Minimum Alcohol Pricing.

[malagabob]

Is there a minimum pricing for alcohol in England, or is it just Wales and Scotland? If not is there a reason. Thanks.

[barry1010]

Yes, since March

[barry1010]

Oh! It seems there isn't

[Old_Geezer]

Maybe some areas show greater alcohol consumption than others, and benefits from dearer booze to act as a deterrent.

[barry1010]

Maybe the government wants more Scottish and Welsh people to cross the borders and spend all their money on cheaper booze in England :D

[chelle7272]

Licensing policy in England and Wales
A ban on selling alcohol below the level of alcohol duty plus VAT has
been in place since 28 May 2014. This was introduced through the
Licensing Act 2003 (Mandatory Conditions) Order 2014.
In March 2020, the Government said there were “no plans for the
introduction of MUP (minimum unit price) in England” although it would continue to monitor the progress of MUP in Scotland and consider the evidence of its impact.

England stats show heaviest drinking in higher earners, so it would have little impact
https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/drugusealcoholandsmoking/bulletins/opinionsandlifestylesurveyadultdrinkinghabitsingreatbritain/2005to2016

[douglas9401]

It's a device to endure continued employment for people with massive brains who think that a slight increase across the board and a massive one for the jakie juice mob and their cider will have an effect on consumption.

[ToraToraTora]

nope!

[sandyRoe]

It seems to be designed to restrict one of the simple pleasures of the poor.

[barry1010]

chelle, you haven't linked to the latest update of that report where it says: "..of the English regions, among consumers of alcohol, binge drinking was more common in the North West and least common in the South East."
I'm fairly sure that the average wage is considerably lower in the North West than the South East of England but it also says: "People working in managerial and professional occupations, in addition to the highest earners, were most likely to say they drank alcohol in the past week." That doesn't mean they drank to excess or every day, though.
https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/drugusealcoholandsmoking/bulletins/opinionsandlifestylesurveyadultdrinkinghabitsingreatbritain/2017

[allenlondon]

Ban it! It kills more people than drugs, or guns.

Ban it!

[barry1010]

Only because more people drink alcohol than take drugs or meet crazed gunmen, Allen.

[allenlondon]

Not so.

Carry a gun for 70 years and you’ll probably survive.

Drink for 70 years and you’ll probably....?

[ichkeria]

Banning drugs has been a disaster.
Better properly priced licensing

[ichkeria]

“ Drink for 70 years and you’ll probably....?”

Die of old age?
Same as if you carry a gun?

Or are you joking ...

[allenlondon]

No, I’m not.

Look at the NHS’s morbitity figures.

Smoke, and the odds are high that you’ll die way before ‘your time’.

Pour the booze down your throat, and the odds on you dying in your 40s, 50s, or even younger, are huge.

Alcohol kills you.

[Deskdiary]

Alcohol may kill some, most likely alcoholics who do not possess the self-control to limit their intake, but for most people who do partake sensibly, a glass or two of wine, a few beers, or whatever their favourite tipple is, alcohol is pleasurable, especially when taken with friends, so to suggest banning it and penalising those of us who drink sensibly is nonsense.

[ichkeria]

Banning alcohol wouldn’t work. Never has in the past.

Look at the destruction and devastation caused by the war on drugs in Mexico.

[New Judge]

//Not so.

Carry a gun for 70 years and you’ll probably survive.

Drink for 70 years and you’ll probably....?//

What a strange analogy!

Here’s an even stranger (and equally inappropriate) one. Shoot one person dead a day with your gun and that will claim over 25,000 lives in 70 years. Drink one drink a day for the same period and it may claim one life – just the drinkers.

In the same way that guns don’t kill people (the shooters do) alcohol does not kill people (the over-indulgent drinkers do – usually themselves). It makes more sense to ban guns as usually the victims of shootings are those not holding the gun and who usually have little choice in the matter. Those dying of excessive alcohol are usually the victims of their own over indulgence.

//Alcohol kills you//

Indeed it can. But so can water if you drink too much of it.

[douglas9401]

Guns don't kill people, Pinot kills people.

Tripe.

[theshedman]

I know this stops some people drinking to excess but it also stops people with not a lot of spare money having a nice night out or quiet drink at home. I live in England and have family in Wales so we visit every so often. I can buy a 2 litre bottle of cider in Tesco where I live and it will cost £2.05. The same bottle in Wales cost £5. A bit over the top in my eyes. I can see why some come over to England just on a type of booze run.