Health warnings on alcoholic beverages

[Doc Durian]

[url]http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,27574,25873580-2862,00.html[/url]

ALMOST nine out of 10 Victorians want cigarette-style health warning labels on their beer, wine and spirits, according to new research.

The labels, which feature graphic pictures and information about alcohol's effect on violence, cancer, hospital care and addiction, should become mandatory on all alcohol products, according to VicHealth.

Stepping up its campaign for the Federal Government to enforce alcohol warning labels, VicHealth yesterday unveiled survey results of more than 1500 Victorians.

* Poll: Do you want to see health warning labels on alcohol products?

With Australian companies having to place warnings on products they export overseas, VicHealth chief executive Todd Harper said the community expected health information would be included on Australian products sooner rather than later.

"There was a very high degree of support for simple, clear and direct labels to communicate to consumers," he said.

"Consumers indicated very clearly they expected factual information that is serious rather than humorous.

"They wanted information that is educating and informing, not lecturing and scary."

The phone survey found 85 per cent supported recommended daily guidelines for low-risk alcohol consumption, while;

NINE out of 10 want warnings that exceeding guidelines may

be harmful;

THERE is demand for warnings catering for, pregnant women and young people;

THREE-quarters support nutritional information and a list of ingredients;

MOST drinkers want to know what type of alcohol is used in pre-mixed drinks;

THERE is demand for a standardised display on the number of standard drinks in containers.

Mr Harper said drinkers wanted to feel empowered, with most saying they now judged their drinking by how they felt rather than factual health information.

Professor Robin Room, of the Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre in Melbourne, said warnings were included on alcohol sales in Sweden, India and the US, with those rotating between themes having the greatest impact.

He said alcohol was in the top four causes of death and disability around the world and warning labels needed to form part of a wider strategy tackling alcohol problems.

"Alcohol affects others adversely, it is not only the effect on the drinker we are talking about," he said.

9 out of 10 suggests that the health warnings are already recognized and known outside of them being printed on a product, so why make more needless legislation and waste time and money on the bloody obvious??

Government needs to keep it stupid little fingers out of our lives.

This sounds like the beginning steps to an eventual and partial prohibition for some groups, and total eventual ban for everyone.

They've been banning the sale of alcohol to Australians for years already (Aboriginals).

It's a bad enough police state as it is. Imagine in 50 years.

[ecojeanne]

now how is putting a health warning label affecting anyone's freedom? seriously. there is nothing wrong with the warnings. alcohol can be deadly in so many ways. it's still the people's choice to drink it at the end of the day, which is the important part.

edit: hang on i just read the bit about aboriginals. can they be banned from buying alcohol by law?

aparently the problem with aboriginals once they got exposed to alcohol they got drunk a lot faster than europeans due to enzymes that absorb the alcohol. and the fact they lived in underpriviliged less educated settings for a long time.

[Doc Durian]

now how is putting a health warning label affecting anyone's freedom? seriously. there is nothing wrong with the warnings. alcohol can be deadly in so many ways. it's still the people's choice to drink it at the end of the day, which is the important part.

edit: hang on i just read the bit about aboriginals. can they be banned from buying alcohol by law?

They have a version of "dry counties" up that way. They're not banned from buying it, the storekeepers are dissuaded from selling it.

Petrol used to be a bigger problem, so they made shops sell a special non huffable petrol.

[Doc Durian]

Here's one ban, Eco. Western Australia has roadblocked towns as well in the past.

Notice that they banned pornography as well. That's "all" porn by the way.

[url]http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6224994.stm[/url]

Check out the search count for the word "ban":

[url]http://search.news.com.au/search?us=ndmheraldsun&sid=661&as=HWT&ac=NEWS.HOME &q=ban[/url]

And then for "liberty" or "liberties":

[url]http://search.news.com.au/search?q=liberty&sid=661&us=ndmheraldsun&as=HWT&ac =NEWS.HOME[/url]


Ban happy they are.

