MINIMUM UNIT PRICING

Minimum Unit Pricing

Introduction1

Discussion1

Growing number of drinkers1

Minimum unit pricing2

Save lives3

Free market economy4

Tax from people4

Drunk people avoid crimes5

European Union5

Conclusion6

References7

Minimum Unit Pricing

Introduction

This essay is based on Minimum Unit Pricing for Alcohol and Civil Liberty. Minimum unit pricing played an important role in understanding the use of alcohol. People drink alcohol as much as they want. If they are living in an independent country so nobody will stop them, and they can waste their money on it buying. Article has been given in order to do the critical analysis so let's take a look on that now.

Discussion

Article is primarily based on how people in England use alcohol and how much they spend on it. As it is an independent country so no one can stop them or reduce its consumption. This will leads to a lot of social and other issues. Critical analysis has been done on this article that results in some positive and negative aspects.

Growing number of drinkers

There is an increase noted in weekly consumption for both men and women since 1992. Overall trend is making some interesting gender and age discrimination. Around 1998 to 2000 this ratio has been increased a lot (Smith & Foxcroft, 2009, pp. 6-7). There has an overall increase in alcohol consumption among males. Increased consumption is more noted in women for the ages of 16 to 24 and 45 to 64 years. This has identified in the survey of 2006. Trends are quite similar in England, Scotland and Ireland (Smith & Foxcroft, 2009, pp. 6-7). According to a survey from 2002 to 2007, it has identified that the number of ever drinkers have decreased in males and females aged between 8 to 15 in England. There was as increase in 2006, in the consumption of alcohol between the ages of 11 to 15 years in both males and females, in England (Smith & Foxcroft, 2009, pp. 6-7). There are 4 very interesting trends about drinkers:

Increase the number of drinkers of middle and older ages

Recent decrease in drinking among 16 to 24 years old

Increase in drinking among women

Consumption is increasing in young adolescents

In the given article it is written correctly that in England these days, the consumption of alcohol is increasing.

Minimum unit pricing

In broad terms, minimum pricing can be referred to as setting up the price of alcohol, below which it cannot be sold. Government of England has given a strategy for the selling of alcohol on March 23, 2012. It consist of a commitment to introduce the minimum unit pricing for alcohol. Once the latest price is introduced it becomes illegal to sell alcohol less than the given price (Woodhouse & Ward, 2013, p.1). On November 28, 2012, home office introduces the policy to cut alcohol fuelled crime and anti social behaviour. This resulted in a minimum unit pricing of 45p that has introduced by primary legislation. This policy offers that with the pricing of 45p should reduce the consumption across all type of ...