When is it time to say enough is enough?

I have a drink problem

What was it?
The ‘I have a drink problem’ campaign looked at the serious impact alcohol misuse has on our frontline services.

Local MPs, police officers, nurses, paramedics and firefighters backed the campaign and they were joined by landlords, bar staff, taxi drivers and others in professions who experience the darker side of drink.

The campaign also aimed to highlight the problems caused by alcohol sold at pocket money prices, which frontline staff are faced with on a regular basis, and encourage members of the public to support the Government’s intention to tackle the sale of cheap drink.

What we did
We highlighted the campaign through the media, focusing on real people and real stories to demonstrate the hard-hitting impact.

It was launched on the same day that Home Office officials visited the region (28 July 2010) to discuss proposals set out in a six week consultation on the way alcohol is priced and sold.

As part of the campaign we visited towns and cities across the region and residents were encouraged to support the Government’s intention to tackle the sale of drink at pocket money prices. Around 3,000 people backed the campaign, telling Government they’ve had enough of the problems caused by alcohol misuse.

Vital stats
Problems caused by alcohol misuse are stretching the region’s essential services to the limit:

• 50% of all violent crime is alcohol-related.

• 50% of domestic abuse cases are alcohol related – that’s around 6,500 in the North East last year.

• 2 out of 3 young offenders in the North East have an alcohol use disorder.

• Alcohol-related offences committed by women have increased by as much as 1,000% over the last five years.

A large contributory factor is that alcohol is 44% more affordable today, in relative terms, than it was in 1980. Studies show that linking the price of alcohol to its strength and introducing a minimum price of 50p per unit would:

• Reduce drinking amongst young and heavy drinkers without impacting significantly on moderate drinkers or the price of alcohol in our community pubs.

• Reduce alcohol-related crimes in England by nearly 46,000 a year.

• Reduce alcohol-related hospital admissions in England by almost 100,000 a year.

• Save our country an estimated £1billion every year.

What people said
North Tyneside MP Mary Glindon
“Alcohol misuse is having a serious impact upon our frontline services, not only in Tyneside but across the whole of the UK, and we need to do something about it. I will be raising awareness of my concerns in the House of Commons and urging Government to address the sale of extremely cheap strong alcohol which is blighting our region. I would also ask all of my constituents to have their say on the issue, by responding to the Balance and Home Office campaigns.”

PC Anne-Marie Gray
“Alcohol misuse is a major cause of crime and drunks are unpredictable. Sometimes, when you come face to face with an aggressive, abusive one, you fear you’re not going to make it through. The women can be worse. Some see you as fair game, pull your hair or stab you with a stiletto. I’ve even been punched in the face.”