A full page advert and a half page article in todays' Wirral News got my goat. Here is my e-mail reply:
"I read your advertisement in today's Wirral News. I felt moved to respond to the misinformation that you peddle. You state that men should not drink more than 21 units a seek (sic) and that a pint or can of strong lager = 3 units.
You give the impression that a limit of 21 units per week some scientific basis. I remember when a recommended weekly limit was introduced it was set at 42 units per week (or 'seek' as you prefer to call it). I have never seen any medical research justifying the reduction or indeed proving that 21 units is o.k. but, say, 25 is bad.
Also, you scaremonger the readers by stating that I pint or can of strong lager = 3 units. That may be true but a typical pint of bitter or weaker lager drunk by most consumers contains just over 2 units. A bare comparison of units is unhelpful anyway. Someone who regularly drinks on an empty stomach will be more at risk that another drinker who only drinks after a meal.
In the same edition Dr Stefan Janikevic of the Cheshire
I am not belittling the damage that excess alcohol can cause. A close friend of mine is battling alcoholism. But like any addict price increases make no difference to him. There is now a concerted effort by what is known as the 'health lobby' to prevent responsible adults from enjoying alcohol in moderation. It is time that we the consumer fight back."
The anti-alcohol campaigners will stop at nothing, including lies, to get their message across. Don Shenker of Alcohol Concern says that: “Duty is so low in the UK that it will still be possible to sell very cheap alcohol and be within the law.” The UK pays 40% of the EU's beer tax - the other 60% is paid by the other 26 nations. Not what I'd call low duty.
ReplyDeleteYou can usually only get cheap booze in supermarkets where it's sold at cost price. Does Don attack supermarkets? Not likely. Tesco, seller of cut-price booze, has proclaimed its support for a minimum price for alcohol, so why doesn't Don Shenker and his ilk say to them, "In that case, just do it!" Instead he has publicly welcomed Tesco's "commitment" to minimum pricing - even though they have done absolutely nothing about it - then continues to whinge about "low" levels of duty and to demand even more regulation of pubs, the dearest places to buy drink.