清醒的打击

酒类公司提倡适度饮酒，但这会毁了它们

在所有致醉物质中，酒精受到的限制最少，造成的危害最大。许多非法药物对使用者更危险，但相对较难获得，影响因而受限。相比之下，酒精无处不在，受其负面作用影响的人也就多得多。2010 年，一组药物专家评估了最常见的 20 种麻醉品在英国造成的总伤害，得出的结论是酒精造成的损失最大，主要是因为它对非饮酒人造成的伤害，比如酒驾事故的受害者。

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Because alcohol is omnipresent, it causes more harm than illegal drugs do

Drug harm score, out of 100

Britain, selected drugs, 2010

Harm to users

Harm to others

Dependence and

damage to mental

and physical health

Loss of belongings

and relationships

Productivity loss

and extra demand

for public services

Family

breakdown

Crime

and injury

Death

Alcohol

Heroin

Tobacco

Cannabis

Ecstasy

→

Because alcohol is omnipresent, it causes

more harm than illegal drugs do

Drug harm score, out of 100

Britain, selected drugs, 2010

Harm to users

Harm to others

Dependence

and damage to

mental and

physical health

Loss of

belongings

and

relationships

Productivity loss

and extra

demand for

public services

Family

breakdown

Crime

and

injury

Death

Alcohol

Heroin

Tobacco

Cannabis

Ecstasy

自 1933 年美国废除禁酒令以来，没有一个西方国家禁酒。酒既受欢迎又容易生产。把它定为非法只会养肥罪犯，引发地盘之争。近年来，各国政府已开始将其他药物合法化。而为了限制酒精带来的危害，各国尝试通过征税、开展宣传活动以及限制酒的销售地点、时间和对象来劝阻人们不要喝酒。

Alcohol firms depend financially on problem drinkers’ dependency

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Alcohol consumption, Britain, 2013-14, units* per week

Non-drinkers

0 units per week

Moderate

Average: 4

Range: 1-14

Hazardous

Average: 24

Women: 15-35 / Men: 15-50

Harmful

Average: 73

Women: 36+ / Men: 51+

25% of Britons drink hazardous or harmful amounts

% of people

They account for 68% of industry revenues

% of revenues

They drink 78% of all alcohol consumed

% of units consumed

Price increase needed to offset revenue loss, if everyone drank within health guidelines

Beer +75%

Pint 4.3% ABV, in a pub

Wine +79%

Bottle, from a shop

Spirits +85%

70cl, from a shop

£3.51

£6.15

£5.50

£9.86

£14.43

£26.68

*8g of alcohol

Alcohol firms depend financially on

problem drinkers’ dependency

→

Alcohol consumption, Britain, 2013-14, units* per week

Non-drinkers

0 units per week

Moderate

Average: 4

Range: 1-14

Hazardous

Average: 24

Women: 15-35 / Men: 15-50

Harmful

Average: 73

Women: 36+ / Men: 51+

25% of Britons drink hazardous

or harmful amounts

% of people

They account for 68%

of industry revenues

% of revenues

They drink 78% of all

alcohol consumed

% of units consumed

Price increase needed to offset revenue loss,

if everyone drank within health guidelines

Beer +75% Pint 4.3% ABV in a pub

£6.15

£3.51

Wine +79% Bottle, from a shop

£5.50

£9.86

Spirits +85% 70cl, from a shop

£14.43

£26.68

*8g of alcohol

酒类行业将自己塑造成解决方案的一部分。在英国，一百多家生产商和零售商签署了一项「责任书」，承诺「帮助人们按指导方针饮酒」，主要是通过发布宣传适度饮酒的广告。但是，如果这些活动真的奏效，它们会损害赞助商的收入。据智库酒精研究所 (Institute of Alcohol Studies) 和谢菲尔德大学的研究人员所述，英国人喝掉的酒有约五分之二属于超出推荐饮酒量的部分——推荐饮酒量为每周不超过 14 个单位 (大约相当于每天一杯葡萄酒)。酒业高管说，他们希望公众「少喝酒，喝好酒「，也就是说喝少点、喝贵点。但是，若要弥补消费如此急剧下降而损失的收入，需要人们为每一杯酒多花 22% 到 98% 的钱。

卫生部门的官员已经觉察到了这笔帐。有些人现在怀疑酒业巨头是否真的在努力阻止人们酗酒。2018 年美国国立卫生研究院 (National Institutes of Health) 停止了一项耗资 1 亿美元、由酒类公司提供部分资金的适度饮酒研究，因为研究的设计偏袒这些公司的产品。今年世界卫生组织和英格兰的公共卫生部门已禁止雇员与酒业合作。