not in any way addicted. I drink reasonably nowadays, although in my early youth (18-23) I was a bottomless pit.

The fact of the matter is, there are two kinds of people who are key to this. There are those who for reasons of a weakness of mind, or a weakness of body chemistry, cannot stop drinking once they have drunk alcohol. They obtain serious diseases like liver and bowel cancer, heart disease , psychological disorders bought on by chemical imbalances caused by excess alcohol and a whole host of others, not to mention physical damage caused by thier drunkeness. Some fall over, or walk in front of cars, or punch eachother even more senseless...

Then there are the other people in the situation. Folks like me, when they are going to drink, or get drunk, retain no matter WHAT state they get in, thier sense of self preservation, dignity, and a sense of right and wrong. They do not stagger home drunk. Despite the alcohol in thier systems they stroll, or march home without tripping , falling , causing a disturbance of the peace, or physical injury to themselves or anyone else. They do not drink dangerous amounts, and respect thier bodies.

My angle on this is simple. If I decide to have a drink, I do not believe it is fair that because OTHER idiot, braindead twits spent thier child support money on an eight pack of Stella and a bottle of vodka, beat thier kids, and stabbed eachother, that I should be penalised financialy, or stigmatised socialy for having the very occasional drop.

People MUST take responsibility for themselves, and if they do not, it is essential that others are not forced to pick up the shattered remnants. It is possible for a person to be unemployed through no fault of thier own. Government help in these circumstances is an absolute right, since often these days, the government are the cause of companies going bust, and jobs being cut. But there is no way to become alcoholic , and expect someone else , or a higher power to save your bacon. The government, the healthcare system... these things should be there for people who have , through no fault of thier own, attained a difficulty over which they have no control, and cannot fix on thier own. But the choice to have another beer, is a choice. It is a matter of free will.

I put it to the membership that any legislation which penalises those who buy and consume alcohol, is inappropriate, and will likely be ineffective. The reason for this is that persons addicted to alcohol will merely put themselves in debt, to drink, or steal to drink, or mug, cheat lie and pretty much anything else they can think of in order to drink. The answer is not to price people out, but to admit that there is nothing that can be done for the generation which are already on that path, but to pump BILLIONS into educating people about the dangers of drink right from a young age. The answer is to prevent cool advertising of ANY product which causes death by long term exposure. The hilarious fosters ads need to end. The fantastic adverts with Jean Claude Van Damme for Coors light, need to end.

But tax increases, minimum pricing... these will not prevent people who are addicted swallowing increasing amounts of booze . Tagging persons known to be alcoholic and having the police FORCE them to give up their booze ... well thats an idea but not democratic. Short of that, nothing CAN be done. All the half way effective solutions automaticaly cost the taxpayer at least as much as alcoholism already costs.

And another thing, while we are on the subject. We complain bitterly in this country , about overcrowding (usually its the gormless knuckle swinging xenophobes sitting round a bar table, getting drunk on thier childs school lunch money who do this). Hows this for an idea? You can now only buy a drink if you sign a disclaimer which absolves the health service, and the government from all responsibility from any situation which was directly caused by your alcoholism.That would mean that only persons who get ill because they drink , would be affected by thier behaviour ! That way, we also get a bit of darwinian selection going, and save ourselves a packet into the bargain. The over crowding goes away, and everyone is happy ?

Harsh,but fairer than messing with people who know thier limitations and drink sensibly .

Originally posted by DaMod
I say maybe it's time for the UK to boost it to 18.. might take a bite out of it.

edit on 1-8-2011 by DaMod because: (no reason given)

The drinking age is18.

reply to post by michaelmcclen


that would be the responsibility of the parent. and no parent in their right mind would allow their child to drink at that age.

p.s. wiki is harldy the most respected source of info either.