Government must take unpopular decisions to reduce alcohol consumption
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《英国医生杂志》
Britain "has reached a point where it is necessary and urgent to call time on runaway alcohol consumption," a report on drinking trends says. The report, by the Academy of Medical Sciences, calls on the government to take immediate measures not only to stop the rise in alcohol consumption but to cut drinking to 1970 levels, a reduction of 33%.
The report draws widely on recent European research on the effects of alcohol on public health. Much of the same research was reviewed in the recent interim analytical report by the alcohol harm reduction project of the prime minister抯 Strategy Unit.
The government is expected to publish a report on national alcohol policy in the next few months. The Academy of Medical Sciences says it wants to contribute to the public debate梐nd particularly to ensure that reducing the overall alcohol consumption of the whole population becomes a primary goal of the government抯 strategy.
The authors argue that "dealing with the drink itself is politically contentious and may be edged off the policy agenda."
"Governments can be averse to any reduction in their tax revenue, while powerful vested interests can be expected to resist any reduction in their profits," they write.
The report notes that political and economic trends of recent years have exerted a steady upward pressure on alcohol consumption, which has increased by 50% since 1970. The opening of European borders and the generous cross border alcohol allowance has created a thriving black market in alcohol. Current legislation is likely to lead to an extension of pub licensing hours.
Above all, alcohol has become steadily cheaper in terms of real income. Research indicates that young drinkers and heavy drinkers are particularly sensitive to price fluctuations.
Evidence from recent years in Europe indicates that the increased burden of health problems related to alcohol has fallen disproportionately on young people. A 2001 report by the chief medical officer said that the number of deaths from cirrhosis among men aged 25 to 44 years rose from 49 in 1970 to 470 in 2000, an increase of 959%.
One novel feature of the report is its consideration of the issue of the cardiovascular protective effect of moderate alcohol consumption. It concludes, however, "that Britain is drinking above the levels where loss of benefit would result from reducing national consumption."
The report抯 concrete recommendations include raising taxes on alcohol, reducing travellers?alcohol allowances in the European Union, reviewing advertising practices, and reducing the blood alcohol limit for drivers from 0.08% to 0.05%. Conceding that some of the recommendations would reverse recent policy or be unpopular, the authors write: "There are softer choices available such as school-based and adult health education, but these receive little research support."
Kevin Mochrie, of the Strategy Unit, said he could not yet say whether the unit抯 alcohol harm reduction project had reached similar conclusions, but he called the academy抯 report "a constructive contribution to the debate."(London Owen Dyer)
The report draws widely on recent European research on the effects of alcohol on public health. Much of the same research was reviewed in the recent interim analytical report by the alcohol harm reduction project of the prime minister抯 Strategy Unit.
The government is expected to publish a report on national alcohol policy in the next few months. The Academy of Medical Sciences says it wants to contribute to the public debate梐nd particularly to ensure that reducing the overall alcohol consumption of the whole population becomes a primary goal of the government抯 strategy.
The authors argue that "dealing with the drink itself is politically contentious and may be edged off the policy agenda."
"Governments can be averse to any reduction in their tax revenue, while powerful vested interests can be expected to resist any reduction in their profits," they write.
The report notes that political and economic trends of recent years have exerted a steady upward pressure on alcohol consumption, which has increased by 50% since 1970. The opening of European borders and the generous cross border alcohol allowance has created a thriving black market in alcohol. Current legislation is likely to lead to an extension of pub licensing hours.
Above all, alcohol has become steadily cheaper in terms of real income. Research indicates that young drinkers and heavy drinkers are particularly sensitive to price fluctuations.
Evidence from recent years in Europe indicates that the increased burden of health problems related to alcohol has fallen disproportionately on young people. A 2001 report by the chief medical officer said that the number of deaths from cirrhosis among men aged 25 to 44 years rose from 49 in 1970 to 470 in 2000, an increase of 959%.
One novel feature of the report is its consideration of the issue of the cardiovascular protective effect of moderate alcohol consumption. It concludes, however, "that Britain is drinking above the levels where loss of benefit would result from reducing national consumption."
The report抯 concrete recommendations include raising taxes on alcohol, reducing travellers?alcohol allowances in the European Union, reviewing advertising practices, and reducing the blood alcohol limit for drivers from 0.08% to 0.05%. Conceding that some of the recommendations would reverse recent policy or be unpopular, the authors write: "There are softer choices available such as school-based and adult health education, but these receive little research support."
Kevin Mochrie, of the Strategy Unit, said he could not yet say whether the unit抯 alcohol harm reduction project had reached similar conclusions, but he called the academy抯 report "a constructive contribution to the debate."(London Owen Dyer)