The UK population has traditionally had a close relationship with alcohol
Alcohol has been a well-loved but problematic part of British life for centuries, as immortalised in 18th century artist Hogarth’s depictions of “Gin Lane” and “Beer Street”.
In its latest steps to try to tackle England’s long-standing and complex relationship with booze, the Government has just announced its alcohol strategy.
As you probably spotted last Friday, one of its headline-grabbing – and welcome – measures will be the introduction of a minimum price of 40p per unit of alcohol sold.
While the strategy’s main aim is to reduce binge drinking, its impact will be seen far beyond our city centres after closing time.
Because it would be a mistake to look at modern-day footage of drunken young people falling over in the streets and assume that alcohol is a purely social problem – the hidden damage to the nation’s health from excessive alcohol consumption is just as serious.
But while most people know that drinking excessively over time can cause liver damage, fewer know that it also increases the risk of cancer.
