Minimum alcohol pricing will drive up crime
AS THE former licensee and landlady of the Wellington Arms (and the last ever) I have to disagree with the Guernsey Alcohol Advisory Service's independent report recommending minimum pricing. This will not reduce health care costing as a person who needs this help is a person who will drink whatever the cost and all a minimum price will do is drive up crime. An addict is an addict, be it alcohol, heroin or prescription drugs and they will beg, borrow or steal to get what they believe they cannot live without.
It will also affect the lowest paid of our community whose only luxury is a bottle of wine or a four pack from the supermarket. This is what Guernsey has become, rich versus poor.
People drink at home before going out for the simple reason that they cannot afford to drink in public houses these days (those days are long gone).
It is a dying trade and drinking at home does not drive binge drinking.
Most people can only afford one or maybe two drinks in a pub, their club entrance fee to dance, not drink, and a taxi home.
I find the report is full of statistics and you can make statistics say anything you want them to with no real reasoning whatsoever behind them.
SUE SOLWAY,
19, Pre de L'Aumone,
Castel,
GY7RW.
suesolway@gmail.com
