[Article] Hospital drunks to face penalties

Victor

I wondering is the idea of penalising drunks for going to hospital a good or bad idea. Yes, it will make people think a little bit more about not getting drunk, but may also discourage drunk people needing medical care from attending hospital.

http://home.eircom.net/content/unison/national/1094759?view=Eircomnet

Hospital drunks to face penalties
From:The Irish Independent
Saturday, 26th July, 2003
Eilish O'Regan Health Correspondent

Radical sport, advertising, sponsorship curbs on alcohol planned in new legislation

PEOPLE who turn up drunk at accident and emergency departments might well face financial penalties as part of a package of proposals to curb the abuse of alcohol, it emerged yesterday.

In an interview , Health Minister Micheal Martin said he was willing to consider the measure expected to be in a new audit of alcohol-related attendances at already overcrowded hospitals.

"The evidence is that people are coming into the units totally inebriated and causing extreme hassle."

This was having a big impact, said the minister.

Mr Martin also disclosed that the heads of the Bill imposing radical restrictions on advertising, promotion, marketing and sponsorship linked to alcohol had now been accepted by the Cabinet and might be enacted into legislation as early as next year.

"We will restrict advertising of alcohol products in public places where children and adolescents have access to and frequent including public transport, schools, youth centres, sporting, musical and others," he said.

"There will also be restrictions in youth print media, youth websites, youth merchandises and there will be curbs on television, radio and cinemas."

He said the time threshold for television alcohol advertising had yet to be worked out and there would be extensive consultations with Communications Minister Dermot Ahern to ensure that RTE was not disadvantaged compared to other stations.

A key element will be the restriction and controls over the content of advertisements which suggest social, sexual or sporting success or those that portray moderation alcohol consumption in a negative light, he added. He pointed to a ban on promotion devices and marketing practices which encourage high risk behaviour and pointed to a recent gimmick where any person who drank 15 pints of a particular beer got a free billiard que.

Also outlawed will be low cost or discount selling, discount vouchers, coupons, gifts, free bar and drinking competitions. "Alcoholic drinks and soft drinks cannot be displayed together at retail outlets and they will be banned at the point of sale where children and adolescents have easy access," he said.

The legislation will ban sponsorship of sporting events or other activities in which the participants or spectators are aged under 18 years. There will be health warning messages on alcohol advertisements and promotional material. The minister said all this came against a background of stark statistics on the level of alcohol abuse among young people even though indications were that overall there was a fall in drinking.

"Children are starting to drink at an earlier age. Up to 40pc have had an alcoholic drink by the age of 10."

Gordon

Originally posted by Victor
I wondering is the idea of penalising drunks for going to hospital a good or bad idea. Yes, it will make people think a little bit more about not getting drunk, but may also discourage drunk people needing medical care from attending hospital.[/url]

It won't make people think twice about getting drunk that's for sure.

CuLT

I think someone suggested this in PI before, I can't remember the outcome, but I do agree drunks who recieve hospital treatment should be penalised.

If you aren't mature enough (at any age) to drink in moderation then you deserve to pay for any burden you put on society.

jammy_dodger

i agree with it, The drunks that end up in hospital, are usually exstreamly drunk (probably why they're there in the first place) The fine would make them think about, not getting so drunk again. Although, then you do have your alcoholic street bum varity, who are always getting themselves in a mess, and ending up in the hospital regulary, and leaving them with a hefty fine that they can't pay. Maybe people with proof of attending AA meetings should be exsempt from the fine. That would encourage your alcoholic street bum, to attend some AA meetings.You never know it might even save a few lives.