nav[aria-label="Primary Navigation"] { padding: 0; & ul { list-style: none; width: 100%; display: flex; flex-direction: row; justify-content: start; align-items: start; gap: 30px; padding: 0; & li { margin: 0; } & ul li { list-style: none; } } }

Child Item

Should the alcohol content in drink be reduced?

spider guardian

Was listening to Ryan Tubridy (I know, I know) on the radio this morning, he had a consultant on who was talking about alcohol-related illnesses. The consultant noted that years ago in Ireland it was rare to find a bottle of wine with more than 6% volume, these days the average is around 13%. Also he mentioned a gradual increase in the volume in beer, although I have no exact figures.

There have been threads on boards about minimum prices of alcohol (one here), seems most people are against such a move.

My question then is do you think it would be a good idea to reduce the alcohol content across certain types of drinks? I could see this having benefits for people's health and bringing about a reduction in social disorder, along with having an effect on other unpleasant side-effects of alchol consumption.

Of course you could argue that people would just drink more, but I think that's a simplistic argument myself. Personally I go out and have a few pints, I don't think to myself "well I'm having 300ml of alcohol tonight". I find for myself that the line between enjoying alcohol and being well-drunk can be a thin one at times, a lower alcohol content might help people to better control their drinking.

You could also argue that it would be nanny-statism at its worst, but is it unreasonable to expect the state to look after you when in hospital sick and at the same time give-out when they take measures to prevent you getting sick?

Find more posts tagged with

Quick Links

Comments

Logical Fallacy

wildgoose wrote: »

a discussion on the merits of lowering the level of alcohol, speed limits increasing check points making driving while intox laws more sever is pointless because the human body will seek its level of gratification. Until this point is worked its only then that real success can be achieved.

The human body won't seek anything, it's the human mind that is weak as ****.

Jesus Shaves

wildgoose wrote: »

In case you did not understand the point let me enlighten.
The term addiction is also sometimes applied to compulsions that are not substance-related, such as compulsive shopping, sex addiction/compulsive sex, overeating, problem gambling, exercise/sport and computer addiction. In these kinds of common usages, the term addiction is used to describe a recurring compulsion by an individual to engage in some specific activity, despite harmful consequences, as deemed by the user themselves to their individual health, mental state, or social life. There may be biological and psychological factors contributing to these addictions.[10]

In other words addiction can be used to describe a vast variety of response to stimuli. The key is a person's level of addiction, and of course that is dependent on a persons metabolism. When we approach the subject in this manner we will throw more light on the correct repose.

Oh i fully understand, I understand that you just used google to define the term "addiction"
I also understand that you completely dodged my statement, are you drunk?
knobhead

Spunge

facepalm that this thread even exists

OPENROAD

Just opened a bottle of Shiraz Cabernet and well ...if it is not broke...........:D

ShooterSF

spider guardian wrote: »

I see where you are coming from. But I would argue that alcohol abuse does negatively affect other people's lives. It destroys families, causes social disorder, causes health problems for which the state must pay to have treated. Are these not problems that society should try and deal with? I agree with harsher penalties for people who commit offences but will it work? What about people who do not commit offences but go on to damage themselves and others anyway? I am not out to interfere with people's rights, but to try and tackle a problem that has been the scourge of this country for too long. If there is a better way then fine.

Family is a private matter and should be dealt with by people not the state. If someone becomes an asshole with drink on them and continues to do it then their partner should leave them. The only reason the state should get involved is if children are being mistreated and the interference should happen at that point not at alcohol.
Social disorder is legislated for in law and should be dealt with by the Guards. If someone abuses you with drink on them or damages property then I have no problem with them being punished.
Health issues of all sorts are paid for by the state. Who costs the state more a 50 year old who dies of liver failure or an 80 year old who lived healthy but is kept alive for the past ten years by modern medicine and has been receiving a pension from the state for 15 years?

