Drinks promotion taken off sale

I was pleased to read this article in the South Wales Echo today.

I commented last week on a promotion that a club in Cardiff was running – 10 alcoholic drinks for £10. The concern that we have is that such deals encourage binge drinking which can have long term effects on health.

The club has now withdrawn the offer – hopefully taking on board our comments.

All these promotional activities serve to normalise alcohol as an essential part of every day life, so it is no surprise that young people are drawn to alcohol.

In a bid to tackle the soaring cost of alcohol-related harm, particularly in young people, we would like to see a total ban on all promotional deals like happy hours, two-for-one purchases and ladies’ free entry nights.

There can be no more softly, softly approach. The access and affordability of alcohol must be tackled head on.

Irresponsible drinks promotions in the capital

Shocking article in the South Wales Echo today which reveals Cardiff clubs offering deals to lure people in like 10 drinks for £10.

It is no surprise that young people are drawn to alcohol as all these promotional activities serve to normalise alcohol as an essential part of every day life.

The truth is, there is nothing glamorous about drinking too much alcohol – it wrecks health, lives and families.

As a GP I see many families torn apart by alcohol problems. Alcohol often plays a major part in domestic violence and the breakdown of relationships.

I see many patients suffering ill effects because of alcohol. Many are disbelieving when I point out the effect of alcohol on their condition – “everyone I know drinks like I do, many drink more”, they say.

It is not infrequent to find patients with fatty liver in their 30s and 40s, and when asked about previous alcohol consumption often describe heavy or binge drinking when a student in their 20s.

The misuse of alcohol is related to over 60 medical conditions including heart and liver disease, diabetes, strokes and mental health problems – it costs the NHS millions of pounds every year and is linked to accidents and street violence.

In a bid to tackle the soaring cost of alcohol-related harm, particularly in young people, BMA Cymru Wales calls for a total ban on all promotional deals like happy hours, two-for-one purchases and ladies’ free entry nights.

There can be no more softly, softly approach. The affordability of alcohol must be tackled head on.

What do you think about drink promotions?

Putting an end to "all you can drink offers"

New UK Government proposals mean that the all you can drink promotions could be banned in England and Wales.

We welcome the crackdown on such promotions which can lead to excessive drinking.

The health consequences of binge drinking or regularly drinking over and above the recommended daily limits are serious and severe. The number of deaths in Wales as a result of the abuse of alcohol continues to rise, and doctors report an increase in the number of young people presenting to the NHS with serious illness resulting from alcohol misuse.

We are pleased that the UK Government are taking action, but if they are serious about tackling the UK binge drinking culture, even tougher action is necessary.

There is strong and consistent evidence that an increase in price will reduce consumption, and BMA Cymru believes that this should form a central plank of any strategy to deal with alcohol misuse.

Congratulations Dai!

I would like to congratulate the Chair of the Junior Doctors Committee Dr David Samuel (pictured) who has won a Pfizer bursary. Dai will be talking to groups of up to 100 students from schools in Merthyr about teenage health.

Dai was raised in Merthyr, and now works at Prince Charles Hospital. As a local Doctor who is aware of the issues facing the residents, he hopes to break the cycle of ill health that runs in families from the area. He will be covering amongst other topics; drugs and alcohol, smoking and teenage pregnancy.

Merthyr has the highest rate of sexually transmitted diseases in Wales and the UK. The borough also has the highest proportion of smokers in Wales, as well as a high proportion of binge drinkers.

Collectively we need to work together to ensure a healthy future for our children and I am pleased that Dai is taking action.

BMA Cymru are extremely concerned about alcohol consumption among young people. It is shocking that in Europe, the UK’s teenagers are most likely to be heavy drinkers.

As doctors we see first hand how alcohol misuse destroys lives. It causes family breakdowns, is a major factor in domestic violence, ruins job prospects, is often related to crime and disorderly behaviour and it kills. Alcohol misuse is related to over 60 medical conditions including heart and liver disease, diabetes, strokes and mental health problems.

