BINGE BOOZING

Earlier this week David Cameron visited Hull to see for himself the challenges police officers have in dealing with alcohol fuelled crime.  After going out on a late night police patrol he highlighted the need for “serious changes” to our alcohol laws.

The reality of Labour's failed policies on alcohol has been communities blighted by drunken and loutish behaviour.  The police are being stretched in the early hours of the morning by violent incidents and doctors and nurses in casualty departments are being quite literally left to pick up the pieces.  There is also the risk of being more vulnerable to becoming the victim of a sexual or violent assault whilst intoxicated. 

But it's also the public health implications of Labour's errors that are becoming ever clearer.  The number of people who die from a condition linked to chronic alcohol consumption continues to rise each year.  This disturbing picture is made even starker by the number of young people dying from drink.

The solutions combine a number of issues.  Better enforcement, stronger licensing powers for communities and better public knowledge of the dangers linked to binge boozing - including the risk of becoming a victim of violence or sexual assault as a result of being intoxicated.  But price is also a relevant factor.  That’s why Conservatives have already said that we would ban below cost sales of alcohol and use targeted excise duties to increase the tax on those products most closely linked to binge drinking. 

David Cameron has said that we need to look at the round the clock availability of very cheap drink.  He is right to do so.

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