Alcohol set to carry health warning

just read this:

The Government is in "active" discussions with the drinks industry about putting health warnings on alcohol and in places where it is sold.

Public Health Minister Caroline Flint confirmed she was looking at including warnings on packaging but also in pubs, off-licences and on supermarket shelves.

She told the BBC there was a possibility of introducing health warnings, such as those already seen on cigarette packets, and hoped it could happen in the next one or two years.

She said: "There is a lot to be said for that and, at the moment, I am actively in discussion with the drinks industry, both about warnings on the product itself but also at point of sale, whether that's in a bar or supermarket or an off-licence."

The way units of alcohol are measured had changed over the years, she told the programme.

She added: "Common standard measures of a glass of wine can vary from one establishment to another and the proof of alcohol can vary enormously.

"So people don't necessarily always know even if they want to try and moderate their drinking just how much they're drinking and how much alcohol is in there."

About 80 per cent of beer packaging already carries a message asking people to drink sensibly but the new warning could go even further, combining information on units with a message such as "don't do drunk".

She said negotiations with the drinks industry involved looking at best practice among retailers and producers "to see whether we can get some conformity or consistency across the piece".

British Beer and Pub Association spokesman Mark Hastings said the industry had been in talks with Government for several months over the introduction of a standardised message to appear on all bottles and cans.

He said: "This is about standardising it across all alcoholic drinks packaging.

"The Government has spent the last two years trying to come up with what a sensible drinking message should actually say. It is finalising what they mean by a sensible drinking message."



Is this a good thing? what does every1 think?

yeah i agree with that,excessive alcohol consumption is not good for you

And they will be as affective as the cigarette warnings.

health warning?!

what about all the good things it does! maybe they should put that on the label too!

surgeon general warning:

drinking this will make ugly chicks look hot!

and vice versa!

"getting chicks to drink this will make you look hot"!

what good things?

There was an article about this in one of our papers today. It had a few pictures of bottles with the warnings like one you've posted haha!!

i hate achohol anyway, it gives me a head ache, and tastes minging!!!

is it just me or does this seem to be a waste of time, if people want to drink they'll do it. just cos the government are puting health warnings on them doesnt mean their gonna stop

ive seen first hand what it can do to people close to me. and i dont think the govrnment are doing enough

yeah i agree lily...but its worth a try at the end of the day...maybe it could save peoples lives...you might not think people will do anything cos of them...maybe your wrong...but atleast they are trying

It still will not stop people drinking just like smoking

i know theres two sides to every story but

thats what it seems like though, they try the warning labels just so they dont have to lose out on money, they can turn round and say that at least they tried something but thats not enough

once your hooked its difficult to give up, and nobody seems to care about what their putting friends and family through when they find out someones got ill through alcohol abuse

we have a small government warning on our bottles here in the USA. it says:

Government Warning:
1). According to the Surgeon General, women should not drink alcoholic beverages during pregnancy because of the risk of birth defects.
2). Consumption of alcoholic beverages impairs your ability to drive a car or operate machinery, and may cause health problems.

i never pay any attention to it, and it only says that drinking alcohol "MAY" cause health problems! if it did for sure, the government would say so.......they'd never lie to us. especially me!

Yeah i do agree with this but I think there is no need to put the signs on as everyone should no the dangers of alcohol.I think it's a waste of time but with the ciggis it is the people already know the dangers of smoking yet they still buy the stuff anyway.