As asociety we, in the United Kingdom are now consuming 50% more alcoholthan we were in 1977. But what does thismean?Accordingto new figures released by the Government, in answer to a question raised inParliament, it means that the new 24 hour licensing laws, introduced inNovember 2005, are not having the desired affect that the Government hoped theywould.It hasshown a massive 15% increase in the number of
teenagers receiving medicaltreatment for binge
drinking (a rise of 1000 cases in just one year, thelargest increase in a decade, bringing the figures up to over 8,500cases). Among some of the conditionsthat were treated in the under 18’s were
liver disease,
blood poisoning, depressionand psychosis.DrChristopher Record, a consultant in liver disease, exclaimed that theGovernments ideals of the ‘café culture’ attitude were pie in the sky and thatthey ignored the warnings of the doctors, that had to treat medical problems associatedwith binge drinking, before bringing in the new legislation.He went onto say that there was no doubt in his mind as to the fact that the increase inavailability went hand in hand with the increase in consumption and that theability of being able to go out throughout the night and buy it has been thecause of the rise.Sir MichaelMarmot, a professor studying the effects on society from alcohol consumptionsays that UK teenagers are among the heaviestdrinkers in Europe.FrankSoodeen from Alcohol Concern said that they are very concerned by theseshocking new figures.Studies byNHS statisticians at the Information Centre for Health and Social Care acknowledgethat under
age drinkers are far more likely to drink in secret than to try toget served at a pub.As overhalf of the 3000 extra-hours permits were given to supermarkets, off licencesand corner shops this has made the ability to purchase alcohol easy.In defencea spokesperson for the Department of Culture Media and Sport said that they hadput in force tougher penalties for those selling alcohol to under age drinkerswith penalties of up to £5000.
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