The hypocrisy surrounding alcohol

[cookiebee]

I was commenting on a thread that was discussing the proposed measures for further restrictions on smoking, that is the banning of smoking in beer gardens and other public spaces. I’m an ex smoker and drinker for health reasons, I’ve had lots of support from you lovely people in the alcohol support section and hopefully have helped in turn and find most of you a bit more rational around this subject than those who comment on AIBU.

So on that thread I posed the question to anyone who is for these restrictions and the eventual phasing out of cigarettes, how would you feel if we stopped selling alcohol to anyone born after 2009 to try and phase it out, I wasn’t asking about the practical aspects of it, more the taking of something that is pointless in our lives and trying to be rid of it, the same way that we are treating smoking. My point is if you let them come for one pointless activity, then eventually they will come for others, the ones that YOU love.

I never actually said I wanted alcohol banned, but have so far been told to go live in a Muslim country, where alcohol is banned! That prohibition didn’t work, well I never said it did! Also that my arguments don’t even make sense because there’s no second hand effects of drinking like their are with smoking, I argued that actually there are plenty of knock on effects from drinking, as we all know here.

I just really don’t like the hypocrisy that surrounds people, sitting there with their glass of red and judging others like smokers for example. As soon as you even suggest threatening alcohol they are up in arms about it, of course suggesting that THEY don’t have an issue with alcohol, they are different, it’s people like smokers or drug users that are the real problem. Drinkers don’t see that their vice is a huge issue and that yes, the government could one day come for them with health labelling and restrictions on the sale of alcohol and where it can be served, the price could rocket, it could happen just as it is with smoking. But of course alcohol is the last socially acceptable drug, people don’t want to believe it could happen, they get defensive.

I absolutely hate the ‘nanny state’ as they put it interfering with our lives, but interfering they are, and they will come for all someday, including that glass of Chablis that is sooooo much more acceptable than that cig hanging out someone’s mouth.

If anyone even would like to discuss this, please don’t write post after post about why it wouldn’t work, I’d like to more hear your thoughts on why people get defensive about this and why they think alcohol isn’t actually a serious problem that needs addressing, I’m hopeful of a discussion, but I could of course regret this gamble lol.

So why is alcohol so untouchable, do you think there will eventually be heavy pricing and warning labels, would this be a good thing. There is no longer a safe recommended limit on consumption and the glass of red being good for the heart myth has been debunked. We socialise just fine as youngsters without alcohol, so what exactly is its use, apart from ruining lives from the very first sip?

Agree. The damage caused by alcohol is enormous.

I’m going to stop bothering with this thread now as I think it’s run its natural course, thank you to anyone who commented on the subject I initially started, whether you were in agreement or whether you argued against me, I appreciate all those who ACTUALLY read my posts properly and commented on what I was talking about. I’ve been accused of only being positive about those that agree with me, but that’s not the case, a lot seem to have zeroed in on very strange aspects to be defensive about. It’s these defensive bits that show me what hypocrites humans can be, especially if anyone tries to debate the potential of further restrictions on their precious alcohol.

I’ve never suggested that we should ban alcohol, I’ve even said I don’t want that, but some have chosen not to see that and ask what else I want banned and why am I victimising drinkers. I’ve been accused of wanting to tax vulnerable people, or something of the sort, I have nowhere mentioned anything like that, I’ve been asked why did I start this debate when there are issues like the cost of living crisis, I don’t really even know what that means in reference to my original points! In fact if people are hard up, they shouldn’t be buying unnecessary things like alcohol anyway. My family and those living around us were poor growing up, I know for a fact that all our struggles would have been eased without my own and my friends parents buying alcohol and cigarettes or going to the pub!

I actually despised alcohol, smoking and drugs growing up as they affected my family directly and those around us, I grew up on a council estate and felt abandoned by society at times. Having to negotiate your parents out of various moods caused by alcohol makes an impression, it makes life uncomfortable for youngsters, and I know many will think that’s not a reflection of their alcohol use, but believe me even after the smallest ‘treat’ amount of alcohol it’s noticed.

