[fireman328]

Before casting the first stone, as a non drinking smoker I think the ethanol imbibers should contemplate this article. "Who takes up more NHS resources ethanol addicts or nicotine addicts ?"

Answers on a postcard please

"Disturbing new figures show drugs and alcohol abuse are causing widespread damage to Britain's health and social services.
Experts are warning that illnesses and injuries caused by alcohol abuse cost the NHS up to £3bn a year.

And the government's financial watchdog says drug addicts will continue to commit half of all crime, because their treatment is so ineffective.



The NHS is on the brink of collapse and it is hard to argue otherwise

Dr Chris Luke
A report by the charity Alcohol Concern says that more than 28,000 hospital admissions a year are caused by alcohol dependence or poisoning.

Such statistics have prompted warnings that the health service could crack under the strain of dealing with alcohol-related illness.

Alcohol is implicated in 33,000 deaths every year and one in six people attending accident and emergency units has alcohol-associated injuries.

This rises to eight out of 10 at peak times.

Alcohol Concern will present its findings at a conference for primary care health workers on Thursday to alert them to the scale of the problem.


Alcohol implicated in 33,000 deaths a year

Dr Chris Luke of Cork