Binge Drinking In Downward Spiral

Jasmine Wing toasts the recent drop in London’s binge-drinking incidents.

Binge-drinking incidents in London during December 2014 were down 21 per cent compared to December 2013, according to a new report issued by the Greater London Authority.

Over a three month period, the number of incidents fell by nearly 10 per cent compared to the previous year.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics suggest that London’s downward trend is being reproduced nationwide: 18 per cent of young adults reported binge drinking once a week in 2013, whereas 29 percent had reported doing this in 2005.

A Department of Health spokesperson said: ‘It is extremely pleasing to see that the number of people binge drinking continues to go down, and it is particularly good to see that young people are drinking less and hopefully getting into healthier drinking habits for life.’

Why the decline? Some commentators point to the cultural shift towards social media, with less emphasis on going out to pubs and clubs. But others have suggested that alcohol misuse is only being re-located – from public places to inside the home.

Alcohol-related deaths are at their lowest rate this century, but alcohol misuse is still costing the NHS an estimated £3.5 billion a year.

There are more teetotallers in London than anywhere else in England and Wales.

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