[ecojeanne]

that's actually pure and utter nonsense by the government. i can't believe that. these communities have basically been left on their own since the government annihilated their culture and then expect them to carry on as normal. they lived off the land that was stolen from them and pushed into specific areas, they were torn apart by the government in a bid to get rid of the culture completely. so instead of educating them they take their freedom away even further. can it really be true? where are the social programs? aren't the aboriginals themselves good at that, well so i thought. they have set up services to get their people back to the land and dreamtime. i'm not sure this reason of child sex abuse john howard uses is actually valid. shocking, if the article is true

[Doc Durian]

There's always been systems in place to bring the aboriginal people up the standard of living the rest of the nation has. It's generally been rorted through their own elected leaders and themselves though.

Australia is a nation of people from all walks of life.

Abbos need to build their own bridge and get over it. What was once stolen was done so by others, and not Australia as it exists today.

The whole bloodline argument is racism pure and simple, and anyone who uses it is a moron.

They don't give a shit about the welfare afforded them, and a good many don't give a shit about other non indigenous Australians.

Many, although not all, prefer to reside in victimhood and point fingers at anyone other than themselves.

And your whole back to the land/dreamtime thing is absurd.

Those are old skills and beliefs and the newer aboriginal generations have been predominately uninterested.

You have a National Geographic picture of Australia in your head, Eco. It's not the case.

Aboriginals are responsible for their predicament, just like the rest of us are for ours. The difference is that the rest of us aren't on a perpetual financial teet and shielded from constructive criticism of our actions and behaviour when it's less than respectable.

[IndiReloaded]

We have the exact same problem with native Canadians, Doc. Too proud to acknowledge where they could use the help, but not proud enough that they will live off of handouts that keep them sucking the dirt.

Its bizarre. For example, several native groups wanted the opportunity to run their own schools, with their own teachers (most of whom aren't up to national standards for a teacher) teach their kids 'traditionally' but then complained bitterly when these same kids grew up and weren't competitive on a national/international scale. Except to help run casinos that are only made possible b/c of vast government/social assistance.

Its like the French separatists who wanted to bail from Canada but wanted to keep a Canadian passport and currency. LOL, people will take as much as you let them get away with. Forethought is not required.

[Mish]

Alcohol is a dangerous drug, considered more dangerous than marijuana which is banned in most countries. I think it's only fair that people are aware of the dangers.



I have no idea what the "police state" comment refers to, it sounds ridiculous. I think you need your paranoia, conspiracy nut levels checked.

[IndiReloaded]

What is khat? Do they mean 'cat'? I agree, my kitty is very harmless. But more addictive than that graph would suggest.

[Doc Durian]

Alcohol is a dangerous drug, considered more dangerous than marijuana which is banned in most countries. I think it's only fair that people are aware of the dangers.

All items ingested can be dangerous. Try drinking 70-80 standard cups of water and see how long you remain breathing, mate.

Maybe you should propose to your local Parlamentarian that all taps have a water vapour breathalyzer legally mandated to stop the evil H2O drug from ravaging Australian households and tearing families apart. After all:

Common sense - Enemy of the State, eh?

I have no idea what the "police state" comment refers to, it sounds ridiculous. I think you need your paranoia, conspiracy nut levels checked.

bahhhh for me again. You do it so well.

[Mish]

All items ingested can be dangerous. Try drinking 70-80 standard cups of water and see how long you remain breathing, mate.

Well obviously some substances are more dangerous than others. You can say that water can kill you just as well as a cyanide pill, but it doesn't mean that both are identical. One will kill instantly, the other may kill you if you have suicidal tendencies to drown yourself. Alcohol causes all kinds of damage to people that majority is not even aware of. There are pregnant women out there who aren't even aware of the kind of damage alcohol may be doing to their baby. They should be informed. This just happens to be one of the most direct methods to do it. It's just a message, if you don't like it, don't read it.

[Lipp]

I reckon that guidelines should be printed that refers to the alcohol content of the drink and how much you can drink (depending on weight) before you expose yourself to harm.

Gives people a guideline on when to call it off.

[vashti]

warning: drinking alcohol in excess of the amount that would fill a thimble may cause intoxication.

[DoesntMatter]

I haven't been drunk in a long time. It lost its appeal

[IndiReloaded]

Too much oxygen will kill you. True. It should come with warning signs.