Minimum alcohol price ‘may cut binge drinking’

The Hull Health and Lifestyle Survey, which asked 14,500 people about their drinking habits, found people who drink excessively and binge drink had reduced since 2007 to 8.3 per cent, but said levels were still “significantly worse” than the rest of the country as a whole.

Binge drinking is defined as a man drinking eight units of alcohol and a woman six in one session. The latest data from a separate body, the North West Public Health Observatory, shows Hull is also “significantly worse” than regional and national averages for the number of men dying as a result of alcohol abuse and from chronic liver disease; alcohol-related hospital admissions and alcohol-related crime.

The city’s assistant director of public health, Andrew Taylor, said: “Generally the statistics are worsening across the whole of the country because of increased binge drinking everywhere.

“There is the obvious concern about young people going out and binge drinking, but there is another concern about people drinking in their homes and people you wouldn’t necessarily expect to be heavy drinkers.

“Instead of it being a Friday night it might be nearly every night, and it may be people who are financially more secure, but are not necessarily picked up by the system. I know people who will quite happily drink two bottles of wine to themselves and wouldn’t think of themselves as binge drinkers.”

The findings are contained in a report to a city council committee meeting today to discuss the draft Hull Alcohol Strategy 2013 to 2016. The report also reveals that in 2010 there were 37 deaths linked directly to alcohol-related illnesses such as chronic liver disease or cirrhosis. Mortality for men from chronic liver disease in Hull is the second highest in the region, behind Doncaster.

Last month the coalition unveiled plans for a minimum alcohol price of 45p per unit, which officials estimate will save the taxpayer millions of pounds by cutting crime and health problems linked to binge drinking. But the drinks industry has warned responsible consumers would suffer, while health campaigners say the measures don’t go far enough, and are calling for a minimum price of 50p per unit.

Mr Taylor supported the proposals for the higher minimum price as well as closer supervision of drinkers in licensed premises: “We are seeing increasing levels of binge drinking and hospital admissions, not only for cirrhosis, but people having falls and accidents and, speaking to some of our colleagues at the hospital, they are really finding it a problem.

“Experience in Scotland, where there is a minimum price, indicates it would be a fruitful way forward.

“I was in a very large chain pub in Leeds recently having a meal and there were some people in there who were extremely intoxicated and their behaviour was not good, but because of the lack of management and young, experienced staff it wasn’t tackled. You see that all over the place.”

Mr Taylor said: “People should think about heavy drinking because they may be doing damage to themselves that they may not be aware of at the time. In the long term it increases the risk of breast cancer, oral cancers, heart disease, strokes and cirrhosis of the liver but it can also damage mental health, impair memory and reduce fertility.”

However he added: “Very modest drinking is probably beneficial because it can have an impact on cholesterol and stopping the formation of blood clots.”