I couldn't have wrote this article better and want to commend the author on a well-expressed, even if slightly flawed (in the eyes of some) article that's overall point is infinitely more important than the nitpicking of some posters here.

Just how Pathetic is this article. Yep the freedom to consume alcohol at any age and at any level reguardless of any threat to ones own personal health and to others and its associated cost to the community is a cause we should take to the streets for. Those poor bastards in Zimbabwe never had it so bad.

To claim that the govt has manufactured the problem to reinstate some form of govt. 'nanny state' social control shows a total lack of any real world experience into the binge drinking culture.

perhaps the real agenda to this whole frivolous article was the final sentence "liberalising of liquor laws has created jobs, investment and created a healthier drinking and social culture" dispite being a load of Bollocks the author displays his true neocon message in that the free market unrestrained or regulated by government will cure all of our social ills. do people really still believe that S$#%. where is this Nirvana U speak of Greg

PGH, putting aside other arguments against the tax, tell me why the alcopops tax should be paid by anyone other than the target? (who were a few teenage girls or some rubbish...) Because as it stands raising the tax because of a few abusers is stealing money from the vast majority of alcopops drinkers.

David JS: "You can't get away from the fact that alcohol is a lethal drug and wreaks havoc on addicts and society. Forget binge drinking, why do we need to drink this poison at all?"

You're way off base on this one David. It has been scientifically proven that drinking in moderation is actually beneficial to your health. Here's one link, but I could quite easily add another dozen.

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/546660

Those who enjoy something like a single beer or glass of wine each day tend to live longer on average. Wine actually contains a substance 'res veritrol' (not sure about the spelling) which is the subject of significant research for its surprisingly significant health benefits.

So when you call it poison, I tend to think, no - it's about the quantity. Any given substance becomes a 'poison' when too much is consumed. Even water:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16660273/

"water intoxication."

"Drinking large quantities of water rapidly can throw off the body's balance of electrolytes, causing brain swelling and leading to seizures, coma or even death."

The point of this article, David, is that many people react with kneejerk responses to alleged health crises.
I won't argue that excessive alcohol consumption has a large toll on Australian health, because it does. But to single out all alcohol as being bad is just plain dishonest. I enjoy a beer or two, but I tend not to drink to excess. I'll not be penalised because some idiots imbibe too much.

We're adults. That's what being an adult is all about. Making choices, even if they're stupid ones. Your comments worry me, and I'd hope that view is not widespread.

I get profoundly annoyed at the moralistic tone on both sides of the debates over social problems like binge drinking among the young. There are few criticisms on the role played by entrepreneurs, corporate and otherwise, in our market driven economic system who for instance deliberately target the youth, and other vunerable segements of the population, and create a demand for their wares regardless of the social consequences. The market in its capitalist form knows no ethic but to make money. Until we begin to acknowledge this 'elephant in the room' for what it is, there will be no solution to the corruption and exploitation that essentially derives from this economic system.

Clearly the writer of this does not go out late at night. Or early in the morning. And hasn't been to Kings Cross, Fortitude Valley or any of the other drinking centres in each city.

Call it whatever you like, we have an enormous problem with a dangerous drug, alcohol.

I'm not in favour of any bans as they don't work. The answer is in improving our society and educating parents before they breed and train kiddies to drink through copying behaviour.

What is binge drinking by the way?

It is not 4 beers a day or 2 drinks for a woman.

Binge drinking is where you go out and drink until you either have no money or can't stand up anymore. You can't stand the thought of it again for days and then you do it all again. That's binge drinking.

Mr Barns sounds like he wrote this on the back of a coaster in the front bar of his hangout. Probably dictated by the barman.

I assume though that as there is this huge dilemma that he means ignore it, intellectually of course.

This sort of convoluted thinking drives a man to drink doesn't he?