Plan to tackle problem binge-drinking unveiled

The government has unveiled a plan to combat England's culture of binge-drinking, said to cost the country £20 billion a year.

The 'Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy for England' - published today by the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit - aims to target alcohol-related harm without ruining people's enjoyment, the government said.

Alcohol-related crime and disorder, injuries and illness, and lost productivity in the workplace are costing the country around £20 billion a year, according to Strategy Unit statistics.

Alcohol-related injuries and illness costs the health service nearly £2 billion every year. Around 70% of weekend A&E admissions are currently alcohol-related, the government added.

The paper proposes measures to deal with alcohol-related disorder in town and city centres, clamp down on "irresponsible alcohol promotion" by the industry and provide better information and treatment.

The Prime Minister said it was "vital" that people make informed decisions about their alcohol consumption.

"Everyone needs to be able to balance their right to enjoy a drink with the potential risks to their own - and others' - health and wellbeing," said Mr Blair.

Key measures include:

• putting a "sensible drinking" message clearly on bottles along with unit information;
• using a codes of conduct set at a local level by a partnership of the industry, police, and licensing panels, and led by the Local Authority;
• greater use of fixed-penalty fines for anti-social behaviour;
• better enforcing existing rules on under-age drinking;
• and creating alcohol education programmes for schools.

Minister of State for Crime Reduction, Policing and Community Safety, Hazel Blears said: "In many areas the police, local councils and the drinks industry are all working together to combat the problems like underage drinking, anti-social behaviour and drink fuelled violence.

"Our strategy will widen this approach so that people are more aware of the dangers of excessive drinking, that advertising doesn't promote irresponsible drinking and the violent behaviour in our city centres is reduced."

(gmcg)