Scots to bring in minimum price booze
Discussion
Breadvan72 said:
I have a friend who lives in a poor area of Glasgow. The local culture is , in her words, soaked in booze, and that has consequences in terms of health, violence, other crime and so on. I am not generally in favour of top down social engineering, but there may be a case for it here.
+1The alcohol problems in Scotland are horrific, and far worse than the rest of the UK.
I read that some of the most popular selling items such as 3 litres of strong cider for £3.29 will become nearly £12.
As far as I'm concerned, no one needs 3 litres of 7.5% cider for £3.29, and it exists for one reason only, and that is to enable people to get drunk, or remain drunk, very very cheaply.
There is simply no need for those kinds of beverages to be sold anywhere.
If it makes people drink less because it costs too much then that's fine by me.
I agree with Breadvan in so far as I don't normally agree with such government interference, but with things like cheap alcohol and cigarettes, I don't have a problem.
crankedup said:
Supreme court find in favour of the Scottish Government and it is now to bring into law the minimum price unit of alcohol.
Announcement on price is awaited however it is generally understood that most but the very cheapest of alcohols will be unaffected at introduction. Thin end of wedge maybe?
This opens the door for our Government to follow the Scots and then perhaps we will see rises in alcohol prices every budget, just like the old days.
Only the lowest income individuals will be affected and this will do nothing to arrest the increase in alcohol abuse (or enjoyment)
It's total rubbish. It's quite frankly staggering, and worrying, that grown ups can think that a small price rise in something will make an addict (in this case an alcoholic) change their habits. How much is Heroin, again?Announcement on price is awaited however it is generally understood that most but the very cheapest of alcohols will be unaffected at introduction. Thin end of wedge maybe?
This opens the door for our Government to follow the Scots and then perhaps we will see rises in alcohol prices every budget, just like the old days.
Only the lowest income individuals will be affected and this will do nothing to arrest the increase in alcohol abuse (or enjoyment)
Even if it did have an effect then as soon as said effect started it would then be profitable for the criminal element to step in supplying cheap booze. These are the people who will happily sell it to kids and harm people (badly) to protect their trade. I used to to be in the Tobacco wholesale trade and saw exactly this happen when the EU border restrictions came off in 1993.
Lord Marylebone said:
+1
The alcohol problems in Scotland are horrific, and far worse than the rest of the UK.
I read that some of the most popular selling items such as 3 litres of strong cider for £3.29 will become nearly £12.
As far as I'm concerned, no one needs 3 litres of 7.5% cider for £3.29, and it exists for one reason only, and that is to enable people to get drunk, or remain drunk, very very cheaply.
There is simply no need for those kinds of beverages to be sold anywhere.
If it makes people drink less because it costs too much then that's fine by me.
I agree with Breadvan in so far as I don't normally agree with such government interference, but with things like cheap alcohol and cigarettes, I don't have a problem.
It won't work though for the reasons already detailed herein. If that Cider is going to be 12 quid then some scumbag criminal will sell illegally for 8 and make a a fortune. You do realise how cheaply and easily you can home brew the stuff, surely?The alcohol problems in Scotland are horrific, and far worse than the rest of the UK.
I read that some of the most popular selling items such as 3 litres of strong cider for £3.29 will become nearly £12.
As far as I'm concerned, no one needs 3 litres of 7.5% cider for £3.29, and it exists for one reason only, and that is to enable people to get drunk, or remain drunk, very very cheaply.
There is simply no need for those kinds of beverages to be sold anywhere.
If it makes people drink less because it costs too much then that's fine by me.
I agree with Breadvan in so far as I don't normally agree with such government interference, but with things like cheap alcohol and cigarettes, I don't have a problem.
The poverty stricken who are busy killing themselves with cigarettes aren't paying 9 quid in a local shop they're, by and large, smoking cheap, illegally imported stuff.
grumbledoak said:
Wales next, then England.
It's all for your own good. All the tax and interfering. All for your own good.
Certain sections of the public have shown time and time again that they can't be trusted to control themselves, and instead, embark upon large-scale over indulging in substances that will make them ill then eventually kill them.It's all for your own good. All the tax and interfering. All for your own good.
Are you suggesting governments should just do nothing?
Thanks to the governments relentless meddling, taxing, advertising, interference with packaging and so on, smoking is now at its lowest levels ever. I consider that to be a good thing.
Lord Marylebone said:
Certain sections of the public have shown time and time again that they can't be trusted to control themselves, and instead, embark upon large-scale over indulging in substances that will make them ill then eventually kill them.
Are you suggesting governments should just do nothing?
Thanks to the governments relentless meddling, taxing, advertising, interference with packaging and so on, smoking is now at its lowest levels ever. I consider that to be a good thing.
