Peter Jackson column

Jun 28 2007 By Peter Jackson, The Journal

Alcoholic drinks are to carry health warning labels by the end of next year, under a voluntary agreement between ministers and the industry.

These labels will detail alcoholic units and recommended safe drinking levels.

It has not been decided exactly what the labels will say, but we are told they will not be worded as strongly as those on tobacco products.

Not at first perhaps, but, significantly, Alcohol Concern says it is "a very good first step", which means they're determined there will be further steps.

So, I'll bet anybody a pint that before long those warnings will be blood curdling, something on the lines of: "Drinking to excess will cause you to die a horrible and lingering death and to be cursed by the starving widow and orphans you leave behind."

I would prefer to see messages that are factual and leave people free to make their minds up about drinking in a calm and dispassionate manner.

For the first I would suggest: "The recommended safe daily amounts are three to four units for men and two to three units for women.

"If these figures seem rather low, it's probably because they have been plucked out of the air and have no statistical or medical basis whatsoever."

There are claims that drinkers are a burden on the NHS, but, again, I think a judicious label could shed light on this.

How about: "Not only do drinkers pay their taxes like anybody-else, but, through excessive duty on drink, they contribute about another £8bn to the Exchequer every year, which is roughly one tenth of the total NHS spend."

Later labels could go into more detail on the drinker's contribution to society. They might point out that if those who drink to excess die sooner than those who don't then NHS statistics for 1999/2000 make sobering reading.

They tell us that the cost in that year for a newborn was £2,655, for the middle aged was £495, but that for the 75 to 84 year-olds the cost is £1,684, rising to a staggering £2,639 for the over 84s.

Or, instead of handing out such unpalatable truths the Government could simply mind its own business and save the taxpayer and the drinks industry some money.

Peter Jackson is a director of Press Ahead in Sunderland and the former business editor of The Journal.