Sir, – The Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children, chaired by Jerry Buttimer TD, has finished its work on the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill 2015.
It has recommended the introduction of a series of amendments to the Bill that can reduce the number of men, women and children in Ireland who die or are harmed by alcohol use.
These include setting a minimum unit price for alcohol, the inclusion of labels with health warnings, restrictions around the advertising of alcohol to children and young people and the separation of its sale from everyday groceries. There is evidence to show that all of these measures can help to significantly change our relationship with alcohol, save lives and free up our overwhelmed hospitals in a significant way.
You will hear much about the “nanny state” and how a few people who drink irresponsibly are ruining it for everyone else. The facts tell a different story.
Alcohol consumption is on the rise again. Research shows that about 80 per cent of Irish adults consume alcohol and more than half of those are classified as harmful high-risk drinkers. Almost 10 per cent of those who consume alcohol are dependent – and this rises to 15 per cent among 18-24 year olds.
Doctors are increasingly caring for more than 200,000 chronic dependant drinkers with organ damage, cancers, cirrhosis and liver failure, heart failure and problems related to the brain and nervous system and physical and mental health problems.
Source: Irish Times, 25/06/15
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