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CCSU Counseling and
Wellness Center |
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The Myth
College News: Many American college students believe that, because the drinking age in the United Kingdom and Europe is lower, rates of drinking and alcoholism are lower because drinking is considered part of socializing, not an end in itself. The Reality
When it comes to drinking, Americans aren`t the only ones
who overdo it sometimes. In fact, a recent study has shown that Great Britain
is leading the pack for binge drinking in Europe.
The report by the prime minister’s office explains that 40
percent of men technically binge drink every time they belly up to the bar. On
Saturdays, some drink three to four times the recommended limit (three to four
drinks a day for men, and two to three for women).
What’s more, this type of drinking costs Britain dearly—in
money and in lives.
The prime minister’s office reports that it contributes to
as many as 22,000 premature deaths each year in Britain and costs the country
billions of pounds yearly. A hefty chunk of that money goes to cover the costs
of alcohol-related maladies, crime, and lost productivity.
The human toll of British alcohol use is also great, if
not greater. Cases of cirrhosis of the liver have almost doubled in Britain
over the last 10 years, and 45 percent of domestic violence cases involved
alcohol. Additionally, binge drinking has been implicated in increased
incidences of sexually transmitted diseases. British HIV cases have doubled in
the last five years, and syphilis is on the rise.
But Britain isn’t taking the news lying down.
In fact, one British brewery will soon begin slapping
health warnings on their beer bottles. Starting next month, bottles of 2008
Celebration Ale produced by Cains Brewery in Liverpool will bear the following
warning: “Excessive drinking can cause harm. Observe the daily guidelines for
sensible drinking. Do not drink and drive.”
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