Alcohol and Health

[chompu]

A top hepatalogist at our local hospital has expressed concern in the sharp increase in the number of patients, in their 20s and 30s, suffering from advanced liver disease. It is at a level that he would have expected from the 50s and 60s several years ago. In view of the legislation and publicity against smoking, do you think the same line should be taken against alcohol?(I don't mean an outright ban) Was in fact the de-restriction of licencing hours a retrograde step?

[lovejoy]

When the tories deliberately put five and a half million people out of work, a great many of those people in desperation turned to drink to block out their misery which caused the biggest rise in alcholism of all time.

When you dont have a job and you you dont have any income where do you drown your sorrows champaigne at the plaza hotel or cider at the off licence

[ruby27]

In the sixteenth century, alcohol beverage consumption reached 100 liters per person per year in Spain, and Polish peasants consumed up to three liters of beer per day. In Coventry, England, the average amount of beer and ale consumed was about 17 pints per person per week, compared to about three pints today.
this is a refence from wikipedia (not going to get into a debate about wiki on this post)but in England there has been a long history of alcohol use/misuse. I mean Hogarths depiction is almost enough to put you off drinking gin forever.
I think with the prosperity in this country and relative cheapness of alcohol it is not surprising that alcohol related diseases are on the increase. Like cigarettes tax them high. That will help me cut down on how much wine I drink and will support the NHS.

[Gromit]

I think we have seen a change in the type of drinks being consumed by people in their 20s and 30s. The previous generation to that drank lager or bitter that was about 3.5% vol. The present alco-pops generation drink drinks that are 5-6% vol or higher. The 'pops also mask the alcohol taste so young drinkers tend to drink more of them and not realise how strong they are (until they are p*ssed).

And then they are more heavyly marketed at than my generation.

And, sadly, the police now seem to tolerate drunkeness which 30 years ago would have merited a night in the cells, so the there is no immediate consequences to the young drinking too much.

[sandbach99]

When my Mum was in hospital and the doctors were trying to make a diagnosis I was told she had liver problems due to her drinking, she was 83. I would have agreed with this if my mother drunk but she didn't, up to her 50s the odd snowball at Christmas or a glass of wine at a celebration. After her 50s she went on medication and barely had a sip at all even at Chrismas. She was not drinking in secret as the family did alll shopping and cleaning, you could call anytime day or night and there was never any alcohol.
The Medical staff did not believe me as they also asked other members of the family.
Even after her death they still hinted it was due to alcohol problems.
I am not saying alcohol doesn't cause problems it does but it easy for the doctors to jump on bandwagons.

Every now and then we get food scares due to colourings etc in food and soft drinks, although these additives to food have been passed as safe the youngsters of today have consumed more than any previous generation, what are the long term results of this consumption and also mixing these chemicals in the body.
It's a huge industry producing these additives, preservatives and pesticides, more should be spent on independent research regarding the effect on humans

[chompu]

Thanks for your replies. I expected more answers because I felt this was a different viewpoint (the hepatalogists' concern) than the usual alcohol/ health debate. It is the second time he has said this in the last year.
Good point about taxation, Ruby. Education doesn't appear to work. Young people are better informed about the risks of alcohol than they have been in the past, yet the binge drinking culture seems to be on the increase.I don't think 24 hour drinking has helped in that respect.
I agree with your observations Gromit regarding the stength of alcoholic drinks aimed at the young market. I remember that some years ago the drinks industry pledged not to target young people with their advertising. Yeh, right!
I have no arguement against anti-smoking taxation and legislation. I just feel that alcohol/health issues are kept much lower on the political agenda. I recall, I think it was some time during the 80s, a an article that stated over 90 mps had vested interests in the brewing industry i.e directorships etc. Now cynic that I am I wonder if that situation still prevails.