Young drinkers receive a death warning
Institute of Alcohol Studies calls for government action to stem the tide of dangerous drinking among young people.
The IAS today called for government action to contain the
barrage of alcohol industry marketing that contributes to the British
culture of binge drinking, particularly among the young. The Institute
also called for the Government to delay reform of the licensing law
until a national strategy to combat alcohol misuse is in place.
Derek Rutherford for the IAS said:
”The government has for too long shirked it’s
responsibilities regarding the alarming increase in young people’s
drinking. It has continually stalled on the publication of its long
awaited alcohol strategy but is determined to press ahead with licensing
reforms that will further loosen controls on alcohol consumption. The
government should now reflect upon this report and take urgent action to
address the alarming trends that it describes.”
The Chief Medical Officer of Health has released figures
showing a dramatic increase in deaths due to alcohol-related liver
cirrhosis, the rise being especially steep in women. The figures show
that twice as many 18 to 24 year old women as men are drinking at or in
excess of danger levels and among 35 to 44 year olds, there has been an
eight fold increase in deaths among men, and seven-fold among women.
Cirrhosis of the liver now kills 1,600 women a year, compared to 1,200
seven years ago.