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Scots 'drink twice as much alcohol as five years ago'

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Published Date: 26 May 2008
By Lyndsay Moss
SCOTS are consuming twice as much alcohol as previously thought, a report suggests.
The last survey, carried out in 2003, said that men were drinking an average of 17.2 units a week, while women consumed 6.5 units.

But a report by Health Scotland this week is expected to suggest people could be drinking twice that amount.

Experts blame the growing popularity of high-strength wines and beers, as well as a tendency for people to drink larger measures, both in bars and at home.

NHS Health Scotland believes previous surveys of alcohol use may not be accurate because of these changes in drinking habits.

The new report out this week – called How Much Are People in Scotland Really Drinking? – comes after The Scotsman this month revealed that alcohol abuse is costing Scotland more than £2.25 billion a year, double the previous estimate.

A Scottish Government spokesman said a new alcohol strategy was being published this summer.

He said: "It is examining all areas, taking a wide-ranging look at possible measures that might tackle Scotland's alcohol problems."



The full article contains 190 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

 
1

Guga II,

Rockall 26/05/2008 02:50:00
They should abolish the New Labour Sleaze and Corruption Party (North British Branch). That mob of charlatans and chancers are enough to drive anyone to drink.
2

fifeis great,

Kirkcaldy 26/05/2008 03:43:36
Everyone knows the GNATS are in favour of more drink,it's the only way they can suffer king alex and his sidekick.
3

Guga II,

Rockall 26/05/2008 04:12:24
#2. Are you looking forward to your dear leader coming home? Will you be there to help him unpack the removal van?
4

Snuffy Ivy,

Aberdeen 26/05/2008 05:53:26
Alcohol abusers and drug abusers should be denied free treatment at our hospitals. Why should tax payer money be used to prop up these yobos?
5

!Ya basta!,

26/05/2008 06:31:05
35 units per week for the average man is about 17 pints per week isn't it? And thats only the average. If that's true then we are f***** as a nation. There's no way we can compete globally if we are permanently pissed or recovering form being pissed, or nearly pissed and stuggling to get up most mornings. We might aswell hand over the keys now.

I regard myself as a real lightweight drinker but since Jan have recorded the number of days when I drink. The results are scary Jan: 12, Feb: 17, Mar: 18, Apr: 14, May: 7 so far with a lot of effort) and I am now seriously considering becoming teetotal partly because I think (though I am not sure) it might be easier to give up than cut down and try and regulate. The reaction from friends has ranged from quiet support to suggestions of madness, but generally opinions are weighted toward the latter.

One of the biggest problems we have I think is that we find it hard to accept as normal those people who don't drink or sometimes refuse to drink. This has got to be seriously wrong hasn't it? I suppose I'll be in the minority but I think there's a lot of herd stupidity here and I hope the new strategy can address this issue.
6

Beth Boyle,

NY 26/05/2008 06:58:40
It's no much better here. Drinking is on the rise.
7

AB_R,

26/05/2008 07:10:53
#4, eh the tax levied against alcohol will more than pay for any hospital treatment.

But with regards this story, first off it has been admitted by the government scientists that the "safe" number of units per week where made up and

secondly, the measures being served for spirits is less than what they were in Scotland at the end of the eighties. In the 1980's the majority of pubs served spirits by the 1/4 gill, which is a larger measure than 35ml. However, the majority of public houses in Edinburgh serve spirits by the 25ml measure.
8

Prester John,

Pots_n_Pans 26/05/2008 07:33:43
The 21 units comes from an original estimate that the average man could probably drink a bottle of wine a day for 5 or 6 days with the odd supplementary sherry, brandy, whisky or whatever and suffer little or no damage (approx 42 - 46 units, given wines ranged from 9 - 12%).. So that was taken and halved to give a notional guideline.

I have a friend who works in forensic chemistry and he tells me there are no definitive studies showing categoric limits. That is NOT to say that unlimited drinking is safe; cirrhosis and liver damage are well-documented.

However, once again, the middle classea re being targeted as an easy target. Go to clubs and pubs which could categorised as 'working class' and look at the amount of alcohol being swilled. The issue spans the entire social spectrum - and always has. Read the histories of Britain over the last 300 years; heavy drinking has been endemic for at least that time. The real isue is that wines and beers have become stronger while the quantities drunk have remained relatively constant or increased a bit.
9

Prester John,

Pots_n_Pans 26/05/2008 07:35:06
"the middle classea re being targeted"

Sorry; should be :

the middle classes are being targeted
10

Prester John,

Pots_n_Pans 26/05/2008 07:47:18
The reason for endemic drinking is at least partly to do with the fact that clean potable water was difficult to provide whereas making beers, wines, ciders and perries provided safe drinking due to the alcohol content.

