The Big Q

Angie Lawrence – Single mother

Treatment is important but drink problems should be tackled before
they reach that stage. It’s not just a matter of enjoying a drink –
there’s something deeper going on. It may be depression, the
break-up of a relationship, a death in the family. Because alcohol
is legal we don’t focus on it so much as we do drugs. Yet alcohol
is a drug too.

Kierra Box – Young people’s activist
Yet again we’re looking to treatment rather than
prevention. Recent figures on alcohol-related deaths are shocking,
but it’s sad that we look to dispel the addiction rather than
prevent people from turning to alcohol in the first place. It’s
time for education on responsible drinking and more focus on why we
turn to drink rather than on how to stop.

Len Smith – Gypsy activist

More treatment centres will help, but we need a radical rethink
about drinking habits. Young people seem to binge-drink more these
days. This is a complex matter that needs research into the causes
of drinking. Ways should be found to treat the cause rather than
the effect. The extension of opening hours seems counter-effective
to me.

Kerry Evans – Parent of two severely autistic boys
It is fitting that government revenue should be spent on
more treatment centres as this can ease the burden on social care,
health authorities and the police. The biggest rise in
alcohol-related crime is in the under-30 age group and they should
also be targeted to drink more moderately and responsibly.