Healthstazi news: Now for the drinkers.

Crapaud

From time to time, I've posted about the dodgy science behind the ever more draconian smoking bans, propaganda and the stigmatisation of smokers. I've usually been howled down and had to let it go.

One thing that I've warned about is that the healthists, having succeeded with tobacco, will move on to other things, particularly alcohol.

You've probably noticed that there is increased activity in the media about the evils of drink with a raft of scientific studies attached. You've probably not given a monkey's about it. Well, Australia's just given the gameplan away. If you've paid any attention at all to the assault on smoking/smokers you'll see right away that it's virtually identical to the alarmist war on smoking.

[url=http://www.news.com.au/national/cigs-war-won-now-cancer-campaigners-set-their-sights-on-beer/story-e6frfkw9-1226088686962]News.com.au[/url] wrote:

Cigs war won: Now cancer campaigners set their sights on beer

HEALTH activists who believe even one alcoholic drink can cause cancer are lobbying MPs in Canberra today for limits on how much we consume and how much we pay for it.

If they're successful in branding alcohol a carcinogen it could lead to tough restrictions similar to those applied to tobacco, including warnings on labels and laws requiring plain packaging. ...

Read the rest via the link.

rick_chasey

I don't think you've much to fear about alcohol legislation in Glasgow...

daviesee

Yup!

I've been saying this since '96.

All the smug non-smoking drinkers think I am talking tosh but the propaganda war is slowly picking up pace.
I foresee illicit stills being set up again.

attica

I like a drink as much as the next man, but having lived through my ex-wife's alcoholism I would like to think I have a fairly balanced view.

Alcohol is seriously entwined into the fabric of our society, people wear a hangover like a badge of honour whilst listening to the likes of Chris Moyles recount how wasted they got last night - I'm not saying it's anything to be ashamed of but it's become far too everyday in my opinion.

'All things in moderation including moderation' is what I would say, going out every weekend and getting battered simply cannot be healthy and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that. I don't want a ban - that would be awful, but a wholesale change in attitude towards drink would be good.

Asbestos jacket at the ready

daviesee

Attica,

No need for the asbestos from me. Getting paraliytic is unhealthy no question. Getting out of control and doing anti-social or illegal acts is plain wrong.

On the other hand, when the Government considers 3 pints to be binge drinking I have to question things.

http://www.drinkaware.co.uk/facts/binge-drinking

Frank the tank

Attica makes very good points, well, ones I agree with at least.

I've never smoked but drank for a ling time and I genuinely believe alcohol(abuse of) is a far bigger evil than tobacco.

random man

I'm with Attica and Daviesee on this and so, IMO would most people.

I think the anti-alcohol lobby will have a far tougher job than the anti-smoking lobby because most people like a drink and generally don't harm others in the process.
Rather than alcohol being anti-social, it is a socially acceptable, unlike smoking.

Also, there are scientific studies proving that alcohol in moderation is good for your health.

Prohibition didn't work.

Crapaud

random man wrote:

I'm with Attica and Daviesee on this and so, IMO would most people.

I think the anti-alcohol lobby will have a far tougher job than the anti-smoking lobby because most people like a drink and generally don't harm others in the process.
Rather than alcohol being anti-social, it is a socially acceptable, unlike smoking.
Also, there are scientific studies proving that alcohol in moderation is good for your health.

Prohibition didn't work.

Smoking used to be socially acceptable, if not glamorous. Why would it be more difficult to stigmatise drinkers when it's far easier to demonstrate the devastating effects of second-hand (for that's what they call it) alcohol: violence, (including deaths), foetal alcohol syndrome, the turmoil caused to families from excessive drinking etc. To date there is not one reported death from passive smoking.

As for it being proved that alcohol had a protective effect, did you not read the article:

My view...is that the so-called protective effect of alcohol on cardio-vascular disease, heart disease, has been over-stated.

They've got that covered, too.

Frank the tank

I would imagine the only reason no deaths have been attributed to passive smoking is because it's a hard one to prove. I would think Roy Castle's children would contest such a statistic.

The tobacco industry would argue no deaths can be attributed to smoking.

I do agree with Random man,the anti drink lobby will have a tough job in restricting drinking, but not an impossible one.

Oh! and prohibition did work...........................................................For Al Capone.

Crapaud

Frank the tank wrote:

I would imagine the only reason no deaths have been attributed to passive smoking is because it's a hard one to prove. I would think Roy Castle's children would contest such a statistic. ...

They may well do, Frank, but can they point to proof? Anecdotal isn't good enough. I find it interesting that the Roy Castle charity remain silent on whether or not he smoked the occasional cigar.

That aside, the larger aspect to this is the control freakery. This isn't just a campaign on problem drinkers, it's a campaign on all drinkers.

balthazar

I don't know quite what to think about it, though I have a general unease that I drink too much for my health.

However, I'm a little frustrated that it seems the opportunity for good clear science is either being missed, or its results obfuscated. A population of 60 million people, and a national register of healthcare which reaches back generations, should make disputes about the long-term physiological effects of alcohol moot, surely? Isn't there enough data available for physicians to have a fairly clear idea of all this?!

petemadoc

*sips a drink and sneeks out the back for a fag*