To think that alcohol misuse is the elephant in the room in the uk?

[rogersmellyonthetelly]

Ok, so I'm not talking about alcoholics here, people who are alcohol dependant and their families have my sympathy. I'm taking about people who go out and get hammered week in week out, puke on the pavement, behave like boors, injure themselves, assault others and generally cause a nuisance. They also cost a fortune in extra policing, and you only have to walk into any a&e in the country after 9pm most evenings to see the effect its having on the nhs. Yet week in week out, I see supermarkets advertising how cheap their booze is, my local garage has 1 aisle out of 4 dedicated to the bloody stuff, its in abundance in every corner shop. Why is it that in the uk it seems to be that alcohol is perceived as necessary to having a good time? Isn't it time that the government stopped advertising alcohol like they stopped advertising fags?
I'm no stick in the mud, I go out with friends, I have a laugh, a dance and a good time, and I don't drink at all except the occasional baileys which I have because I like the taste. If people want to have a glass or two of wine, or a couple of beers to relax, fair play, but please could someone tell me what is relaxing about waking up with your hair stuck to your face with sick, having pissed in your bed, or worse, pissed in the bed in the police cell, having no idea where you were the night before, what you did and with who?

Coco - with respect, you did say "if you want to drink then do it out of the house- not with children around", which I think several posters (me included) took to mean that you thought anyone having a drink while there were children in the house was irresponsible.

That's the sort of thing I meant when I said there was "such a wide spectrum of opinion on what is normal" - it's very easy for the debate to get polarised. I would imagine that the majority of the population DOES drink, and that the majority also stay around or under the recommended limits of 21 units a week, with several drink-free days. Slating anyone who has a drink, or gets drunk (again, that's subjective - I enjoy sharing a bottle of wine with DH on a Saturday night while the DDs are asleep - I wouldn't say we get 'drunk' - 375mls each at 13% is 4.8 units each - but we would be over the limit to drive) with their children in the house just serves to make people feel defensive.

southeastastra actually I get fed up hearing that old argument, there is plenty for people to do without resorting to drinking, most young people wouldn't be seen dead in a youth centre and are happy to meet up with friends which ends up involving drink to enhance their mood, give them false sense of esteem etc (see my earlier post) just like adults, there's also plenty for adults to do if they want but many (me included) choose to socialise and drink. One of the best youth activities I saw when I was a youth worker was the 'parrot and palm' in Worthing, it was a non alcoholic cocktail bar and disco set up like an adult night club and it was packed out with kids (this is many years ago) every night especially weekends as even then many kids had sophisticated ideas about growing up and wanting to be doing something other than table tennis etc at the local church hall. Some of the nighclubs in my home town now run under 18 nights and I have to say I think its a good idea. helps educate kids to have a good time without the excess alcohol, anyone drunk is refused entrance, no alcohol allowed on premises for these evenings and it seems to work.

you're lucky then! we had one nightclub alcohol free night too that was popular but then the local council knocked down the venue and built a hotel in it's place.

i guess i judge the area i know and live in - kids gather in the parks to booze at night. there is literally nothing else to do.

they also closed our bowling alley.

and when i go out with my friends we struggle to find somewhere to go that isn't a pub or club.

fair enough I can see it would be difficult in smaller places, lobby the council.