Well McDonnell's started providing healthier (at least on the face of it) meals after public pressure, why not the drinks companies? I don't know much about the brewing process for beer but I'm sure there's a way of doing it. A lot of the higher volume beers aren't that nice anyways

McDonalds seen a way to get people off their backs and make a few extra quid off an increasingly "health conscious" public. On that point, I thought the flack they got at the time was despicable by the way but peoples views on rights and wrongs seem to skew when it comes to "big bad corporations". Also some strong beers taste like crap because they are made strong rather than made to taste good. Others like a good wheat beer as I mentioned are very strong (5.5 - 6%) but are nicer than your average pissy larger.

You don't like the drink culture. I get that. I can't stand our countries unwillingness to try "better" beers and as such have to drink the crap they drink in most places. Unfortunately for both of us we're not gonna change it and I myself will never agree that it should be forced to change (even if I wish it was).

spider guardian

ShooterSF wrote: »

You don't like the drink culture. I get that. I can't stand our countries unwillingness to try "better" beers and as such have to drink the crap they drink in most places. Unfortunately for both of us we're not gonna change it and I myself will never agree that it should be forced to change (even if I wish it was).

That's fair enough, you made some interesting points. First time I've been called a tyrant in a while

Well, there goes my attempts at stimulating some debate on the Irish drinking culture. Hope the brother brings back that box of beer he was on about!

ShooterSF

spider guardian wrote: »

That's fair enough, you made some interesting points. First time I've been called a tyrant in a while

Well, there goes my attempts at stimulating some debate on the Irish drinking culture. Hope the brother brings back that box of beer he was on about!

Hopefully not crap beer!

Also for the record I did say it was the attitude of a tyrant :P The difference is you don't have any powers.

spider guardian

ShooterSF wrote: »

Hopefully not crap beer!

Also for the record I did say it was the attitude of a tyrant :P The difference is you don't have any powers.

Knowing the brother it'll probably be budweiser, would make any man want to overthrow the government

Maybe I'll get to be a Tyrant someday, if they make him playable in Resident Evil

El Siglo

Are people that retarded that they can't make up their own minds and need a law or some dickhead telling them how much they can drink? Sick of this crap, you make your own decisions and live by the consequences, don't need some windbags forcing their own sense of morality on the rest of us.

OPENROAD

El Siglo wrote: »

Are people that retarded that they can't make up their own minds and need a law or some dickhead telling them how much they can drink? Sick of this crap, you make your own decisions and live by the consequences, don't need some windbags forcing their own sense of morality on the rest of us.

Too Right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I knew exactly what I was doing when I opened that bottle of Shiraz earlier

spider guardian

El Siglo wrote: »

Are people that retarded that they can't make up their own minds and need a law or some dickhead telling them how much they can drink? Sick of this crap, you make your own decisions and live by the consequences, don't need some windbags forcing their own sense of morality on the rest of us.

Is that you Father Jack?

El Siglo

OPENROAD wrote: »

Too Right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I knew exactly what I was doing when I opened that bottle of Shiraz earlier

That would be an ecumenical matter.

spider guardian wrote:

Is that you Father Jack?

Yes!

OneArt

spider guardian wrote: »

It's not just about social order, it's about people's health and well-being also. We're not talking about Germany here, I doubt Irish people would respond well to a tougher police force while drunk.

Then we'll have to learn. And as for health, well... What about taking some responsibility?

[Deleted User]

spider guardian wrote: »

That's fair enough, you made some interesting points. First time I've been called a tyrant in a while

Well, there goes my attempts at stimulating some debate on the Irish drinking culture. Hope the brother brings back that box of beer he was on about!

The drinking culture isn't going to change while people talk about getting drunk all the time. And they do set out to get drunk for the most part. If you reduce the content they will just drink more.
It is not going to change by imposing rules on alcohol or other alcohol or opening hour related changes. People need to take some personal responsibility. In the meantime stronger fines for being disruptive etc would be welcome.

