Its been in the news recently about the appalling statistics concerning alcohol in Wirral.

Out of 326 local authorities, Wirral's ranking due to alcohol was:-

322nd for admission to hospital
319th for male alcohol specific mortality
312th for female alcohol specific mortality
322nd for under 18s hospital admission
325th for female alcohol specific hospital admission
323rd for male alcohol specific hospital admission

What a terrible record and one not to be proud of!

SOURCE DATA

NEWS CLICKY

thats so bad that mate

To be honest it doesnt really surprise me...

The Council had the opportunity to do something about it a year ago when they were discussing a minimum price per unit of alcohol in the borough. As usual it was just political posturing and nothing was done.

While I appreciate that this doesnt seem very fair to people who drink in moderation it is also very unfair to allow the continuing problems relating to alcohol to blight our communities.

There are sadly far too many people who inflict their drunken behaviour on the rest of society to say nothing of the poor children who are often caught up in it. The cost of dealing with the problem must be massive I really do dread to think how much money must be spent on the treatment of alcohol related illness, assaults, antisocial behaviour, Police and ambulances that need to attend incidents etc etc ...

If a minimum pricing plan was brought in at off licenses, supermarkets etc it would go a long was to discourage drinking at home in excess, meanwhile it might help to stimulate the finances in the pub trade which has been on a downward spiral since off licenses and supermarkets have been allowed to sell alcohol for pennies..
Surely something needs to be done now... Wirral should be heartily ashamed of itself...

Make them pay for their treatment, same with the druggies!!

Exactly you have taken the words out my mouth, And the adults should be advising their children about alcohol, not getting pissed all the time in front off them!!

I tend to agree with the council that minimum pricing could well be ineffective, it would just end up with some sort of black market going on which would be difficult to police - they have hardly made any inroads into policing drugs in general, its rife and easily available despite the huge pots of money that goes in to trying to get it sorted one way or another.

Simple solution to this is serial numbers on the alcohol and a licence to buy it also proving ones age, that way if it does get in the wrong hands it can be traced back to the person who bought it. © Me 2011 so don`t steal my idea`s without paying me £££ 1st ® Ste 2011.

This would also help combat litter problems and crimes.

These people we call a government are shite, i could do better myself

Thankya thankya

Not just about underage drinking though is it...

If I was an alcoholic then a flew pence rise on my vodka would not stop me buying it, it's not that easy.

Ration method?

Perhaps but then those that want it will buy it from those that don't.

Tough one to solve.

Bet the charities are rubbing their hands in glee at those figures, will keep them employed.

Knew of a family of drunks (five of them) not so long ago, got a food delivery every week from a charity, wouldn't want the poor dears to have to waste their benefits on food now would we.

But then the few pence rise in the cost of alcohol could then go towards the massive expense that alcohol costs the Hospitals, Police, Council and tax payers... Maybe they could use it to do more 'alcohol intervention' work and educate...

The rise in alcoholism and underage drinking i wouldn't mind betting has coincided with the vast availability on where it can be purchased, if you go back to the days when you could only buy it in pubs and off licences attached to pubs, it was almost impossible to get served if you were under age, if you were under age and slightly, you might get served. The beverages were not cheap and the off licence could loose its licence for serving underage clients. While we have vast availability and shops not caring who they sell it, it won't go away, go back to off licences only and it will soon clear up the mess, that and stricter punishments all round.

Spot on Bert,very insightful as usual.

I think not having a job doesn't help either.(the phrase "idle hands do the Devil's work" comes to mind)
If you were in work you wouldn't be drinking and you wouldn't want to be going to work the next morning after a session the night before in case it was noticed and you were sacked.
Does anyone know if the statistics have been broken down into
whether they were employed or unemployed?

True fact Bert , their kids dont have to buy it they will steal it from their parents house.
And the parents/ adults boast how drunk they got!

Maybe we should have an underage consumption law, over 18 to buy it, over 18 to drink it.

Dont the Off License ask for proof off age Bert?

