MANY of those who voted for Brexit or for Donald Trump would probably struggle to put their reasons for doing so into words. A fair number would simply shrug and say it was, well, just a feeling.
I can sympathise. I too have a feeling – a sense of frustration and a wish to give those who think they know what’s best for the rest of us a metaphorical kicking. NHS Grampian for example.
Its officials have objected to a drinks licence for a new Marks & Spencer store in an Aberdeen suburb on the grounds that “even a small amount of alcohol is harmful”.
Then, NHS Shetland for another. Its Director of Public Health, Susan Webb, suggests a severe restriction on the hours during which supermarkets may sell alcohol.
Her report claims around half of Shetland’s adult male population drink “up to” 14 units of alcohol a week. Some undoubtedly drink more but presumably the headline statistic includes those enjoying a couple of beers at the weekend. Looking at the figure differently, more than half of Shetland men drink much less than the equivalent of two pints a day.
The report suggests prohibiting the sale of alcohol before 5pm. That would be an extension of the present national irritation of no alcohol sales before10am.
In our local supermarket a club atmosphere has developed amongst those loitering in the drinks aisle at 9.59am before ruining both their health and the NHS budget with their Saturday bottle of Merlot.
The Shetland report also recommends separate areas and checkouts for alcohol. Presumably we should be too ashamed and inconvenienced to be seen in the wine line. The whole thing is totally illogical.
Yes, a minority drink too much and regrettably damage their health. But why penalise the responsible? We are told the greatest threat to national wellbeing is the obesity and diabetes crisis threatening to overwhelm the NHS. The Shetland solution would be to ensure no crisps, sweets, biscuits and fizzy drinks are sold before 5pm.
Additionally, the overweight and those buying such things would have separate and presumably wider checkouts. There could even be compulsory re-education programmes, rather like Stalin’s Soviet Union.
The Shetland “solution” besides being absurd, ignores the fact that those with serious problems will find alcohol at any time, night or day. Publicans would be the big winners unless, of course, NHS Shetland recommends keeping pubs shut until 5pm or prohibiting carry-outs before the witching hour.
Part of the problem lies with the obsession of the Scottish Government and unelected bodies such as health boards with centralisation and control. Policing, education, named persons and minimum pricing are only some examples of control freakery.
Politicians, those in the SNP in particular, are in danger of alienating much of the population. Brexit and the American presidential election mobilised the disaffected.
We have been patronised too long and demand to be treated as grown ups, capable of informed choices about our lives and lifestyles. I’ll drink to that.
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