Minimum alcohol pricing
As we mentioned on our last show, there was a propaganda push last week in support of 'minimum alcohol pricing', the idea whereby if alcohol was made a little/much more costly, problems such as 'binge drinking' etc would disappear overnight..
The push took the form of reports that alleged close government links 'to the drinks industry', implying that any perceived lack of support for the proposals would be due to backroom deals or somesuch. It's the same bullshit thats been applied to many other issues, such as "anybody who disagrees with my authoritarian proposals to combat global warming is in bed with OMG BIG OIL!".
Minimum pricing won't work; its yet another situation where supporters are claiming that prices will rise very little (so as not to affect the price of YOUR pint) but will also rise massively (and only affect OTHER people). Its exactly the same as for Road Pricing (driving will still be cheap for you, but so expensive for everybody else that the roads will be clear). As well there is a very real 'slippery slope' effect, whereby once price controls are introduced there will ALWAYS be pressure for prices to increase a little more. After all, it's only a little more, isn't it? Add to this the fact that elsewhere in the world very high taxes/prices for booze haven't done anything to reduce problem drinking or alcoholism (Norway being a case in point).
The Devil's Kitchen covers the issue wonderfully here.
