Will the minimum pricing of alcohol solve binge drinking in UK?

Author: Vanessa Narayanassamy

The Royal College of Physicians defined binge drinking as a man who regularly drinks 10 or more units in a single session or a woman who regularly drinks 7 or more units in a single session.[1]  Alcohol consumption can lead to serious medical conditions including cancer, stroke, hypertension, liver disease and heart disease, and in 2009, the Department of Health estimated that the harmful use of alcohol cost the National Health Service £2.7 billion a year and resulted in 7% of all hospital admissions. [2]

Rates of binge drinking in the UK are the highest in Europe and one of the highest in the world [3, 4] and is more common amongst men than women (figure 1) but also exists amongst 16-24 year olds in the UK. The figure shows that over 40% of males and 33% of females aged 16-24 consumed more alcohol than the recommended daily benchmarks compared with only 21% of men and 10% of women aged 65 and over. The prevalence of binge drinking is highest among the 16-24 years age group with 30% of young men and 24% of young women drinking heavily. [5]

Whilst alcohol consumption in the UK is high the benefits in raising alcohol prices could cut crime and improve health. According to Professor Sir Ian Gilmore of the Royal College of Physicians, the minimum pricing set up by the government on alcohol was a small step in the right direction but would not have any impact on the health of the nation due to cheap alcohol being sold in supermarkets. Professor Petra Meier at Sheffield University who carried out research for the Home Office on the issue of minimum pricing said that a can of beer and lager costing 38 pence (£0.38/$0.62) and a litre of cider for just 40 pence (£0.40/$0.65) would lead to only 21 lives being saved a year and 2,400 fewer hospital visits but a minimum price of 50 pence (£0.50/$0.81) per unit of alcohol would save 3,000 deaths a year and lead to 39,000 fewer hospital visits. Don Shenker of Alcohol Concern said that minimum pricing of alcohol would not solve binge drinking problem as the duty is so low in the UK that it will be possible to continue selling very cheap alcohol and still be within the law. Therefore, the government needs to look again at the minimum price per unit of alcohol.