Monday, May 28, 2007

are they going to ban draught drink?

Fair enough question from Father Trixy as we sit watching the news that we are soon going to have nanny state labels on alcohol.

Alcoholic drinks will carry new health warning labels by the end of 2008 under a voluntary agreement between ministers and the drinks industry.
The labels will detail alcoholic units and recommended safe drinking levels.

I find alcohol rather useful, actually, particularly if I am stuck talking to someone who is very dull. So, for me, a safe drinking level depends rather on where I am and who I am with.

What gets me about this move, however, is that this is how the smoking fascism started. First we had little warnings, then bigger warnings,(I always go for the ones about smoking cutting ones sperm count because they won't do anything to me) then we weren't allowed to smoke in certain places, then the warnings had pictures on them (some of them are rather amusing) and soon only criminals will be allowed to smoke.

How long before our drinks get covered in stupid labels, and then we are only allowed a certain number of drinks, and then we are only allowed to drink at certain times, and then drinking is banned altogether?

And my father does have a point: how are they doing to put the warnings on pints of beer? Or is that a rather handy way of getting rid of that irksome unit of measurement?

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