If you took to heart some of the observations of the past week or so you would think that anyone who consumes alcohol is close to becoming a dissolute. Wherever one turns these days it seems someone is berating those who produce, sell or consume the stuff.
Even Radio Four's 'Today' programme got in on the act, presaging an interview with health expert Professor Mike Kelly and that nice Mr Gavin Partington from the Wine & Spirits Association with the line: "Let's not rehearse the argument that we have a drink problem…"
Let's assume that Evan Davis, the 'Today' presenter who uttered this line, was somewhere close to the money; what is the answer to the UK's drinking problem? Cue long pause. You do realise there's a drinking problem, don't you?
Oh, do come on. Pubs are closing at record levels but according to some the nation's health is in dire peril as we - 'we', mind, and not a few troubled individuals - appear hell bent on quaffing quantities of booze that would not seem out of place in a Hogarth engraving.
Many in the press and television - those who have appointed themselves as guardians of our well-being - have taken it upon themselves to show us a truer path. And in so doing have come down mightily hard on the producers and on-trade retailers of alcohol, as well those who fuel the demand: the consumer.
The thing is, whilst some bemoan the decline of the British pub the self same individuals highlight the damage done to the populace by alcohol and its purveyors. It's not just the supermarkets these people have a go at.
Such opprobrium is all well and good, but it misses the point that alcohol consumption overall is going down. Yes, alcohol-related deaths have risen sharply in recent years, but that surely adds weight to the argument that something else is going on and that action to tackle the problem should be targeted in a more...realistic fashion.
Hiking the cost of a tipple - aka minimum pricing - is one option. It has its flaws, notably that those with a drink problem, like drug addicts, will do anything to get their fix. And it won't stop the middle classes - who we all know like to drink like fish - from necking booze either.
Then there is regulation. We have seen this already, with taxes and laws designed to curtail, prescribe and generally make us all feel like we're guilty as (not) charged.
Those against a minimum price and government intervention argue that 'education' is the way forward. The problem here is that it's never explained what is meant by 'education'. Its supporters just say that it is the right approach. The thing is, every time anyone tries to educate me about alcohol I feel the cold, clammy arm of 'nanny-ism' curl around my shoulder, even if such a gesture is done with the best of intentions.
Still, we continue to drink, mostly in a responsible way. A hint of summer, as we saw this past weekend, seemed to prompt every man and his dog to visit the pub. It's not that much of a surprise though; after all, we like pubs, don't we?
Changing the drinking culture of the UK to a state of self-imposed moderation cannot and will not happen overnight. To be honest I don't know what the answer is.
But the debate about how to restore alcohol to its rightful - and responsible - place in this country's culture cannot come soon enough…