Capt'n Midnight

For many years now the excise duty on beers below 2.8% is half that of those above. This means that the duty paid on a pint of Guinness is roughly four times that paid on the low alcohol version of Guinness.

But thanks to the greed of the publicans/distributors the difference in cost in a pub was only about 30c.

On that basis I'd have to vote against this.

spider guardian

OneArt wrote: »

Then we'll have to learn. And as for health, well... What about taking some responsibility?

bluewolf wrote: »

The drinking culture isn't going to change while people talk about getting drunk all the time. And they do set out to get drunk for the most part. If you reduce the content they will just drink more.
It is not going to change by imposing rules on alcohol or other alcohol or opening hour related changes. People need to take some personal responsibility. In the meantime stronger fines for being disruptive etc would be welcome.

Let's just sit back and hope people eventually take responsibility. Screw trying to control alcohol. It will all work itself out in the end

[Deleted User]

spider guardian wrote: »

Let's just sit back and hope people eventually take responsibility. Screw trying to control alcohol. It will all work itself out in the end

Well, there goes my attempts at stimulating some debate on the Irish drinking culture

...okay

spider guardian

bluewolf wrote: »

...okay

I feel like I'm going around in circles at this stage... plus i'm tired

strobe

spider guardian wrote: »

I feel like I'm going around in circles at this stage... plus i'm tired

It's probably all the booze Spider. You should have stuck to the low strength stuff.

spider guardian

strobe wrote: »

It's probably all the booze Spider. You should have stuck to the low strength stuff, like Smithwicks.

Smithwicks? Where's the shoe polish...

carfiosaoorl

Since wine isnt made in Ireland, how do we go about lowering the alcohol levels in it

I dont think every other wine drinker in the world would agree to lowering the levels just because a few Irish people cant control themselves.

spider guardian

carfiosaoorl wrote: »

Since wine isnt made in Ireland, how do we go about lowering the alcohol levels in it I dont think every other wine drinker in the world would agree to lowering the levels just because a few Irish people cant control themselves.

Very simple. We don't. But we need to foster a culture where it is socially acceptable to drink less and drinks with less alcohol content are more widespread.

Plus it's not just 'a few' Irish people

carfiosaoorl

spider guardian wrote: »

Very simple. We don't. But we need to foster a culture where it is socially acceptable to drink less and drinks with less alcohol content are more widespread.

Plus it's not just 'a few' Irish people

It is just a few really. Its just that the people who over do it are more obvious and so they grab everyones attention, so that the many who dont drink too much or dont drink at all fade into the back ground.

vampire of kilmainham

go away
life can be misreble enough at times so we should be able to enjoy an ol
drink i get pissed with these ass holes coming up with these ideas why dont they mind their own buisness i bet he was american

vampire of kilmainham

foxyboxer wrote: »

Would it not be better to, you know, drink 3 pints instead of 6 for example?

no it wouldent

vampire of kilmainham

drink feck girls drink drink drink put lots more % in all drink and feck off

Azureus

spider guardian wrote: »

But we need to foster a culture where it is socially acceptable to drink less and drinks with less alcohol content are more widespread.

I drink wine at 11%-14% on a regular basis,aswell as spirits.
I also go out with friends and can drink 1-2 glasses of low strength beer, and half of us drink blackcurrant on a regular basis depending whose up for work/driving etc. Its very much socially acceptable in Ireland, and its not just that I hang out with people that dont drink-I've some friends who are heavy drinkers.
Take some personal responsibilty and stop blaming society! You choose to drink what and how much-theres plenty of options out there for people who want to drink less or no alcohol.

John Doe1

You do realise if that happens, no irish person will ever breed again, have ya seen the state of us?:pac:

Temptamperu

I'm of the stuff meself, No AA malarky i can quit meself but the alcohol level in Ireland is one of the lowest in Europe, Most places Hineken is 5% but here its 4.3.
Its not the alcohol level thats the problem Its the amount of Asshole Scum thats the problem.

Temptamperu