EXCESSIVE DRINKING A GROWING MIDDLE CLASS HEALTH ISSUE
October 17, 2007 10:46 AM
The Government has called on Britain's drinking culture to change after new research revealed middle class areas are more likely to consume excessive alcohol. Focus has been on weekend binge drinking which has reached epidemic proportions amongst the younger population, but greater emphasis now needs to be given to those who simply consume too much alcohol on a weekly basis.
MP's up and down the country are far from complacent on this matter. The Government, as do the opposition parties, takes the whole issue of alcohol abuse very seriously and Caroline Flint, Minister of State for Public Health published the cross-government alcohol strategy Safe, Sensible, Social, The next steps in the National Alcohol Strategy on 5 June. See:
This report offers key steps including increasing focus on drinkers who cause or experience the most harm to themselves. Similarly on a national level the Department of Health's Alcohol Policy Team and Home Office's Alcohol Harm Reduction Programme Office are working hard to address these issues.
However, while the Government argues that it has reduced alcohol-related violence, launched a public information campaign to promote sensible drinking, reviewed alcohol pricing and cracked down on retailers who sell to underage drinkers; many still feel that it is too little too late and that we are developing an unbearable burden for the health service.
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