Sensible? Or Punishing The Masses A Few Idiots?

[ToraToraTora]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-43948081

[ToraToraTora]

punishing the masses because of a few idiots.

[bhg481]

Or a back-door way of getting more tax revenue?

[dannyk13]

Bhg- from the article:-
//The new law is not a tax and any extra revenue from higher prices will go to the supermarkets.//

[ToraToraTora]

they claim there is no extra tax bhg

[steg]

If it cuts down the amount kids can afford to buy, then it’s a good thing

[jno]

"a few idiots" cost £3.6bn a year?

[Old_Geezer]

Depends on the price setting. Drugs ought not be cheap, and anything that avoids them being used as loss leaders helps too. I feel that it's a bit off though, that it is thought necessary. I'd rather government stayed well away from manipualion of citizens' legitimate choice of lifestyle wherever possible.

[Old_Geezer]

MANIPULATION !!!!!

[youngmafbog]

The problem with this sort of thing is that it hits the poor the most. I doubt very much that the average person will be affected since the booze they sup is likely to be near enough the min price anyway.

It does rather look like the 'holier than though' brigade are now starting on alcohol after bashing the fags for years. Whilst it is true there is a price on alcoholism using a sledgehammer to crack a nut is not a good idea, what should be looked at and addressed are the causes rather than the symptom. I doubt in many cases cheap booze is the cause. But then addressing any other cause is difficult and will cost money rather than this one that WILL generate tax revenue via VAT.

The other problem they will have if they continue down this path is illicit or home brew which is totally unregulated. It is easy to make alcohol whereas you cant make your own fags so you could end up with a worse case for the Government where no revenue is raised but NHS costs rise.

It's a fine line and I admit I dont really know the answer.

[EDDIE51]

With a bottle of strong cider £7.50 in Scotland but £2.50 in England, surely people are just going to buy it in England and take it back? You could make a decent profit if you drove to a cash and carry just over the border in England and took a van load back.

[kvalidir]

You'll get border booze runs, all the little towns near to the scots border will have an utter field day.

[youngmafbog]

And that is what will happen Eddie. Which is why campaign groups are trying to get the same legislation in England.

But then of course we could reignite the smuggling from France across to teh South Coast or even better after Brexit reinstate the "Booze Cruise" !

[jno]

ymb, £3bn a year is more than just a nut. It implies a serious problem as well as serious expense.

[ToraToraTora]

I think you're right eddie there will be border booze runs.

[ToraToraTora]

As YMB says the poorer will suffer, there was an offy owner interviewed on the TV this morning saying that she has a lot of customers that buy drinks for the weekend mostly and they'll be punished by this. There'll be be people boot legging it from England for sure.

[THECORBYLOON]

TTT, the "few idiots" are costing adults in Scotland £900 per year. A reduction in deaths, hospital admissions and other associated costs will reduce that £900 figure.