Urgent need for alcohol strategy

Sep 25 2007 Liverpool Daily Post

AT A time when it has never been easier to consume copious amounts of alcohol – following the relaxation of licensing laws, its relative cheapness, and the expansion of outlets where it can be bought – it is perhaps not surprising that Liverpool, in common with many other cities, has a culture of excessive drinking.

The sheer scale of the problem is laid bare in a report to the North West Strat- egic Health Authority (SHA), which reveals that more than one in four people in Liverpool and Knowsley are binge drinkers – the highest rate in the North West.

Despite this, Liverpool Primary Care Trust (PCT) has admitted it does not have a dedicated budget set aside for an alcohol reduction plan. The SHA has now asked nine PCTs – including Liverpool – to explain how they intend to tackle the high levels of alcohol abuse, in order to qualify for extra funding.

Trying to protect people from the consequences of their own actions has always been a tricky problem for governments in a free society to address.

In particular, a balance has to be struck between helping those who wilfully abuse alcohol, while safeguarding the rights of those who enjoy alcohol responsibly, without harming themselves or others.

One idea is to encourage regular binge- drinkers to attend "brief" counselling sessions to understand how they are harming themselves.

Liverpool PCT also plans to support employers and trade unions to tackle binge-drinking before it becomes a real problem among staff and members.

Both appear to be worthwhile schemes, as they are addressed specifically at those who have a problem with alcohol, while not penalising those who can drink sensibly.

Nevertheless, this is an issue that needs urgent attention, not only because of the harm alcohol abuse can do to the individual, but the impact it has on society as a whole, such as the huge burden on the NHS of treating those with alcohol-related conditions, and the high levels of alcohol-linked crimes.