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IT CAME as no shock to me to read in The Herald that alcohol related hospital admissions in Plymouth had 'rocketed' by 71 per cent in less than a decade.
In my view, this latest figure will have little impact on drinkers. Many people in Plymouth are addicted to alcohol and the next generation of drinkers are already making their presence felt. There is little point in shutting the stable door now, the horse bolted long ago.
The Government's lack of concrete action to deal with the country's massive booze problem implies to me that it must want the country drunk. Let's be frank, the sale of alcohol is a major source of revenue for the government. It will contribute towards the very costly continued invasion of Afghanistan. It will contribute towards the huge cost of the Olympic Games and it will contribute towards the millions of pounds that will be spent on the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.
In Plymouth, the council and local MPs have failed to take concrete action to tackle the massive booze problem. The NHS has focused their attention on smoking while 1,000 people a month have been admitted to Derriford Hospital with booze related medical and mental conditions. The NHS has a very clear message for smokers – 'Stop Smoking'. But, on alcohol they have been wishy-washy.
Recently a local radio presenter claimed he abstained from alcohol for the month of December. He had serious health problems but he was looking forward to his 50th birthday and to drinking again. In The Herald last week Martin Freeman informed readers that he and his wife experimented with alcohol in an attempt to abstain for four days a week. In my experience people who don't have a booze problem don't have to play around with it.
What message were both of these people trying to convey?
In my view, The Herald should have encouraged people to give up a million pints of booze in its loveLife campaign. Alcoholism kills people in many different ways. It should be taken very seriously indeed.
KEVIN ROCHE
Plymouth Read here
IT CAME as no shock to me to read in The Herald that alcohol related hospital admissions in Plymouth had 'rocketed' by 71 per cent in less than a decade.In my view, this latest figure will have little impact on drinkers. Many people in Plymouth are addicted to alcohol and the next generation of drinkers are already making their presence felt. There is little point in shutting the stable door now, the horse bolted long ago.
The Government's lack of concrete action to deal with the country's massive booze problem implies to me that it must want the country drunk. Let's be frank, the sale of alcohol is a major source of revenue for the government. It will contribute towards the very costly continued invasion of Afghanistan. It will contribute towards the huge cost of the Olympic Games and it will contribute towards the millions of pounds that will be spent on the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.
In Plymouth, the council and local MPs have failed to take concrete action to tackle the massive booze problem. The NHS has focused their attention on smoking while 1,000 people a month have been admitted to Derriford Hospital with booze related medical and mental conditions. The NHS has a very clear message for smokers – 'Stop Smoking'. But, on alcohol they have been wishy-washy.
Recently a local radio presenter claimed he abstained from alcohol for the month of December. He had serious health problems but he was looking forward to his 50th birthday and to drinking again. In The Herald last week Martin Freeman informed readers that he and his wife experimented with alcohol in an attempt to abstain for four days a week. In my experience people who don't have a booze problem don't have to play around with it.
What message were both of these people trying to convey?
In my view, The Herald should have encouraged people to give up a million pints of booze in its loveLife campaign. Alcoholism kills people in many different ways. It should be taken very seriously indeed.
KEVIN ROCHE
Plymouth Read here
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