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Doctors have welcomed the alcohol tax hike, but have warned that combating alcohol abuse will need further action by the government, according to the Western Mail.

Chancellor Alistair Darling substantially raised the tax on alcohol yesterday during his first Budget, including an increase for spirits for the first time in eleven years.

With duty on alcohol rising by six per cent, drinkers will see a 55 pence increase on a bottle of spirits, four pence on a pint of beer, three pence on a litre of cider and 14 pence on a bottle of wine.

Lesley King-Lewis, joint chief executive of the organisation Action on Addiction, told the paper that the changes will have an impact both on social drinkers and alcohol addicts.

He said: "Research has shown that many young people and dependent drinkers are more likely to binge-drink with cheap and strong alcohol. We know these drinkers are just as responsive to price change as moderate drinkers."

Dr Richard Lewis, Welsh Secretary of the British Medical Association, also praised the price increases, but called on the government to use this as "part of a larger plan to reduce problem drinking."

The Budget also included an increase in the tax on cigarettes, the cost of which will rise 11 pence for a packet of 20.

Article published on 14/03/2008 by DryOutNow.com

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