Alcohol price controls would save lives, MPs told
Published: 02 June 2009
Government opposition to a minimum pricing regime for alcohol comes under renewed pressure with calls for a 50p rate a unit aimed at saving 3,400 lives a year
Owen Bowcott, The Guardian, Friday 15 May 2009 08.46 BST
I wanted to add this story not because - sad to say - I think this will lead to a price alteration of alcohol and ensuing reduction of alcohol related harm. Rather, I felt it important that it was included on the website because it is a very good example of a public health issue which appears to have a common sense answer, but which is unlikely to ever come to fruition. This is not due a lack of belief or evidence, more an example of how policy and lobbying can influence such issues at a national level. I say this as the rationale that the more expensive alcohol is, the less people drink and so the less alcohol related harm is not a new idea. A report commissioned by the World Health organisation headed by Griffith Edwards provided this evidence on a global scale, which was then restated by Thom Babor in Alcohol policy and the public good in the 90s, yet still the prices are the same. I would be interested to hear if other members think I am too cynical or agree?