"Alcoholic drinks should carry a warning"

Dj_Jestar · 11 Aug 2014 at 16:14

Anyone who thinks this is a one-shot attempt at "fixing" the problem are just simply mistaken.

The warnings detract from the "glamour" that labels try to put on their bottles/fag packets.

It's about reducing the attractiveness as much as possible. Booze could well be sold in plain packaging from behind shutters like ciggies are. I'm surprised advertising for booze hasn't already been prohibited.

Monkeynut · 11 Aug 2014 at 16:15

A moderate amount of alcohol can be helpful rather than harmful. A moderate amount of Tobacco can still kill you. Not comparable at all.

Haggisman · 11 Aug 2014 at 16:23

Monkeynut said:
A moderate amount of alcohol can be helpful rather than harmful. A moderate amount of Tobacco can still kill you. Not comparable at all.

Indeed, it would be like putting health warnings and pictures of manky hearts on packets of salt. Yeah, too much is bad for you, but no salt will kill you.

Anyone who doesn't know that excessive alcohol is bad for you a) could probably do with a bit of genetic cleansing and b) is unlikely to have the cognitive capacity to realise what a "health warning" is.

Everyone who does know, and decides to drink too much anyway, isn't going to be put off by some stupid warnings.

Dj_Jestar · 11 Aug 2014 at 16:26

Monkeynut said:
A moderate amount of alcohol can be helpful rather than harmful. A moderate amount of Tobacco can still kill you. Not comparable at all.

Bull crap. Perfectly comparable. Both are toxic to the body, both are addictive, both are at the centre of endemic substance abuse (i.e. they are the substances being abused), both are marketed as glamorous luxuries.

That's four direct comparisons.

Dj_Jestar · 11 Aug 2014 at 16:26

Haggisman said:
Indeed, it would be like putting health warnings and pictures of manky hearts on packets of salt. Yeah, too much is bad for you, but no salt will kill you.

Anyone who doesn't know that excessive alcohol is bad for you a) could probably do with a bit of genetic cleansing and b) is unlikely to have the cognitive capacity to realise what a "health warning" is.

Everyone who does know, and decides to drink too much anyway, isn't going to be put off by some stupid warnings.

Salt does come with a health warning... just like all the other food.

Anyone who doesn't know might like to know... in the form of a warning.

Monkeynut · 11 Aug 2014 at 16:29

Dj_Jestar said:
Bull crap. Perfectly comparable. Both are toxic to the body, both are addictive, both are at the centre of endemic substance abuse (i.e. they are the substances being abused), both are marketed as glamorous luxuries.

Well, no. Alcohol, if consumed moderately, does not damage your health. Tobacco does. The fact that some people abuse them doesn't change this. Refined sugar is also completely "unnecessary", And people get fat and develop diabetes too, but there's no health warnings on chocolate. Tobacco is harmful in any dosage.

Dj_Jestar · 11 Aug 2014 at 16:31

Monkeynut said:
Well, no. Alcohol, if consumed moderately, does not damage your health. Tobacco does. The fact that some people abuse them doesn't change this. Refined sugar is also completely "unnecessary", And people get fat and develop diabetes too, but there's no health warnings on chocolate. Tobacco is harmful in any dosage.

There is health warnings all over food products. Ingredients lists and nutritional info are also there explicitly to help the consumer understand what they are putting into their body.

Judgeneo · 11 Aug 2014 at 16:33

Dj_Jestar said:
There is health warnings all over food products. Ingredients lists and nutritional info are also there explicitly to help the consumer understand.

That is what should be on booze. Much more useful than a picture of a failed liver or a "alcohol is bad" phrase stamped all over it.

Monkeynut · 11 Aug 2014 at 16:36

Dj_Jestar said:
There is health warnings all over food products. Ingredients lists and nutritional info are also there explicitly to help the consumer understand what they are putting into their body.

Every alcohol ad I have seen has said "Enjoy XYZ responsibly". It's pretty obvious what you're putting into your body. You're putting alcohol into it. Do you really need a health warning to tell people that it contains alcohol? They write the percentage on the side of the bottle!

Haggisman · 11 Aug 2014 at 16:38

Dj_Jestar said:
Salt does come with a health warning... just like all the other food.

Anyone who doesn't know might like to know... in the form of a warning.

I've never seen a pack of salt with a health warning on it

Dj_Jestar · 11 Aug 2014 at 16:43

Nobody eats salt direct from the packet

Monkeynut · 11 Aug 2014 at 16:46

Dj_Jestar said:
Nobody eats salt direct from the packet

Nobody drinks pure ethanol either.

Haggisman · 11 Aug 2014 at 16:47

Monkeynut said:
Nobody drinks pure ethanol either.

I dunno, there was this kid in my chemistry class...

Dj_Jestar · 11 Aug 2014 at 16:47

Monkeynut said:
Nobody drinks pure ethanol either.

Which has absolutely no relevance to this topic as it is about labelling booze products that people do ingest as they are sold off the shelf. Next.

Pawnless Endgame · 11 Aug 2014 at 16:51

Malevolence said:
Just another bunch of the nanny state's meddling busy bodies trying to justify their publicly funded jobs.

There was a thread on GD yesterday debating tobacco use, and I was going on about the nanny state targeting alcohol next after tobacco.

And then today, this thread pops up!

I wonder how these upcoming health warnings will affect the subsidised bars that our govt have access to? :rolleyes:

Mynight · 11 Aug 2014 at 16:52

Monserrat said:
I wonder how these upcoming health warnings will affect the subsidised bars that our govt have access to?

Probably just increase the selection.

Casdawer · 13 Aug 2014 at 12:01

Completed and utter waste of money and time.

People aren't going to stop drinking because of a few labels on there drinks.

And most people buy their drinks at Bars / Clubs where they won't even see the bottle so it makes no difference!

Something Else · 13 Aug 2014 at 12:13

Does Guinness genuinely turn your poop black though?

Haggisman · 13 Aug 2014 at 12:17

Something Else said:
Does Guinness genuinely turn your poop black though?

Not sure, but red wine does!

pitchfork · 13 Aug 2014 at 12:55

More green for red wine I'd say.

Anyway the government needs to sod off and stop trying to make good things less accessible to hardworking people. We're already skint enough without their price and tax rises on booze and fags.

To me one of the greatest pleasures in life is a pint and a cigarette, I for one am sick of being treated like some sort of scum because I'm unapologetic about my enjoyment - I'm well aware I'll probably die younger, I could get cancer or liver disease and my heart attack risk is higher.

But sadly I don't enjoy running marathons and eating tofu out of another mans rear end in the yoga class or whatever these yogis do.