Alcohol misuse not only costs lives it also costs the country many millions of pounds. The NHS spends millions every year on treating and dealing with alcohol problems and the criminal justice system also spends similarly large amounts dealing with alcohol-related and drink-driving offences.

It is also vital that we break the cycle of young smokers who will become tomorrow’s parents who smoke, and continue the cycle of smoking-related ill-health. Every day doctors witness the death and despair caused by smoking.

It is essential that cigarettes are made less accessible to children. Banning point of sale displays and getting rid of tobacco vending machines will go some way to doing this.

We must also ensure that young people have access to adequate and appropriate contraception, as well as working together to educate and inform them of the risks of becoming sexually active too early.

We will be producing a youtube film of Dai in action at one of the interactive sessions – tune in to find out how he gets on.

Responsible drinking

As pubs and clubs are gearing up for one of the busiest nights of the year - widely known as “Black Friday”, BMA Cymru are urging party goers to drink responsibly tonight.

Black Friday has become one of the busiest nights of the year for those working in Hospitals and the emergency services in Wales. Hospitals are busy putting extensive contingency plans in place to cope with an influx of alcohol induced injuries.

The combination of the Friday before Christmas, pay-day and binge drinking will put an increased strain on services in Wales.

Anti-social behaviour, violence, and drink-driving will multiply this weekend across Wales due to an increased level of alcohol intake, and in many cases, binge drinking.

Alcohol can be an enjoyable part of social and cultural life especially over Christmas. I've said it before - we are not looking to restrict people from having a choice about consuming alcohol, we just want to encourage adults to drink in moderation, rather than drinking to get drunk.

Sometimes people may not even be aware that they are drinking too much – it is easy to do. It is important to keep track of how much you are drinking.

It is vital that people make alternative arrangements for getting home if they are drinking this weekend. Even driving the morning after can be dangerous as alcohol may still be in the system.

I met with Kate Edwards and Melanie Hamer of Pontypridd Women’s Aid recently who have considerable experience in supporting and dealing with victims of domestic violence. They were extremely concerned that the number of complaints about domestic violence would increase this weekend. Kate Edwards who is the Chair of Pontypridd Women’s Aid said:

“There will be a visible police presence out on the streets prompting some to take their anger out at home.

“It is particularly sad when such incidents occur at a time which is meant to be a happy one. Domestic violence can have a dreadful effect not just on the victim, but of course on the children and it can end up not just ruining their Christmas, but impacting adversely on the rest of their lives.”

So the message from us at BMA Cymru is – enjoy a drink, but don’t overdo it.

Our booze culture

The Western Mail has reported today that the number of people admitted to hospital with alcohol-related conditions has risen by 30% in five years.

These figures are unsettling. The population is drinking more and our society is awash with pro-alcohol messaging, marketing and behaviour.

Over the festive period, the admissions to A&E for alcohol misuse will put a huge strain on NHS resources. Intoxicated patients are dealt with by a variety of medical staff and even security guards if they are violent and abusive. Added to this are the costs of tests and treatment, and if the patient is then sent to a hospital bed on a ward, the costs mount up even further.

Supermarkets offering cut price deals and drinks promotions in pubs and clubs exacerbate the problem as people indulge over this period. All these promotional activities serve to normalise alcohol as an essential part of every day life. It is no surprise that young people are drawn to alcohol - when it is cheaper than bottled water, we have to worry about what message we are sending our children.

Alcohol misuse causes family breakdowns, is a major factor in domestic violence, is often related to crime and disorderly behaviour and it kills. It is related to over 60 medical conditions including heart and liver disease, diabetes, strokes and mental health problems. The public should be made aware of the serious risks associated with drinking, so that they can make informed decisions about how much alcohol they are consuming.

Alcohol can be an enjoyable part of social and cultural life especially over Christmas. But the growing booze culture is creating serious problems for the future. Sometimes people may not even be aware that they are drinking too much – it is easy to do. It is important to keep track of how much you are drinking. We would like to see people enjoying alcohol sensibly without over doing it.

Are you a healthcare professional who has dealt with patients who have been admitted due to alcohol misuse? Share your experiences with us.

