Doctors want hard line on alcohol

Doctors are calling for stricter alcohol laws in a bid to reduce the number of alcohol-related deaths.

Over the last 15 years, alcohol deaths have more than doubled to over 8,000 a year, according to the Office for National Statistics.

The British Medical Association conference is to debate calls for a ban on street drinking, and for the legal alcohol buying age to be raised to 21.

The driving alcohol limit should also be cut, public health doctors say.

Dr Chris Spencer-Jones, chairman of the BMA's public health committee, said it was important to restrict access to alcohol to stop "young people forming bad habits".

He said: "Sales of cheap alcohol from supermarkets and other retailers are fuelling binge drinking. There are now aisles and aisles devoted to alcohol in some supermarkets."

Safer places

He said a ban on drinking on the streets - at the moment police can only stop people drinking in certain designated areas - would drive people into to drinking in safer places, such as pubs, where the age limit should remain at 18.

He added: "In pubs, landlords have a duty under the relaxation in the licensing laws to make sure people are drinking responsibly."

He also said the alcohol limit for driving, which currently stands at 80mg/100ml in the blood, should be reduced.

There are over 3,000 deaths a year on the roads in the UK with about a third involving alcohol.

Dr Spencer-Jones said: "There are two schools of thought. Reducing it to 50mg/100ml as has happened in mainland Europe or reducing it effectively to zero as some Scandinavian countries do.

"We are behind other countries on this and the only way of sending out a really strong message is through legislation."

Frank Soodeen, of Alcohol Concern, said: "We would agree that the alcohol driving limit should be reduced, evidence from other countries suggests it does help to reduce road deaths."

And on the issue of raising the age for buying alcohol in shops to 21, he added: "With a sizeable proportion of off-licences selling alcohol to under-age drinkers, and binge levels rising among the 18 to 24 age group, this is certainly an idea that's worthy of discussion."

But a Home Office spokesman said: "The majority of people drink sensibly and responsibly and the government has no plans to raise the minimum drinking age.

"Instead, we are using a combination of effective education and tough enforcement to change the behaviour of the minority that don't.

"For example, successive enforcement campaigns have slashed the numbers selling alcohol to under 18s and all children learn about the effects of drinking in national curriculum science teaching."

And the Department for Transport said there were no immediate plans to reduce the drink driving limit, although it was always kept under constant review.

BBC News