Tuesday, 19th January 2010
Anti-alcohol fanatics set the wrong target
Dear Sir,
Andrew Lansley, the shadow health secretary, has unveiled plans to scrap the alcohol units consumption system arguing this will help people to live healthier lives making consumers more aware of their drinking levels.
The Chief Executive of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, Jeremy Beadles, has furthermore argued that evidence in other European countries has shown that price increases on certain drinks does not lower the amount of alcohol misuse, consumers need to take responsibility for their own behaviour.
It seems somewhat baffling, therefore, that despite this evidence, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended to ban the sale of duty free alcohol.
Once again the anti-alcohol fanatics have got the wrong target in their sights.
European spirit consumption has halved since 1980. Total spirit consumption is certainly not the driver of alcohol related harm. Binge drinking and irresponsible behaviour by many young drinkers should be the authorities' key target, through better education such as the plan to abolish the confusing units system.
Introducing a blanket ban on duty free alcohol sales would have a disastrous impact on the Scotch whisky industry and it is alarming that the WHO could be so irresponsible as to make this suggestion, particularly at a time of recession and uncertainty in the jobs market.
Yours faithfully,
Struan Stevenson MEP
