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Campaigners call for increase in alcohol duty
Almost 50 leading health experts have written to the chancellor urging him to increase alcohol duty when the current freeze ends later in the year . Among the signatories are Dan Carden MP and the chief executives of Alcohol Change UK , Humankind , Nacoa , and the British Liver Trust , as well as the president of the Royal College of Surgeons and the chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners .
A decade of cuts and freezes to alcohol duty have seen alcohol become 14 per cent more affordable since 2010 , the letter states , which has ‘ undoubtedly ’ contributed to the current record numbers of alcohol-related deaths . Alcohol-specific deaths in the UK reached their highest ever level in 2021 , at more than 9,600 – a 27 per cent increase in just two years ( www . drinkanddrugsnews . com / alcohol-specific-deaths-inthe-uk-reach-highest-ever-level ). When the ‘ alcohol duty escalator ’ – the annual 2 per cent increase above inflation – was in place , deaths of alcoholrelated liver disease fell , it points out .
The current rate of inflation means that while the price of
THERE HAS BEEN A ‘ DOUBLING ’ OF DRUG-FREE WINGS IN
PRISONS , the government has announced . ‘ New incentivised substance-free living units ’ are now operating in 45 jails in England and Wales , it says , with up to 100 special blocks planned by 2025 alongside special abstinence-based recovery wings .
The incentivised units feature regular drug testing as well as ‘ substance misuse courses ’, while the government is also investing in up to 18 drug recovery wings beer has risen by just over 5 per cent since 2010 , and wine by just 2 per cent , the price of juice has risen by almost 17 per cent over the same period , the letter points out . The decadeold estimate of a £ 3.5bn annual cost of alcohol harm to the NHS in England alone is likely to be a ‘ significant ’ underestimate , it adds . ‘ Increasing alcohol duty in the upcoming spring budget would help to alleviate pressure on the NHS and generate much needed income ,’ said Alcohol Health Alliance chair Sir Ian Gilmore .
‘ Moreover , if the chancellor builds automatic uprating into the duty system , he will ensure that his duty reform plans remain effective well into the future , protecting the lives of people today and for generations to come . As former health secretary I ’ m sure he will appreciate the damage alcohol harm does to communities , frontline services and the economy . Since 2019 we have seen a 27 per cent rise in deaths from alcohol and over 1m hospital admissions a year . These record-breaking rates of harm cannot be ignored any longer .’
Letter at https :// ahauk . org / news / alcohol-duty-spring-budget /
where prisoners will receive six months of intensive abstinencebased treatment . The aim of both the incentivised units and recovery wings is to reduce the risk of reoffending .
The incentives for prisoners include extra time out of their cells and more education and work opportunities , and ‘ once they ’ ve turned their back on drugs for good ’ – including any substitution medication – they will have the opportunity to be transferred to a recovery wing .
‘ Since 2019 we have seen a 27 per cent rise in deaths from alcohol and over 1m hospital admissions a year . These recordbreaking rates of harm cannot be ignored any longer .’
SIR IAN GILMORE
Drug-free wings in 45 prisons
Funding for the incentivised units and recovery wings comes from the financing already allocated as part of the ten-year drug strategy .
A 2020 report from the Reform think tank found that the number of prisoners saying they ’ d developed a drug problem while in prison had doubled since 2013-14 , to almost 15 per cent of all prisoners , with a ‘ significant ’ impact on levels of violence . www . drinkanddrugsnews . com / prisoners-developing-drugproblem-doubles .
Local News
FORWARD MOTION Forward Leeds has won the contract to provide the city ’ s alcohol and drug support services for at least another five years . The decision was ‘ testament to the dedication of our staff and volunteers who provide the highest quality of care and support ,’ said Lee Wilson , regional director Humankind – one of the three charities that make up the Forward Leeds consortium .
CELEBRATING MAGGIE BDP will be holding a celebration of the life of Maggie Telfer on 10 March at St George ’ s , Bristol . The date is the 37th anniversary of BDP opening its doors , a ‘ testimony to Maggie ’ s courage and vision ’ the organisation states . ‘ We look forward to celebrating her legacy with you .’ Details at www . bdp . org . uk / celebrating-maggie .
BRANCHING OUT WDP will be delivering a specialist smoking cessation service in the London Borough of Redbridge – ‘ an exciting new development for WDP ’ said executive director of services Craig Middleton . ‘ At WDP we ’ re passionate about supporting people to improve their health and wellbeing and this is a perfect opportunity for us to support more people to do just that .’ bsg . org . uk
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