The cost of alcohol is relatively cheaper in most of Yerp. Yet other countries don’t seem to have the scale of alcohol-related problems. They drink loads more in France and Germany, for example, I’m sure.
It’s attitudes to drink that need to change. Sometimes, this nation can be a bit too puritanical about stuff. Having a drink is seen as slightly sinful, an activity to be enjoyed behind closed doors, or in properly sanctioned places. And having a beer or a glass of wine with lunch is frowned upon, where as elsewhere, it’s considered perfectly normal.
I don’t think British Drinkers are treated like responsible adults, therefore they sometimes end up behaving like kids.
The commercial drinks industry has to take some of the blame. Ban alco-pops, would be a start. Sweet, sickly vile crap, with quite high alcohol content. Aimed deliberately at kids. So that’s ok, is it? Oh right, sorry; forgot that the sales of that sort of muck generate tax revenue…
But, as usual, I suspect it’s another smokescreen; blame Society’s ills on something tangible, rather than admitting there are deeper issues which might need a little bit more actual effort to fix…