Binge Drinking & Alcohol

[rokhed00]

Of course, 75cl...... (and I call myself a barman!)

 

Well in Ireland there are usually about 20 shots to a bottle.

 

And according to here there are 25ml in a UK shot. So that would mean 30 shots in a bottle?

 

They must have changed the measurements then, years ago I was told by a barman that there was 16 to a bottle. The new measurements are stingy as fuck, I get between 6 and 8 servings out of a bottle at home.

[Chris the great]

I find your argument pretty flawed aimless, you say theres no reason to get drunk, by your logic theres no reason to masterbate, watch movies, listen to music, play video games, watch TV, tell some jokes. People do it because it's fun. Sure, theres sometimes reprocushions, hangovers, violence and saying things you wish you haden't. The reason people do it is because it's fun. Try watching sign language on late night TV when drunk, it's funny as can be. When you get drunk with mates things just always seem so much fun, and theres always at least one funny story.

 

Alcohal led to one of the best moments of last year, putting a cardboard box on and going to the bar hamered, but passing into legend. People loved it, it was great fun to be the center of attention, ahving drinks bought for me, people talking to me just to say hi. Tell me thats a bad thing, making people friendlier.

 

I'm not trying to have a go, but you make your self sound kind of pretentious, ike your the only one who dosen't need to drink, sneering at the cretins. People get drunk because its fun, they just woulden't do it if there was no point to it, it's simple behaviourst theroy, if behaviour is rewarded in some way, it will reoccur. No ones focing you to drink, but don't look down on thouse who do, as long as people don't get violent or drive whilst drunk, its fair enough in my eyes.

[Aimless]

I find your argument pretty flawed aimless, you say theres no reason to get drunk, by your logic theres no reason to masterbate, watch movies, listen to music, play video games, watch TV, tell some jokes. People do it because it's fun. Sure, theres sometimes reprocushions, hangovers, violence and saying things you wish you haden't. The reason people do it is because it's fun. Try watching sign language on late night TV when drunk, it's funny as can be. When you get drunk with mates things just always seem so much fun, and theres always at least one funny story.

 

Alcohal led to one of the best moments of last year, putting a cardboard box on and going to the bar hamered, but passing into legend. People loved it, it was great fun to be the center of attention, ahving drinks bought for me, people talking to me just to say hi. Tell me thats a bad thing, making people friendlier.

 

I'm not trying to have a go, but you make your self sound kind of pretentious, ike your the only one who dosen't need to drink, sneering at the cretins. People get drunk because its fun, they just woulden't do it if there was no point to it, it's simple behaviourst theroy, if behaviour is rewarded in some way, it will reoccur. No ones focing you to drink, but don't look down on thouse who do, as long as people don't get violent or drive whilst drunk, its fair enough in my eyes.

I'm sure a lot of people think I'm pretentious; that's their prerogative. I'd certainly contest it as I freely admit I'm nothing special. However, allow me to quote my earlier post:

 

I'm not saying that getting drunk makes you a terrible person [...] I've no more problem with people having a glass of wine or the occasional pint than with someone eating a chocolate bar, but if they're going out drinking every night or dining purely on confectioneries then I'm going to be worried.

 

I don't look down on people that get drunk, I look down on the act itself because in my eyes it is completely without merit. And every time I ask people to justify the sheer expenditure of money, time, and health that people invest in it I've yet to receive anything I consider a valid reason.

 

The difference between getting drunk and all the other things you mentioned is that thousands of people a year don't die from them. Alcohol poisoning, drink driving, GBH. So many peoples' lives turned to misery and for what, so people can have a good laugh at wearing a cardboard box?

 

At the end of the day alcohol is just another drug, and one I hope future generations hold no quarter for. No one needs alcohol to have fun, it just gradually becomes a dependency. Any mind-altering substance takes it toll on the user. Sure it seems funny and exciting at first, but what about when people keep going back to it, keep taking something to try and be someone different to who they are? I've met drunkards and terminal stoners. They're the most boring people I've ever met, nothing left behind their eyes but the habit they turned too to be more than themselves. And now they're nothing.

 

This isn't about looking down on people, it's about looking out for them. I'm no saint, but I do give a crap about other people and it pains me to so many heading down the same self-destructive dead end.

