Marc Allinson: Problem drinkers v problem drunks

I spend around six hours consuming maybe ten drinks, each at about 2 - 2.5 units totalling about 25 units in a night out. This apparently makes me a nasty evil binge drinker, even though I do not walk home shouting, vomiting and fighting, and I normally have at least 6 days in between sessions, and I can honestly say that the number of units I am drinking could not be further from my mind.

These days the medical association seems to have trained their sights directly on the alcohol industry, and the government in turn narrow this to the on trade. They do not however distinguish between drunk and disorderly, problem drinkers and problem drunks.

On my nights out, the bars which serve me later on could be interpreted as breaking the law, because I am drunk, even though I am simply out having a good time without being a problem to anyone.

The law should differentiate between "drunk" and "drunk and disorderly" so as to allow clarity for bartenders. "Disorderly" does not have to only mean shouting and fighting, it could just mean the inability to stand unaided or stay awake, or more realistically a good bartender can tell when someone has had enough.

Also whilst creating new legislation or rulings, the difference between "problem drinkers" and "problem drunks" needs to be appreciated.

Problem drinkers are those who drink large quantities on a very regular basis to the point where their health suffers, whilst problem drunks are those who may only drink occasionally, but when they do, they become antisocial.

Problem drinkers are those who the chief medical advisor should be looking at. They tend to be the ones who drink high strength alcohol at home or on the streets, rarely in the pubs. For these people to get their regular fix, would be beyond the financial means of most of these people if alcohol was only sold in pubs.

Problem drunks should be looked at by the police and home secretary, they should look at why they become antisocial when drunk and what can be done about it. They tend to have a general lack of respect for other people around them and the authorities and so do not care about the laws and punishments that may get dolled out to them. An ASBO can be a badge of honour and they often do not have the funds to pay the on the spot fines, so a night in the cells just saves them a taxi fare home.

It is worth remembering that the vast majority of millions of people who drink, do not cause any problems at all, and instead help sustain an industry which has created many thousands of jobs and brings in billions each year for the treasury. They visit establishments in which people meet their partners, business deals are done, and millions are raised for various charities.

This "one size fits all" approach that the government and medical advisors seem to be taking is simply not helping and the biggest problem we are all facing is a lack of understanding and worse a unwillingness to understand the industry from those who have the power to affect it, and until this changes, we will see no improvement in the problems and those who drink in a responsible way will continue to be punished for the conduct of the few.