More warnings over health risks linked to alcohol

Health warnings in the news again concerning alcohol, but this is one that is perhaps not so well known. How many of us actually realised that drink could be linked to oral cancers? Cigarettes - definitely. But alcohol? It’s usually liver disease that is seen as being the number one health problem associated with alcohol, so could that soon be superceded?

It seems this is yet another reason for why drink should be consumed in moderation and to not accept the “binge drinking” culture that is so much the norm in the UK. This report from Cancer Research UK highlights that about three-quarters of oral cancers are thought to be caused by drinking alcohol and smoking.

The BMA has often outlined how doctors witness the devastation of alcohol on patients and the crippling effect it has on the NHS. So what price could we all soon be paying for the treatment of this huge increase in conditions like mouth cancer?

Just last month we repeated our calls at the BMA’s annual conference to have a minimum price for a unit of alcohol introduced by the UK government, partly because of the increased burden of alcohol-related diseases and complications on our nation’s health.

All the following points were agreed upon by members in July.

We…

ii) believe that a minimum pricing strategy would not unduly disadvantage responsible alcohol consumers;
iii) call for all alcoholic beverages to have clearer labelling indicating alcoholic content and unit value;
iv) call on the BMA to lobby government for a total ban on alcohol advertising in the media;
v) demand that revenue obtained from increased prices should be used for the prevention of alcohol misuse and the rehabilitation of alcohol abusers.

And reports like this one today just add more ammunition to our fight.

Could do better Darling

The Chancellor Alistair Darling’s taxation increase on alcohol by 2%, is a step in the right direction, but to be honest, it really doesn’t go far enough.

We've been campaigning for some time for higher taxes on alcoholic drinks, but crucially, this increase should be proportionate to the amount of alcohol in the product.

Today’s rise announced by the Chancellor won’t necessarily end irresponsible promotional activities like happy hours and two-for-one offers, or the deep discounting carried out by supermarkets. A minimum price for alcohol, which we advocate, would put a stop to such practices, at the same as enabling pubs and bars to better compete with supermarkets.

Since 1997, taxes on wine and beer in the UK have only increased in line with inflation, while taxes on spirits have not increased at all. There is strong and consistent evidence that alcoholic price increases, result in reduced consumption.

Alcohol misuse not only costs lives, it also costs the country many millions of pounds. The NHS spends millions every year on treating and dealing with alcohol problems and the criminal justice system also spends similarly large amounts dealing with alcohol-related and drink-driving offences. The UK government has today, missed an opportunity to act on this.

How big an issue does binge drinking in Wales need to be before serious action is taken?

If ever we needed proof of how big a problem alcohol misuse is becoming in Wales, then this report from the National Public Health Service for Wales surely gives us just that.

Just to give you a taster of what’s in the report;

1,000 people die from causes related to alcohol in Wales each year

Wales has the highest number of 13-year-olds who say they have been drunk at least twice

Those living in deprived areas are three times more likely to die of a cause linked to alcohol than those living in more affluent areas

So proof then that tackling dangerous levels of alcohol consumption is our next big public heath issue.

It’s for this very reason that we want the WAG, either alongside the UK Government, or on its own through devolved powers to bring in tighter regulations around alcohol and the drinks industry.

Some of this centres on the price or “cheapness” of alcohol, making it extremely accessible to those in deprived areas and to youngsters. So we want to see an increase in taxation on alcoholic drinks, with the tax being proportionate to the amount of alcohol in the product. We’ve also been calling for a Licensing Measure to put a stop to the deep discounting of alcohol for sale in places like off licenses and supermarkets.

We’d also like to see research carried out into the measures by which pricing mechanisms can be used in Wales to discourage heavy consumption of products with a high alcohol content.

That’s some of the practical work around pricing and licensing that needs to be carried out in light of this new report from the NPHS.

There is a big role for doctors to play in all of this too, in trying to help change people’s attitudes and behaviour about drink, so that it’s not seen to be so acceptable to binge drink. Coupled with that, there should be more funding for services geared towards treating alcoholism.

These steps won’t change things overnight, but they have to be steps in the right direction surely?

How much worse does binge drinking have to get before our politicians take action?

