Health experts issue alcohol abuse warning

Islam Times: In an article published in The Lancet, doctors have said the government’s failure to tackle Britain's alcohol problem could lead to 250,000 deaths from liver disease over the next 20 years, more than any other European country. According to the article deaths from liver disease have doubled in Britain in recent years while other countries such as France have seen “profound” falls partly due to stringent rules on marketing drink.

Deaths from liver disease in France fell from 30 to 10 per 100,000 between 1986 and 2008, while in the UK they increased from 4.9 to 11.4 in the same period.

Sir Richard Thompson, President of the Royal College of Physicians, said: “How many more people have to die from alcohol-related conditions, and how many more families devastated by the consequences before the Government takes the situation as seriously as it took the dangers of tobacco?

“We already know from the international evidence that the main ways to reduce alcohol consumption are to increase the price and reduce the availability of alcohol, yet the government continues to discuss implementing marginal measures while ignoring this evidence.

“Just as the government would expect us to treat our patients with effective medicines, we expect the government to take much stronger action to protect people from alcohol-related harm, when will that happen?”

The academics said it is relatively simple for governments to control alcohol consumption, by increasing prices, changing where it is sold and controlling promotions.

Though the government has promised to ban the sale of alcohol below cost price and increase taxes on some of the strongest beers, the doctors argued these steps would be "inconsequential because of the tiny fraction of sales that fall into either category."

Sir Ian Gilmore, former president of the Royal College of Physicians and co-writer of the report said: “Alcohol is not an ordinary commodity like soap powder.

“It is a drug, it happens to be legal, but it is a drug and there are more than 1.5 million people addicted to alcohol. We think, like other areas of public health, like smoking, like seatbelts, there is a strong case for tougher regulation and the most effective regulation would be around price.”

The report has criticised the government for including representatives from the drinks trade on the board set up to steer public health policy on drinking, but not alcohol health experts.

Don Shenker of Alcohol Concern added: “Government need to decide whose side it is on, that of the general public or drinks industry shareholders?” 
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