Politicians could ban the happy hour. Local authorities could be empowered to do away with the concept altogether. Does this country really have a drinking problem? If yes, is this a solution?
That’s what most people are wondering after reports in the media revealed the findings of the Home Affairs select committee. The BBC has reported that the committee said that reckless drinking was placing a heavy burden on police resources.
The report’s aims are to lay down ways of tackling challenges facing police forces in modern times.
Ministers told the BBC that they would "look carefully" at the report's recommendations.
The Guardian newspaper reported that the government is likely to take a more holistic approach on the issue.
This would include cigarette-style health warnings on television advertising for drinks, and labels on cans and bottles spelling out their alcohol-unit content.
The home secretary, Jacqui Smith, is expected to tell the alcohol industry that self-regulation over the years hasn’t actually worked.
The Telegraph reported that the ban would apply to "time-limited" cut-price drink offers, or happy hours
The human costs
The BBC has said in a report that evidence showed the biggest problem faced by police forces was violence and disorder caused by excessive drinking of cheap alcohol.
Drink-fuelled crime meant that many forces could not meet the public's expectations of high-profile visible policing at other times, despite currently having record numbers in uniform, the report said.
And there is another factor, the health costs.
The NHS spends about £2.7 billion a year treating alcohol-related illnesses. 811,000 alcohol-related admissions are made to hospitals each year, a report in the Times newspaper has said.
Supermarkets unhappy
A report in the Times newspaper has said that in 1953 there were just 24,000 off-licences in the whole of the UK, now there are more than 40,000. There were 61,000 so-called “on- licence” premises in 1953; now there are 78,500.
There is definitely a co-relation between accessibility and consumption.
When supermarkets were allowed to sell wine in New Zealand there was an immediate 16 per cent increase in consumption, says the report.
But supermarkets face a tough choice. Tesco spokeswoman Dharshini David told the BBC: “If we stopped promoting alcohol, people would go elsewhere”.
A spokesman for the Wine and Spirit Trade Association told the Independent newspaper: "We're in danger of alienating millions of ordinary people who enjoy a drink."
So, is anyone happy at this hour?
Yes, of course. The campaign group Alcohol Concern welcomed the report, calling on ministers to target discount sales and impose a minimum price per unit on alcohol.
Don Shenker, the organisation's chief executive told the Independent newspaper: "We know there is a clear link between the availability of alcohol and the level of abuse. The cheaper the alcohol is, the more it is abused."
That’s what most people are wondering after reports in the media revealed the findings of the Home Affairs select committee. The BBC has reported that the committee said that reckless drinking was placing a heavy burden on police resources.
The report’s aims are to lay down ways of tackling challenges facing police forces in modern times.
Ministers told the BBC that they would "look carefully" at the report's recommendations.
The Guardian newspaper reported that the government is likely to take a more holistic approach on the issue.
This would include cigarette-style health warnings on television advertising for drinks, and labels on cans and bottles spelling out their alcohol-unit content.
The home secretary, Jacqui Smith, is expected to tell the alcohol industry that self-regulation over the years hasn’t actually worked.
The Telegraph reported that the ban would apply to "time-limited" cut-price drink offers, or happy hours
The human costs
The BBC has said in a report that evidence showed the biggest problem faced by police forces was violence and disorder caused by excessive drinking of cheap alcohol.
Drink-fuelled crime meant that many forces could not meet the public's expectations of high-profile visible policing at other times, despite currently having record numbers in uniform, the report said.
And there is another factor, the health costs.
The NHS spends about £2.7 billion a year treating alcohol-related illnesses. 811,000 alcohol-related admissions are made to hospitals each year, a report in the Times newspaper has said.
Supermarkets unhappy
A report in the Times newspaper has said that in 1953 there were just 24,000 off-licences in the whole of the UK, now there are more than 40,000. There were 61,000 so-called “on- licence” premises in 1953; now there are 78,500.
There is definitely a co-relation between accessibility and consumption.
When supermarkets were allowed to sell wine in New Zealand there was an immediate 16 per cent increase in consumption, says the report.
But supermarkets face a tough choice. Tesco spokeswoman Dharshini David told the BBC: “If we stopped promoting alcohol, people would go elsewhere”.
A spokesman for the Wine and Spirit Trade Association told the Independent newspaper: "We're in danger of alienating millions of ordinary people who enjoy a drink."
So, is anyone happy at this hour?
Yes, of course. The campaign group Alcohol Concern welcomed the report, calling on ministers to target discount sales and impose a minimum price per unit on alcohol.
Don Shenker, the organisation's chief executive told the Independent newspaper: "We know there is a clear link between the availability of alcohol and the level of abuse. The cheaper the alcohol is, the more it is abused."
(The picture is a creative commmons photograph from flickr.com. It belongs to Brian Rosner. Click here to go to his profile)