This article in the Wales on Sunday makes for disappointing reading for the BMA and its members, who deal on daily basis, with the very real consequences of alcohol misuse. The fact that many Assembly Members don’t think that raising the cost of drink won’t in any way help prevent binge-drinking, is quite staggering.
I hope this doesn’t stop the Welsh Assembly Government from continuing to support the idea of setting a minimum price on alcohol, with the Social Justice Minister, Dr Brian Gibbons saying he’d like to see a graded form of tax on drink, where a lower tax is placed on weaker alcohol and a higher tax is placed on stronger alcohol.
Last year the BMA published a report ‘Alcohol misuse: tackling the UK epidemic’, calling on governments in the UK to implement a full range of effective control policies that will reduce the burden of alcohol misuse.

It highlights how recent governments have worked too closely with the alcohol industry, pursuing policies of deregulation and liberalisation regarding alcohol control, contributing to the destruction of many people’s lives. It causes family breakdowns, is a major factor in domestic violence, ruins job prospects, is often related to crime and disorderly behaviour and it kills.

Alcohol misuse is related to over 60 medical conditions including heart and liver disease, diabetes, strokes and mental health problems. The government approach has led to increased consumption levels and alcohol-related problems and demonstrates a failure in the political drive to improve public health and order.

As well as the human cost, it also costs the NHS millions every year, treating and dealing with alcohol problems and the criminal justice system also spends similarly large amounts dealing with alcohol-related and drink-driving offences.

Key recommendations from this report include:

• Higher taxes on alcoholic drinks and this increase should be proportionate to the amount of alcohol in the product.
• An end to irresponsible promotional activities like happy hours and two-for-one offers.
• Standard labels should be displayed on all alcoholic products that clearly state alcohol units, recommended guidelines for consumption and a warning message advising that exceeding these guidelines may cause the individual and others harm.
• The legal limit for the level of alcohol permitted while driving should be reduced from 80mg/100ml to 50mg/100ml throughout the UK.

Mass public awareness campaigns, which some AMs seem to be pointing to as a possible solution, may be politically attractive and increase knowledge about alcohol misuse, but they are very expensive and ultimately ineffective if unsupported by broad based policy. Targeted approaches are vital, including measures to reduce the availability of drink.

And we are not calling for minimum pricing of drink, to be killjoys, this is just part of it. The BMA also recognises that preventing alcohol-related harm requires accurately pin-pointing those who misuse alcohol. Yet, there is currently no system for routine screening and management of alcohol misuse in primary or secondary care settings in the UK. So, we would like to see a more comprehensive system of identifying patients at risk which could be done through screening questionnaires, when individuals visit their GP, or attend for a general hospital appointment, or when they go to A&E. So, if the WAG wants to continue with its plans for dealing with alcohol misuse, it has our full support.

Read the BMA’s report on this in detail http://www.bma.org.uk/ap.nsf/Content/tacklingalcoholmisuse

Could the WAG be following it’s Celtic cousin’s lead in tackling binge drinking?

I think the front page of the Western Mail certainly makes for encouraging reading re. tackling the cheap prices of drink in Wales. In response to the Scottish Government deciding to draw up measures to stop sales of cut-price alcohol, it seems the Welsh Assembly Government wants to do something similar. Of course, the WAG can’t implement any licensing changes without approval from Westminster. But pressure will apparently now be put on the UK Government to make sure change does happen.

This can’t come a moment too soon either, with strong action needed NOW to tackle alcohol misuse in Wales. Doctors see first hand how heavy drinking destroys lives. The health consequences of binge drinking are serious and severe. It’s related to more than 60 medical conditions including heart and liver disease, diabetes, strokes and mental health problems.

The BMA has for some time now wanted to see licensing laws altered to take into account the points below;

• Higher taxes on alcoholic drinks and this increase should be proportionate to the amount of alcohol in the product.
• An end to irresponsible promotional activities like happy hours and two-for-one offers.
• Standard labels should be displayed on all alcoholic products that clearly state alcohol units, recommended guidelines for consumption and a warning message advising that exceeding these guidelines may cause the individual and others harm.
• The legal limit for the level of alcohol permitted while driving should be reduced from 80mg/100ml to 50mg/100ml throughout the UK.