I wonder if you'll be so smug when the government pick on your vices.Are you suggesting governments should just do nothing?
Thanks to the governments relentless meddling, taxing, advertising, interference with packaging and so on, smoking is now at its lowest levels ever. I consider that to be a good thing.
Lord Marylebone said:
Certain sections of the public have shown time and time again that they can't be trusted to control themselves, and instead, embark upon large-scale over indulging in substances that will make them ill then eventually kill them.
Are you suggesting governments should just do nothing?
Thanks to the governments relentless meddling, taxing, advertising, interference with packaging and so on, smoking is now at its lowest levels ever. I consider that to be a good thing.
The problem is that the government will be penalising the many, for the perceived benefit of the feckless few. Are you suggesting governments should just do nothing?
Thanks to the governments relentless meddling, taxing, advertising, interference with packaging and so on, smoking is now at its lowest levels ever. I consider that to be a good thing.
By all means increase the cost of cheap powerful gut rot cider, but putting the unit cost of alcohol up to a minimum of 50p per unit will also double the cost of the most popular most take home beers and lagers such as Carlsberg, Carling and Fosters.
The beer is weak and cheap and for some people its their only "luxury" in life. The consumers of weak lager at home will not become alcoholics or create problems, they just have a couple or three cans each night.
The cost of this" luxury" item will now double for normal people.
And it will not even affect the alcoholics.
Another nail in the coffin of the SNP, so at least it will do some good.
Cheers, ( pardon the pun)
Tony
Lord Marylebone said:
Certain sections of the public have shown time and time again that they can't be trusted to control themselves, and instead, embark upon large-scale over indulging in substances that will make them ill then eventually kill them.
Are you suggesting governments should just do nothing?
Thanks to the governments relentless meddling, taxing, advertising, interference with packaging and so on, smoking is now at its lowest levels ever. I consider that to be a good thing.
More often than not the abuse stems from social or mental issues, this is widely accepted to effect the poorest in society. That's the bigger issue.Are you suggesting governments should just do nothing?
Thanks to the governments relentless meddling, taxing, advertising, interference with packaging and so on, smoking is now at its lowest levels ever. I consider that to be a good thing.
grumbledoak said:
I wonder if you'll be so smug when the government pick on your vices.
They already do.I have a small collection of gas guzzling, planet destroying, uneconomical, noisy cars and bikes that have no practical use apart from going fast and looking cool.
The government has pushed the price of petrol and VED to such a level that myself and others like me are encouraged to use these cars as little as possible.
The system works, and I only use them occasionally for pleasure, and use something economical for daily driving.
If the governments around the world hadn't come after cars heavily we would all be happily driving things that did 20mpg, had virtually no emissions restricting equipment, and the planet would be getting ruined.
So there you have it, the government have picked on one of my vices in a very heavy handed fashion, yet I'm not angry about it as understand it's for the good of everyone.
Lord Marylebone said:
They already do.
I have a small collection of gas guzzling, planet destroying, uneconomical, noisy cars and bikes that have no practical use apart from going fast and looking cool.
The government has pushed the price of petrol and VED to such a level that myself and others like me are encouraged to use these cars as little as possible.
The system works, and I only use them occasionally for pleasure, and use something economical for daily driving.
If the governments around the world hadn't come after cars heavily we would all be happily driving things that did 20mpg, had virtually no emissions restricting equipment, and the planet would be getting ruined.
So there you have it, the government have picked on one of my vices in a very heavy handed fashion, yet I'm not angry about it as understand it's for the good of everyone.
You are truly wonderful.I have a small collection of gas guzzling, planet destroying, uneconomical, noisy cars and bikes that have no practical use apart from going fast and looking cool.
The government has pushed the price of petrol and VED to such a level that myself and others like me are encouraged to use these cars as little as possible.
The system works, and I only use them occasionally for pleasure, and use something economical for daily driving.
If the governments around the world hadn't come after cars heavily we would all be happily driving things that did 20mpg, had virtually no emissions restricting equipment, and the planet would be getting ruined.
So there you have it, the government have picked on one of my vices in a very heavy handed fashion, yet I'm not angry about it as understand it's for the good of everyone.
I bow to your unselfishness.
moanthebairns said:
More often than not the abuse stems from social or mental issues, this is widely accepted to effect the poorest in society. That's the bigger issue.
I wouldn't disagree with that.I guess there have been a million and one studies carried out that ask 'why do the poorest Scots drink too much?' and the answers are presumably things that Scotland is struggling to do anything about.
Not-The-Messiah said:
Was just being disused on five news apparently the experts say that 3000 fewer crimes are expected. Be interesting to see if true, hopefully not one of these useless predictions that continue to erode the confidence the public have in these so called experts.
TIL we think shoplifting is no longer a crime. Because that s
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