Some might think I’m jaded by this, but your wrong, I loved drinking and smoking and did it in the same way as everyone else for years and maybe I’ll even dabble again one day, fuck it, if you can’t beat em, join em, but for the time being I’m out, but that doesn’t make me against it or a killjoy as some have suggested. Friends and family drink around me and I’m happy for them, though you all start repeating yourselves after drink number 2, nothing positive or of note happens after that number, it’s just a method of fast forwarding the social situation, which I get it, it’s fun to be out of our heads, it’s the point of drinking, to target that core in our brains, dampen it and have fun on drugs, which is what alcohol is, a drug, don’t forget that when arguing against other drugs you want out of society. Ever been to a social occasion, chatted to someone and feel you’ve made a REAL connection, maybe made a new friend, however the next day they remember none of it because of alcohol, well that’s what I was getting at when I suggested that it doesn’t help social situations, it hinders them. Yes one or two loosens us up, but we are not truly connecting or being ourselves. But yes I actually agree, it’s fun doing that.

Now about the substance itself, yes I understand the brewing process, yes I said pure alcohol would kill you and yes I know no one serves pure alcohol and tonic! When it comes to the flavour of alcoholic drinks, which is something that angered posters when I suggested it can taste awful, il try and explain what I meant.

So thinking back to everyone’s first drink, I’m sure most thought ‘bloody hell that tastes like shit!’, because in the early days it does, yes later our palettes developed more of a liking for deep or bitter flavours, but at first it’s akin to liquid Brussel sprouts, but it gets us tipsy, we like that so we persevere. So nobody reaches for a refreshing pint of vodka when thirsty, it is awful and would be dangerous, which was my comparison of alcohol being poisonous and dangerous, also unnecessary for the body, and my comments about mixing this poison with things to make it taste better was in reference to things like gin or vodka, I know wine, beer etc are brewed, but this wasn’t the point of the thread, but some were offended, and still will be! I get it, I’ve been to beer festivals, they are fun and flavoursome and you get to be a bit drunk, I’m not against it, but none of it was really what I was asking.

So what was the point, well here we have a government who wish to further restrict smoking, including in beer gardens, ok I don’t agree with the proposals, but many seem to want it judging by your comments. But with you all in agreement with stamping out this pointless drug the gate is then open for other things that are not necessary to be targeted and believe me, there are plenty who would like to rule every aspect of our lives and yes it could happen, there could be a government who successfully targets alcohol and getting aspects of its presence in our lives tightened, and there wouldn’t really be any arguments to save it in reality, none that anyone has actually mentioned, it doesn’t matter that Jesus drank it, or Aunt Flo is fine on a small one, it’s a drug, and a very harmful one at that and you can’t be against further restrictions if you are for restrictions on other things that are incredibly bad for humans.

My debate was about the hypocrisy surrounding alcohol, why one set of drug users get to judge others and what would be peoples reaction if their drug of choice is threatened, a couple answered well both for and against, but I failed to start a good debate as I’m apparently mostly offensive against the beautiful flavour of tia Maria or whatever the hell your preference is.

Anyway thanks for stopping by, cheers 🥂

You can always move to Saudi Arabia where alcohol is banned. If you want to live in a police state then there are lots of other better countries to live in that the UK where you're surrounded by drunkards.

I wasn't just talking just about unemployment benefit. I referred to the entire amount we spend on welfare. You were complaining about the NHS wasting money paying for people who drink. I was pointing out that there is lots of waste and money spent on "undeserving" people in multiple other areas but you are not judging those people or saying they shouldn't have access to the NHS or other benefits due to lifestyle choices.

Should we should have a situation like Sweden where you can buy alcohol from special state shops and in smaller quantities? Or less often, or something. I'm not exactly clear on the law there but it's something like that, or was.