One thing’s for sure, if radical action isn’t taken soon on this issue, then the many problems that go hand-in-hand with excessive drinking will get worse and the annual £70-85 million cost to the Welsh NHS of drink-related incidents and diseases will only increase.

Don’t bank on ending up in the “drunk tank”

I can’t really say the front page of the South Wales Echo today is an idea for Wales to be proud of. Plans for a “drunk tank” for those in Cardiff who’ve had substantially more than “one too many” seems like a necessary evil. On the one hand letting revellers “sleep off” the affects of drink in an inflatable tent is perhaps the safest and sensible measure for all concerned.

But, at the same time, it’s also very worrying. There has been a lot written recently in the media (and on this blog) about binge drinking and how it’s rapidly becoming the new scourge of our society. So it would be a mistake to view these tents as a permanent fixture in our city centre centres. Most of us will end up having a few drinks over the Festive period, but let’s hope it doesn’t result in the majority of us ending up in a tent, by the Millennium Stadium.

Let's ALL pledge to call time on binge drinking

It's great to see Welsh police forces and Church leaders in Wales coming together for the first time, to try and tackle perhaps the biggest social problem at the moment - binge drinking.

Police chiefs and the Archbishop of Wales want us to start carrying cards or sign up online, to pledge to cut down on the amount we drink.

Critics may regard it as a bit "gimmicky", but we have to really start addressing the issue and any new and novel ways of doing this, should be welcomed.

I know doctors in Wales will certainly view this as a good idea, as it's us who often see first hand the very devastating effects excessive drinking can have. It's no coincidence that Friday and Saturday nights, when the vast majority of the Welsh public go out and "have a few", are also the busiest for hospital A&E departments.

I'm not trying to preach here and be a complete killjoy, most people like to have the "odd" drink now and again, which is fine. What this campaign is focussing on, is those who don't know when enough is enough, when their behaviour starts to deteriorate and they become violent and aggressive. And that can cause all manner of problems.

Let's also not forget the financial cost here too. Surely the £70-85 million spent by the Welsh NHS on alcohol-related incidents and diseases every year would be put to better use by actually trying to save people's lives.

So before the next "big night out", maybe stop and think and sign the pledge just as I have.

We must stop cut price drink offers

I couldn't quite believe my eyes when reading this article.
£5 for 5 hours worth of alcohol I think is a ridiculous price and can only serve to encourage binge drinking. The majority of us would be able to fit in an incredible amount of drink in that time, much more than £5 worth I'm sure. To try and suggest as the manager does that bar staff are keeping "an eye" on how much customers are drinking seems rather ludicrous too. How can they do that with a club full of revellers? It also begs the question, does the offer extend to soft drinks? The answer would probably be no, so those who choose not to consume alcohol have to pay through the nose for a coke or orange juice. It's a similar situation to the one created by a leading supermarket a few weeks ago, where the price of lager was cheaper than bottled water.

But then, perhaps that's where part of the problem lies, that pubs and clubs are just trying to compete with supermarkets when it comes to offering cheap booze. That just provides customers with a double whammy though, having cut price drinks from the supermarket at home, before going out. Then drinking as much as they can for £5 in their local club. Perhaps one way to stop this would be for politicans to introduce a fairer pricing system for alcohol across the board, applying to ALL premises which serve drink.

And what about the consequences of this cut price alcohol?

BMA members (doctors) see it as first hand. It can cause family breakdowns, is a major factor in domestic violence, ruins job prospects, is often related to crime and disorderly behaviour and it kills. Alcohol misuse is related to over 60 medical conditions including heart and liver disease, diabetes, strokes and mental health problems. Alcohol misuse not only costs lives it also costs the country many millions of pounds. The NHS spends millions every year on treating and dealing with alcohol problems and the criminal justice system also spends similarly large amounts dealing with alcohol-related and drink-driving offences.

It is for all of these reasons that the BMA continues to call for an end to such irresponsible promotional drink activities.