Minimum Booze Pricing

[Matt77]

 :D
I woke in this mood today:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQFKtI6gn9Y

It's not me I want them to control.
It's the industry that makes a profit selling a product that harms people that I would like to see more control over.

Each to their own, but, I just plain don't like pissed idiots and I don't like paying for their trail of destruction.
It's fine to go get drunk, I just despair that it is such a regular item on the agenda and that internationally the UK seems to be typecast as a bunch of pissheads.

Rant hat on.

4 people I know dead from alcohol.
Broken glass outside my house everyday for my dog to walk through in the morning.
I get a bit sick of the drink culture.

I'm not mad about this, just giving an opinion that as a nation, it wouldn't be a bad thing if we drank less and found something else to do with our time.

[MDV]

Does anybody actually think this is a good idea, so we can have a proper BKP forum heated debate?  

Me.  :)
I don't think it goes far enough.
I think we should also reduce the number of places it is for sale and possibly go down the same route as Finland where they have a much tighter grip of who can sell the stuff.
In addition we shouldn't sell beer in pints and wine glasses should be smaller.

So one place can sell more
Those few places controlled by fewer people...

Really, I dont think reducing market freedom will decrease demand. The supply will be the same, just from not as many people with less competition and variety.

And, seriously? So you drink more drinks, more frequently. You just want  to make the wait for the bar longer dont you? That will make people more frustrated and increase 'alcohol related violence'.

Also, I really hope youre joking.

I was having this convsation with the head of marketing for a major drinks company a few months back

State monopoly off licenses take away some of the power from the drinks companies from a marketing and promotions perspective and allow more control from the government, at the moment they have lost control.

It would also help the pubs

Smaller glasses are part of the culture in nations that have less of a drink culture.
I'm not saying serve in half pint glasses, just make them a bit smaller.
Look at Italy's culture and Spain's for that matter, they don't have anything like the same issues.

It is a governmental responsibility to promote well empirically supported information with regard to alcohols effect on health, for example. Not determine how or when we drink it.

This glass size thing is just $%&#ing daft. Lets walk through it.
Unverified claim: less of a drinking culture in europe. Proof, please. But even if true, it skips to:

Undemonstrated connection: glasses are smaller. Show me the causal link between container size and amount of alcohol consumed.

Undemonstrated reversal of undemonstrated connection. Its not established that smaller glasses make you drink less, rather than just more glasses, and its not established that its a result of a society that is less centred round alcohol, yet its assumed that IF its the case that a less booze-centric culture has smaller glasses then smaller glasses will make a culture less booze-centric. Tosh.

[Matt77]

Look at Italy's culture and Spain's for that matter, they don't have anything like the same issues.

they also have really freakin' nice weather. Look at all the countries with bad drinking problems. they tend to be in northern europe. I.E. cr@p weather. people feel down because of the weather and drink more. Or drink because you can't go outside to do something fun.

I dunno, it might be nothing to do with that. Or it might. :lol:

There is no such thing as cr@p weather, only cr@p choice of clothing  :)

[MDV]

What sort of clothes are  you supposed to wear to stop it raining in your pint?

[Matt77]

[/quote]

It is a governmental responsibility to promote well empirically supported information with regard to alcohols effect on health, for example. Not determine how or when we drink it.

[/quote]

I think it's both

[Matt77]

What sort of clothes are  you supposed to wear to stop it raining in your pint?

Beer.... Rain water?

That's an idea.
All beer should be weaker

[MDV]

It is a governmental responsibility to promote well empirically supported information with regard to alcohols effect on health, for example. Not determine how or when we drink it.

[/quote]

I think it's both
[/quote]

Wow. Incredible.

What other private decisions and aspects of our personal life do you think we should hand over to our Benevolent Protectors?

[FredD]

What sort of clothes are  you supposed to wear to stop it raining in your pint?

Beer.... Rain water?

That's an idea.
All beer should be weaker

You are an idiot.

[Afghan Dave]

....Broken glass outside my house everyday for my dog to walk through in the morning.

I think you might find a moral panic is currently being manufactured about irresponsible dog owners and weapon dogs.. etc...

Once your desire for Govt regulation is done with drinkers don't be shocked when it makes sense for us to require you to apply for a Govt licence for owning a dog only from a state approved safe breed.

Plus...

Why don't we tax your dog ownership too?

Your dog places more demands on street cleaners/street lighting for late night walkies/extra park land/sh1t bins for your dog sh1t bags... 

I couldn't care less about your dog but I'm using it to demonstrate that a personal choice of yours that gives you pleasure CAN be objected to in many ways by others who don't like your choices.

Be careful what you want the Govt to regulate - Once they get a taste for it and precidents are set there is no going back.

[MDV]

....Broken glass outside my house everyday for my dog to walk through in the morning.

I think you might find a moral panic is currently being manufactured about irresponsible dog owners and weapon dogs.. etc...

Once your desire for Govt regulation is done with drinkers don't be shocked when it makes sense for us to require you to apply for a Govt licence for owning a dog only from a state approved safe breed.

Plus...

Why do you not pay a tax for your dog?

I could care less about your dog but I'm using it to demonstrate that a personal choice of yours that gives you pleasure CAN be objected to in many ways by others who don't like your choices.

Be careful what you want the Govt to regulate - Once they get a taste for it and precidents are set there is no going back.

This post is 100% MDV approved.

Carry on.

[Dmoney]

Trying to legislate social change is always going to work in the end.

[shobet]

I'm too pissed to care what any of you think or say. Plus I just let my dogs shite under the swings!

[Philly Q]

It is a governmental responsibility to promote well empirically supported information with regard to alcohols effect on health, for example. Not determine how or when we drink it.

I think it's both

Erm..... you've surprised me there.  :?

[MDV]

It is a governmental responsibility to promote well empirically supported information with regard to alcohols effect on health, for example. Not determine how or when we drink it.

I think it's both

Erm..... you've surprised me there.  :?

Is that your polite way of say "you've lost your $%&#ing mind"?

Very diplomatic, well done.

[nfe]

:D
I woke in this mood today:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQFKtI6gn9Y

It's not me I want them to control.
It's the industry that makes a profit selling a product that harms people that I would like to see more control over.

Each to their own, but, I just plain don't like pissed idiots and I don't like paying for their trail of destruction.
It's fine to go get drunk, I just despair that it is such a regular item on the agenda and that internationally the UK seems to be typecast as a bunch of pissheads.

Rant hat on.

4 people I know dead from alcohol.
Broken glass outside my house everyday for my dog to walk through in the morning.
I get a bit sick of the drink culture.

I'm not mad about this, just giving an opinion that as a nation, it wouldn't be a bad thing if we drank less and found something else to do with our time.

Ok. Let's say everyone holds this opinion. Please provide any evidence that minimum pricing (or any further means of control) will have any effect on the above.

Evidence of any control and prohibition of intoxicants throughout history will demonstrate the opposite.