SIR – As the Government proposes minimum pricing for alcohol, albeit an initial level which makes no difference, does it really understand the target?
In some places, there is indeed a problem with excessive youthful drinking, but marginally changing the price will have no effect.
The fact that young people can afford to drink is a simple statement of the wealth now available to them and, despite recession, most will still find the cash to lubricate their essential social lives.
Much has changed socially since many Government ministers (and I) were growing up. We expected to ‘settle down’ in our early 20s, save for houses, start families and generally adopt middle-aged profiles, but modern youth has a very different life-strategy.
They are still in education until their 20s, then expect more than a decade free of responsibility, spending their early earnings before considering any more stable lifestyle. That’s the problem – it’s a whole new culture, not an entry-price issue at all.
And anyway, if the Government really believed price rises would help, it should increase the excise duty and collect the cash for the Treasury, rather just giving extra profit to the booze-traders.
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