Discuss the social problems that result from the widespread availability of cheap alcohol Essay Example
I. Discuss the social problems that result from the widespread availability of cheap alcohol
The drinking of alcohol is completely acceptable in many if not most parts of society and, in the UK, it is legal to be bought by anyone over the age of 181. This is a well-known fact but a lesser known one is that in the UK, alcohol can be legally drunk on private premises by anyone over the age of 52 and youths aged 16 and over may drink alcohol3 in restaurants from the age of 16 if with an adult4.
Apart from religious reasons, most people do not see a problem with a temperance attitude towards the consumption of alcohol, indeed research suggests that the occasional and moderate consumption of alcohol may have benefits to health. The problems arise when a culture adopts a heavy or binge drinking culture.
Such a culture is encouraged and, in a lot of cases, made possible by the availability of cheap alcohol. Just looking at the website for Tesco today5 shows advertisements for discounted beer, for example 12 x 440ml cans of Fosters for £9 or a saving of £3 for 24 cans at only £15. That is beer at only 62p each for a large can, something which would cost a person approx. £3 – 3.50 each in a public house.
It is not just supermarkets which offer cheap deals on alcohol, in my city tonight there will be countless bars offering ‘2 for 1’ deals and half price drinks during their ‘happy hours’ which normally last from 6pm until 9pm. This short time period when drinks are 50% cheaper leads to people being tempted to drink a lot of alcohol during the ‘happy hour’ period to take advantage of cheap drinks when they are available. Happy hours have become so popular that there are ‘Happy Hour Guides’ online so people know where to go for cheap alcohol6 .
Although it may appear, on the surface, that the availability of cheap alcohol is harmless, unfortunately, a number of social problems have arisen as a result of it. These problems have reached such a crisis
The drinking of alcohol is completely acceptable in many if not most parts of society and, in the UK, it is legal to be bought by anyone over the age of 181. This is a well-known fact but a lesser known one is that in the UK, alcohol can be legally drunk on private premises by anyone over the age of 52 and youths aged 16 and over may drink alcohol3 in restaurants from the age of 16 if with an adult4.
Apart from religious reasons, most people do not see a problem with a temperance attitude towards the consumption of alcohol, indeed research suggests that the occasional and moderate consumption of alcohol may have benefits to health. The problems arise when a culture adopts a heavy or binge drinking culture.
Such a culture is encouraged and, in a lot of cases, made possible by the availability of cheap alcohol. Just looking at the website for Tesco today5 shows advertisements for discounted beer, for example 12 x 440ml cans of Fosters for £9 or a saving of £3 for 24 cans at only £15. That is beer at only 62p each for a large can, something which would cost a person approx. £3 – 3.50 each in a public house.
It is not just supermarkets which offer cheap deals on alcohol, in my city tonight there will be countless bars offering ‘2 for 1’ deals and half price drinks during their ‘happy hours’ which normally last from 6pm until 9pm. This short time period when drinks are 50% cheaper leads to people being tempted to drink a lot of alcohol during the ‘happy hour’ period to take advantage of cheap drinks when they are available. Happy hours have become so popular that there are ‘Happy Hour Guides’ online so people know where to go for cheap alcohol6 .
Although it may appear, on the surface, that the availability of cheap alcohol is harmless, unfortunately, a number of social problems have arisen as a result of it. These problems have reached such a crisis