Irish EU's 'worst binge-drinkers'

[Strengthandhonour]

Irish EU's 'worst binge-drinkers'
Ireland has the highest rates of binge-drinking in the European Union, a survey exploring attitudes to alcohol has indicated. Finland and Britain came second and third in the Eurobarometer survey.
In Italy and Greece, by comparison, only 2% of people said they did binge-drink - defined as having five or more alcoholic drinks in one sitting.
The survey comes just a few days before Ireland, and much of the world, celebrates Saint Patrick's Day.


BINGE-DRINKING IN THE EU
Ireland 34%
Finland 27%
UK 24%
Denmark 23%
Portugal 4%
Italy & Greece 2%
Source: Eurobarometer
Binge-drinking is a particular problem among young people, with almost a fifth of the 15-24 age group usually binge-drinking when consuming alcohol, according to the results of the survey on attitudes towards alcohol, presented by the European Commission on Thursday.
According to the data, men drink more than women, and one in 10 Europeans usually drinks five or more drinks in one session.
Almost eight out of 10 Europeans agree with putting warnings on alcohol bottles and adverts to warn pregnant women and drivers of the dangers of drinking alcohol.
Irish debate
One in three Irish people questioned in the EU survey regularly binge-drink.
In Ireland, there is an ongoing public debate about attitudes to alcohol, especially among young people, says the BBC's James Helm in Dublin.
The Catholic Church has added its voice to those warning of the dangers to society of alcohol abuse.
Saint Patrick's Day on 17 March, the feast day for Ireland's patron saint, can be the cue for heavy drinking.
In recent years there has been much concern about underage drinking on Irish streets on Saint Patrick's Day and some of the resulting problems, including violence, our correspondent says.
This year, police will patrol outside many off-licences where alcohol is sold and there have been calls for stores selling alcoholic drinks to restrict their opening hours in order to try to prevent excessive drinking.



source: BBC NEWS | Europe | Irish EU\'s \'worst binge-drinkers\'

[Errigal]

It is true. The worst part is the girls are really getting into binge drinking too. Finland's number is no surprise.

I'd be interested in France too. Where it fits in the north/south divide.

I remember hearing about government ads against alcohol abuse in France. They put up posters that said "alcohol kills you slowly" and someone wrote on it "that's okay, I'm in no hurry."

[Strengthandhonour]

I am not a drinker at all, except for wine. I have never been drunk or close to it in my life. I find drinking kind of unnatractive, if it's heavy drinking that is. I just always saw it as sort of vulgar I guess?but everyone drinks so..oh well, it's just not for me.

[Errigal]

I like alcohol quite a bit but getting drunk has lost its charm for me. Now I like drinking with food but not just drinking to get drunk. After a few hundred times it gets boring.

[Milesian]

If anyone has ever watched "Booze Britain" or had the misfortune to be on holiday at a resort such as Magaluf or San Antonio next to large contingents of British "yoof", you might question the results of this survey

I actually went to Magaluf for a week, but spent most of my time in a aneighbouring resot popular with the Irish as a result of the fact that the British populated Magaluf was a dangerous den of violence and drunkeness on a scale I wasn't comfortable with.

[Marcus Marulus]

It seems that the whole northern Europe drinks too much. Central Europe, Balkans and Ukaraine/Belarus/Russia don't lag much behind though.

Mots people, chronic drunkards included, know that it is not good to get drunk, but they do it nonetheless. It is a strange self-destructive propensity in human nature that is responsible for that.

[Errigal]

Originally Posted by Milesian

If anyone has ever watched "Booze Britain" or had the misfortune to be on holiday at a resort such as Magaluf or San Antonio next to large contingents of British "yoof", you might question the results of this survey

I actually went to Magaluf for a week, but spent most of my time in a aneighbouring resot popular with the Irish as a result of the fact that the British populated Magaluf was a dangerous den of violence and drunkeness on a scale I wasn't comfortable with.

I'd even want to see the stats on England divided by region. The Southern English can drink, for sure, but it's grim up north.

[Susi]

I think my whole family are drunks. ._. (Excepting my immediate family who haven't been living in the British Isles for 18 years...)

[Errigal]

I saw someone made a good point over at the Irish Nationalism site on this subject. This report is about how many drinks people have in one night, not what they do when they're drunk. Some nationalities are able to binge-drink in a more civilized way than others. That is the missing "X Factor" in this study.

[svin]

Lots people, chronic drunkards included, know that it is not good to get drunk, but they do it nonetheless.

Well, they can't stop because alcoholism is a disease. What annoys me a lot, is that many non-drinkers get drunk in company. In Russia some people think that you don't respect them if you don't want to have a drink with them. Such situations are more common that you can think. Alcoholism is a very serious problem here, and I think it can only be cured by increasing quality of life in general.

[Errigal]

Yes sometimes one meets up with people and drinks, not beacuse you want to, but because it is expected.

[Routasydän]

I'm afraid we Finns have grown soft and aren't providing the competition we should.

This round is yours, Ireland!

[svin]

And it's perfectly understandable why southern Euros don't drink much. When the weather is fine you can go swim in the sea or do other nice things , while in northern Europe it's always cold & wet weather.

[Marcus Marulus]

Originally Posted by svin

Well, they can't stop because alcoholism is a disease. What annoys me a lot, is that many non-drinkers get drunk in company. In Russia some people think that you don't respect them if you don't want to have a drink with them.

We have similar situations in our country: if you happen to be in a company of several people (almost always men) who drink and you don't want to drink, you end up being considered un-social.

Originally Posted by svin

Alcoholism is a very serious problem here, and I think it can only be cured by increasing quality of life in general.

I am not sure about that. Scandinavian countries have very high living standard and they like booze too much as well (look at Wilpuri's post).

[svin]

We have similar situations in our country: if you happen to be in a company of several people (almost always men) who drink and you don't want to drink, you end up being considered un-social.

Most common phrase:
- Ti menya uvazhaesh?

(translation: Do you respect me?)

Means you would be asshole if you don't drink with the person that's asking.

I am not sure about that. Scandinavian countries have very high living standard and they like booze too much as well (look at Wilpuri's post).

Just drinking booze is not good, but alcoholism is more serious problem. If we compare number of alcoholics here, it would be higher than in Ireland, I think.

Just recent example. My father's good friend recently died because he was drinking for 1.5 months without a break. And I doubt he was even 45 years old. He had son and wife.

Many people dislike Gorbachyov but not many know that when he banned alcohol life expextency became much higher.