Drink is as damaging as tobacco, warn medics

(Filed: 04/02/2005)

Alcohol is as destructive to worldwide health as smoking and high blood pressure, doctors have claimed.

Health warnings about drinking have coincided with plans to extend licensing times in pubs

Three international experts said alcohol consumption was linked to more than 60 different medical conditions including breast cancer and heart disease.

Overall, four per cent of the global burden of disease was attributable to alcohol, 4.1 per cent to tobacco and 4.4 per cent to high blood pressure, they wrote in the Lancet medical journal.

The report was published as pubs, off-licences and clubs across Britain prepare for all-day opening under legislation which will come into force on Monday.

The experts, led by Prof Robin Room, from the Centre for Social Research on Alcohol and Drugs at Stockholm University, Sweden, assessed the options for alcohol control.

They said studies had shown that raising the price and reducing the availability of alcoholic drinks could lower consumption and save lives.

An estimated 10 per cent increase in alcohol prices in Britain would cut cirrhosis deaths by seven per cent for men and 8.3 per cent for women, it was claimed.

Deaths from all causes explicitly linked to alcohol would fall by 28.8 per cent and 37.4 per cent respectively.

Restricting the hours and days that alcohol can be purchased, and the types of outlets allowed to sell alcohol, also had an impact.

Despite the research showing that controls on alcohol can improve health, governments had ignored the warnings because of the strength of the alcohol industry, the experts said.

Prof Room said: "In many places, the interests of the alcohol industry have effectively exercised a veto over policies, making sure that the main emphasis is on ineffective strategies such as education."

The Government's plans for liberalising Britain's licensing laws have run into problems after senior police officers and opposition politicians warned the changes could encourage binge drinking.

A new survey published today revealed that 62 per cent of rank-and-file police officers do not support extending licensing hours, with 69 per cent saying the changes will lead to more alcohol-related violence.

The study, commissioned for ITV1's Tonight with Trevor McDonald, also revealed that legislation was opposed by half the public and nearly two thirds of doctors and nurses.

The only group to support the changes were publicans, but even 29 per cent of landlords felt that extending licensing laws would increase violence.

This isn't a shocker really, is it ?

For anyone that overdoes it with booze (as I did but managed to give up) - you'll know that the long-term effects accumulate.

December 2003, I got a sore throat - April 2004 it was still there, that plus fatty liver, stomach problems etc. All drink related. This was after being told to quit early 2002.

All back to normal now though.

The thing is - drinking a little seems to be OK, but there are a lot of people kidding theirselves about what 'little' means.

For anyone that overdoes it with booze (as I did but managed to give up) - you'll know that the long-term effects accumulate.

but that's the same for any "overdose", even on healthy things (as running, walking....)

All back to normal now though.

good thing about the livert, it is the only organ that can totally regenerate itself!!

One thing is guaranteed. If smoking and/or booze don't kill you... something else will.

not in thailand, here "buddha is watching for you"!!!

unfortunately the one who dies is not buddha, but will beyou!

My doctor said that smoking will cut 9 years off my life, so I told him, "Ok, so I live to 91 instead of 100."

after having given up smoking for 17 years, on the occasion of a x-ray, my doctor told me to give up or slow down on smoking!!??

passive smoking is more dangerous than active smoking, and in some jobs, places... there is not much, you can do about it!!

as to alcohol : having lived for a while in spain, and my blood pressure being low, the doctor told me to drink a lot of water, eat salt - and

2 glass of red wine or 1 whiskey/brandy every day - tis I have kept until today, and I cannot complain!

forget to mention - on my calendar it is july, 17th, 2038!!

Restricting the hours and days that alcohol can be purchased, and the types of outlets allowed to sell alcohol, also had an impact.

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I wonder if Prohibition may help?

2 glass of red wine or 1 whiskey/brandy every day - tis I have kept until today, and I cannot complain!

forget to mention - on my calendar it is july, 17th, 2038!!  

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I heard that many years ago - drinking 2 glasses of wine a day is good for the health. Bugger that, I thought to myself; I'll go the whole hog and drink 2 bottles of wine a day. Never looked back!

Restricting the hours and days that alcohol can be purchased, and the types of outlets allowed to sell alcohol, also had an impact.

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I wonder if Prohibition may help?

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will be of enormous help!!

to raise the sales figures and connected crimes (toprovide money)