Should the alcohol content in drink be reduced?

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 ****.

facepalm that this thread even exists

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 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.

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.

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?

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 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.

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.

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.