It also accounts for our ability to consume large-ish amounts of alcohol; our bodies have had several centuries to become acclimatised. Contrat that with the Japanese who cannot 'hold' their liquor to the same extent.
11

scunnin,

Vienna 26/05/2008 08:44:34
Are we on this subject again?? honestly, its getting tiring, we cant drink alcohol because its bad for us and can cause cancer. We cant eat certain foods as its not good for us and can cause diseases. We can't do this, we can't do that? We can have Vitamin C, but not too much or it will hurt us. Please would someone give me a list of what I can and can't have as at present I am a bit mixed up what is ok and what isnt...
12

,

26/05/2008 08:46:26
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
13

!Ya basta!,

26/05/2008 08:51:25
Scunnin, it's very simple but unpalatable and tricky in modern Scotland (and most other "modern" places) given the dominance of big food companies. Drink only moderately, if at all, and avoid all processed food. That's it mate.
14

scunnin,

Vienna 26/05/2008 08:57:37
#13 Ya ... I agree, drink moderately, that i have no issue with. I just contend that we generally are told what we can and cant do. Agreed everything in moderation with alcohol and eating. I agree there are alot of idiots who just drink drink drink and fall down or start fights, dont get me wrong. Its just until the barkeepers refuse to serve people who are drunk, then this cycle will continue..
15

fifeis great,

Kirkcaldy 26/05/2008 08:58:07
#3,typical answer from GNAT central command, every thread is usually abuse of labour,no matter what the subject is about,quite pathetic really and sad to see they can't discuss anything unless its their point of view and their dogma is always correct, and of course all scotland agrees with them.
16

ole sailor ,

shifting sands 26/05/2008 12:57:21
Hey Mario - you are the man.
Like that about the massive joke - too true.
I was often over 200+ units/week and like smoking its easier for me to give up than to try and regulate and wow - what a difference.
Now what else can I give up before elevation to sainthood?
17

dylan2,

peterhead 26/05/2008 13:13:47
you dont hear the goverment complaining about the revenue that drink brings in through taxes!!!
the folk of this dear country are a bunch of moaners..
18

JT,

26/05/2008 14:12:15
These so called limits do not take into consideration the build of a person or whether they are eating as well. We have all been there gone straight from work with little substance in the stomach a couple of pints and we are drunk other times we could have more and feel fine (until the next morning of course). If drinking and smoking are so bad for us why hasnt it been banned by the government - TAX they would lose so much in tax its not worth it. Plus why are we drinking much more, longest working hours in europe, high living costs and crap weather generally.
19

ddmc,

26/05/2008 15:27:33
#22 we drink to obliterate the miserable lifes we lead

:))
20

MoragtheToerag,

Argyll 26/05/2008 15:36:06
Honestly, why the fuss?

You're a long time dead.

Between boozing and obesity, that's the pensions crisis sorted.
21

Black Beard,

26/05/2008 16:33:05
Trams.
22

Black Beard,

26/05/2008 16:35:50
There must be a correlation.
23

we the people,

26/05/2008 17:27:22
number four,
the purpose of a health service is to treat the sick - not to pass moral judgement on them.
24

Ard Righ,

The Rock Of Edinburgh 26/05/2008 17:56:24
10 An often overlooked point.

There is twice as much government regulation in private life. That and an occupied country, treated as second class subjects by the english authorities.



25

Maurice,

Fife 26/05/2008 23:21:39
I'd give it up but damn, Guiness is great! Cheers
26

Kipling,

@Doomray toucans, threecans, over the allowed unit 26/05/2008 23:58:49
#32. You mention Guiness: I've tried to access the Guiness official site. Unless you say where you are coming from and your date of birth you are prevented from going any further because, as the site says,

"We need to ask you a small number of questions as this website promotes GUINNESS® beer, an alcoholic drink.

We're committed to responsible drinking, so we need to ensure that you are over the legal purchasing age and are legally allowed to view this site in the country that you are in.

We also need to be aware if there is a possibility that anyone else who could be under the legal purchasing age may use this computer.

We won't use any of the information you provide to contact you."

After putting the country of residence as Afghanistan (or Scotland) and date of birth as 2000, I was routed to an American organisation called 'The Century Council: distillers fighting drunk driving and underage drinking'; only changing the date of birth to 1946 was I allowed onto the Guiness site. But not if I lived in Afghanistan.

Perhaps NHS Health Scotland could take a lesson or two from the Taliban (or their successors)? Or encourage Scottish drinkers to find greater stimulus from the growing of poppies ?

Seriously, one method of stopping people drinking might be to film them at it and tape the waffle they talk when drunk, playing the whole thing back to them when they're sober.
27

Charley,

Dubai 03/06/2008 12:04:28
Come on. Everytime I head home, even for a weekend, I need a drink to get me through the pain that is visiting Scotland. My god its so depressing. It'll only be full of the Guga II types soon....sigh. At least the dentist is free but!

 

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