More anti-drink hysteria...

The report from the HSE about the dangers of the demon drink is fairly damning stuff and there seems no doubt that a mixture of (probably) drugs and alcohol is making the streets a more threatening place and clogging up the A&E departments. However, am I alone in thinking that it's WHAT we drink and HOW we drink that is the problem. I mean, you never see people starting a fight on the street after a couple of glasses of Gevrey Chambertin with their dinner, do you? A pint of plain on the way home from work doesn't necessarily lead you to harass grannies on the Luas, does it?

Drink is much more prevalent and much cheaper in France, Spain, Italy and most other civilised countries and they don't have the same public order problems. People need to be educated about respect - for alcohol, for other people but mainly for themselves.

Of course the government will react by restricting availability, opening hours blah blah blah, all useless, pointless measures. The increasing bad press for drink will, of course, justify higher duties in the next budget - they are just softening us up for it.....