Friday 21 May 2010

Alcohol price limits

Alcohol price limits

I am not exactly crazy about our new coalition government but I will definitely be urging them to keep their promised to introduce a minimum price per unit for alcohol. At present it is possible to obtain alcohol in some places for just 10 pence per unit - less than a bottle of water .

Today the biggest retailer in the UK, Tesco has backed the plans and is also looking to take other measures to address the issue of binge drinking in the Britain. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8696097.stm

This will not solve the problem of binge drinking or deal with the mindset of drunkeness being a badge of honour in our country but it has to help. Please take action by letting Tesco's and the government know you support this measure and lobby other supermarkets to follow.

Personally I believe that we also need to restrict the availability of alcohol in supermarkets. Alcohol is a dangerous drug, selling it alongside the baked beans and the biscuits makes it appear to be just another commodity that is a normal part of the weekly shop. In the UK we restrict the amount of headached tablets a person can buy in one go but not the amount of alcohol.

Please let's also get on our knees and pray that our nation might be released from the curse of alcohol abuse. I am also praying that the Salvation Army rises up to the challenge of its historic mandate of campaigning for reform in this area.

God bless

Carol

3 comments:

Unknown said...

The problem with the Salvation Army rising up "to the challenge of its historic mandate of campaigning for reform in this area" is that there are far too many amongst our number that no longer understand the Salvation Army's position on Alcohol.

I can immediately think of many soldiers and whole bands that I know do (or at least did until recently) go out and drink quite publicly.

The fact that Alcohol is a dangerous drug needs to be taught to our junior and senior soldiers, in our house groups/cell groups and in our meetings, only then will the Army once more have the strength of resolve to rise up against this issue.

Do you agree?

rehoboth said...

Sorry for not responding to your comment and question earlier. I have been without internet access whilst on holiday.

I do agree with you about the need to re-emphasise the Army's stance on alcohol, particularly at a time when its abuse is in our headlines so often.

In a way with the dangers of the misuse alcohol being so obvious in these days, the arguments particulary for abstinence in order to support people for whom alcohol is a problem are stronger than ever. Hopefully this will urge Salvationists to be confident again that stance is a credible one.

Why Salvationists do not keep their covenant in the area of drinking is probably down to a whole range of reasons and not fully understanding our stance is probably one of them.

Many of our young people have a passion for reaching their generation for Christ but often have been encouraged under the umbrella of cultural relevance to engage with their peers through participation in their lifestyle rather than being distinctive.

Rather than see abstinence as a tool to help and support those for whom alcohol is a problem, they see it as a barrier to building bridges to the unchurched and unreached. I think they are mistaken.

God bless

Carol

Unknown said...

I agree! Being culturally relevant is no match for being culturally distinctive! After all, who lights a lamp and then hides it under a bucket?