As Europe is plunged into crisis by Georgie Papandreou's shrewd move in calling a referendum, I see that Scottish Nanny is trying, yet again, to introduce a minimum price for booze.
Minimum pricing was rejected in a 76-49 vote at Holyrood last year. However, MSPs approved a ban on discount deals, such as two-for-one bottles of wine, and restricted "irresponsible" drinks promotions and advertising near premises.
Well, if Nanny does get this through I doubt that it will by any discernable measure reduce the amount of booze imbibed in Scotland. Similar pricing schemes operated in Scandinavia simply push those who drink "Scrumpy Jack" etc to brew their own. During the 5 years I lived in Stockholm I saw many drunks wandering the streets!
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The answer to binge drinking lies in education, I believe.
ReplyDeleteThere is no doubt that the British are rubbish when it comes to handling alcohol. The majority seem to have no idea what a social drink is. Young people cannot sit in a pub and talk. They do not go out for food and a drink in a bar. Indeed, most pubs feel no need to serve anything but rubbish like crisps and pork scratchings! It is unthinkable for anyone to order a coffee or to sit for more than 5 minutes with an empty glass in front of them.
The Americans are even worse. Give them a shot of spirit and they think that they have to down it in one go and then quickly order several more. Beers are for ‘shooting’, putting a hole in the base of a can and squirting the stuff down their necks.
Alcohol is relatively cheap in certain popular holiday destinations. The British make complete arse-holes of themselves when travelling to these places by binging themselves.
But the locals have much fewer problems. I suggest that it is because kids are exposed to drinking from a very early age. They are educated in alcohol. Kids will often have wine (sometimes watered down) and a small beer with their meals. Children are welcome in all bars, and parents can order them anything they want to without a second thought from the bar staff, bar owner or other customers; and as a result they learn how to handle alcohol sensibly.
@ Anon
ReplyDelete"Kids will often have wine (sometimes watered down) and a small beer with their meals"
Exactly the case in my 1950s tadpolehood. I wasn't given watered down anything, just a very small amount of Mackeson or whatever my parents had, or an equally small glass of wine at special occasions. Result, I drink very little and sensibly and am enjoying the (medicinal, honest) glass of Guiness at my elbow as I type this.
It obviously hasn't occured to Nanny's Bully State that Britons get smashed in order to blot out the reality of life in UK plc.