The debate has been extended until 31 December 2007.
This East Midlands debate aims to raise awareness of the problems caused by binge drinking and to get people's views on how to address those problems.
Statistics show us:
- In 2004 the General Household Survey found that 23% of men and 11% of women in the East Midlands reported binge drinking on at least one day in the previous week.
- Alcohol is a factor in an estimated 2,000 deaths annually in the East Midlands.
- Mortality rates from chronic liver disease have more than doubled in the last ten years.
- 46% of victims of domestic violence believe that the offender was under the influence of alcohol.
- Nationally, one in three reported rapes happens when the victim has been drinking.
- For 16 to 24 year olds in England, 33 per cent of men drank more than 8 units on at least one day and 24 per cent of women drank more than 6 units on at least one day.
- Younger people in England are likely to drink heavily – 48 per cent of males and 39 per cent of females aged 16 to 24 drink above the daily recommendations.
Angie Hind, 22 and from Newton in Derbyshire, thinks:
"We should use shock tactics to make people think of what may happen in the future and price of alcohol should be raised as a deterrent to combat binge drinking. There are far too many places still selling dangerously cheap alcohol (including shops, pubs, bars etc) I thought this had been stopped, yet I still see alcohol being bought for half the price of soft drinks? It doesn't make sense!"
Laura Harvey, 22 from Nottingham, also commented:
"More people are unaware of the harm that drinking too much can do to all aspects of your life: physically, psychologically and socially. Better alcohol education in schools will help generations to become more aware of this at a younger age."
The debate was opened by 15 and 16 year olds at Derby’s Da Vinci community college where more than 100 pupils aired their views on issues such as underage drinking, why people drink to excess and their thoughts on how to reduce alcohol-related harm. As the debate about the impact of extended licensing laws goes on, people across the East Midlands are continuing to air their views on binge drinking and solutions to the problem.
Please use the link below to log onto the Drink Debate and give us your views.