"Knew of a family of drunks (five of them) not so long ago, got a food delivery every week from a charity, wouldn't want the poor dears to have to waste their benefits on food now would we."

There is a charity that feeds alcoholics! I never cease to be stunned by pieces of news such as this.

If you're not working and on benefits, how the fook do you afford enough to get bladdered all the time!?!

This country is all wrong!! I can't believe they get extra money and DLA for being an alcoholic when it's a bloody choice not an illness or disablity!! Nobody forces them to drink ffs!! If you want to piss your benefit up the wall, crack on, but don't expect extra money to do so!! And now they get fed for free too!?! Makes me so fookin angry!

Put them all, and the druggies & chavs, on a fookin island and let them get on with it!

WTF! Never knew that,extra money and DLA! Note to self,become alcholic!

Kettle calling pot black there wench....You coontribute to a third of the alcohol consumption on the wirral alone!!!!
They can afford it caus they go out stealing to feed their lil sessions, then go out bladdered and do it more, blaming it on the booze when they get caught!! Slap on the wrist for that!
I worked in supermarkets in the 80`s and saw them pocketing booze and security not stopping them incase they get stabbed or seringed....more than jobs worth i was told!

Cheeky bugger!! I've had 2 bottles of Black Sheep, a bottle of posh cider & a bottle of Stella Cidre since my birthday which was 9mths ago.

You must try harder
wench,Don't leave it all to the rest of us.

Yerrrrr Beeeeeerrrrrr is your friend

Beer is proof that God loves you and wants you to be happy.

Not a chance. I don't get drunk as I don't like not being in control, plus I have better things to spend my money on. There's also enough drunk idiots around without adding another one. I can laugh at all the idiots instead and have much more fun. I don't think anyone drunk looks nice, but women look worse.

Bert covered it in part but there have been a number of off licences found to be selling to under age kids but apart from a short suspension of licence nothing else is done. One in my area Liscard has been done twice, yet still continue to hold a licence. The second time and they should have lost their licence for ever. Why not?

I fervently don't believe money comes into it. Just look at the stupid prices the young legal drinkers will pay in clubs such as over 3 quid for a bottle of beer that you can buy in a supermarket at 8 quid for fifteen. It really does only hurt the sensible person who likes a drink and usually drinks at home without hurting anyone.

lol uuuk

there a bit strong for me thats megga p*ss head fuel lol

Bring back Prohibition! (Proof if proof were ever needed, that making things really hard to get and/or really expensive to buy, really stops people - NOT!).

Now if, on the other hand, if kids (instead of relying on a "legal age" to have a drink - as if that stops anyhone!) - if, they were not brought up to think how "grown-up" having a drink is, maybe they might not have such a compulsion to try it! Forbidden fruit etc... We always told our kids (when they were in their teens) they could try a taste of beer or wine, whenever they wanted to try it. They both, eventually at some point, tried a sip of beer - and went "UGH!!!" and later on, when all their mates were sneaking into pubs at 15, 16, 17, etc they simply CBA...!! Like in France, lots of kids get given a bit of wine with dinner (diluted w/ water of course!) and it totally takes the mystery and "grown-up-ness" away altogether... no more forbidden fruit...! I'm not saying "let kids drink", don't get me wrong - but just take the thrill element away...

Like others i wonder where people get the money from to buy all this booze.

I have a drink problem......I can't afford it !.

They should tax alcohol by 400%.

500%

Oh they allways find the money to buy it! Historybook

Off to get "pished" before the puritan Taliban take over. I carry a donor card and have done since the eighties. You are welcome to my body bits when I am done, including liver. My cash which is already taxed and again at point of spend plus vat and is mine and stays mine until I decide to give it away. what would happen if we all started to say, I don't use the library,baths, social services,the park, brylcream,the bus or the police tax them 500%.It is not the price that is the problem, it is the minority who abuse it.

600%

I take it you don't like alcohol littlebear? Lol

Its not that mate.....She works for the tax office!!!! LOL

Just think, when she wakes up in the morning then that is the best she's going to feel all day, to quote Dino.