THERE are doubtless many people who are firmly of the belief that what they do with their own body is for them to decide, even if that is harmful.

To a degree, this is true; while most so-called “recreational” drugs are illegal, to varying degrees, it is not against the law to drink alcohol, smoke tobacco products (within the bounds of regulations) and eat unhealthily.

But while there might not be legal obligations to be careful what we take into our bodies, there are certainly moral ones.

That is because it is not just themselves the individual is harming – they are hitting every single one of us where it most hurts: in our pockets.

The cost of treating alcohol problems alone in our region is a staggering £27 million, and the number of people treated at hospital for alcohol-related issues was more than 95,000 in Bradford in a single year.

So it is not right for anyone to say that they are harming no-one but themselves if they regularly abuse alcohol. They are putting strain on an already tightly-stretched NHS, and costing us all money.

No-one wants to spoil anyone’s fun, but when alcohol indulgence gets to the point that it is causing organ damage and injuries through intoxication, it is time to exercise more moderation. We must all be responsible and know when enough is enough, and to moderate our intake so we are less of a burden on public health resources.

Everyone who regularly drinks owes it to themselves, to their friends and family, and to the larger society of which they are a part, to try to live a little more healthily.