[Chris the great]

mate, if you think i don't care about outher people your mistaken. i do care, but i honestly think that alcohal is a good thing, and you say the things i mentioned don't lead to death? what about obesity? that claims lives every year, and thats as related to tv/video games as dinking is to gbh. alcohal dosent turn a normal person violent, ive done a little bit of work on the effects of alcohalon the brain, fair enough, there are risks, and its not nice to see an old alcohalic and the effects it's had on them, but getting drunk with your mates isn't like fireing a loaded gun into a crowd, look at the statistcs, number of people out getting drunk and the number of alcohal related crimes. even in instances of crime, corolation does not mean cause, if a drunken mate tells you to bugger off, chances are they were thinking it the whole time and only have the balls to say it whilest drunk.

 

In all my time drinking, i haven't commited, nor have any of the people i've been with commited a crime. why should the innocent suffer the actions of a few? I certanly don't condone crimes when drunk, but then I don't commit them. I have seen a grand total of 1 inncident of violence due to alcohal, and it upset me, but after all the hours i have spent around the drunks, i can honestly say that 99.9% of the people I have encountered drunk have been out for a good time and well behaved

 

future generations will drink, mankind has been drinking since the stone age, prohibition has been shown not to work, its a fact that must be accepted, drinking is popular. since the first human civilisations began, humans preconceptions of love, war, honer, justice and morality ahve shifted incesantly, yet we have always had a drink in our hands.

 

It is a shame that there are people who spoil it for the rest of us, drunken assaults and drink driving just shoulden't happen, but the actualy percentage of cases of people drinking and this happening are minescule, the pros of alcohal far out weigh the cons.

 

Its only fair to note, I did go through a phase were i didn't drink, I thought it was setting my exhema off, to be honest, it wasn't the most fun time ive had while socialising with people who did drink, and i feel for people who are unable to drink.

 

I do think its possible to have a good time without drinking, and I don't drink if im not around drinkers, i can go months with out a drink and not care, but if theres a night out on the cards, you know I'll be reaching for a drink, getting drunk and having a brilliant time, who cares if I spend a load of money? it is only money, as long as i don't go too far and get into debt its not a problem, if i didnt drink id have more money, but id have had less friends, money dosent do anything for you when its sat in the bank or your wallet, my phiolosophy is that you only get one chance at life, make sure you enjoy it, as long as you arnt harming outhers then its not somthing you need to worry about.

[The Bard]

Steady on there, that's an eyefull.

[blender]

I like to get drunk, grope girls, break noses and piss in my bed. When I wake up the next day I usually throw-up in the toilet and then forget to feed the cat. Sometimes I go for a drive to freshen up. However, I suspect that I am over the limit. However, because it is daylight, it doesn't matter.

[Aimless]

mate, if you think i don't care about outher people your mistaken. i do care, but i honestly think that alcohal is a good thing, and you say the things i mentioned don't lead to death? what about obesity? that claims lives every year, and thats as related to tv/video games as dinking is to gbh.

I didn't say you didn't care about people. I don't think I even implied that.

 

As for obesity, it's as I said before: everything in moderation. Obesity is a major health problem, but so is smoking; the topic isn't 'Binge Drinking, Alcohol, Smoking & Obesity'. Plus I'd say obesity is more the spawn of poor nutrition than the invention of the TV. TV dinners, sure, but not television itself.

 

I'm not saying everyone that drinks alcohol in some form or another is going to knife people at every opportunity, but as a substance it negatively affects millions of people. And certainly in the UK it's getting worse!

The alcohol-related death rate in the UK increased from 6.9 per 100,000 population in 1991 to 12.9 in 2005. The number of alcohol-related deaths has more than doubled from 4,144 in 1991 to 8,386 in 2005.

Over 8,000 people dead in a year, and that's just the UK. Is your enjoyment of alcohol worth 8,000 lives? Is it even worth one?

 

Perhaps a shift in perspective would help elucidate the matter. Do you think the UK should change its laws on gun ownership to be more in line with the USA? Sure gun crime would skyrocket, but why should those that can responsibly own a gun suffer because of the irresponsible few?

 

You talk of the "pros of alcohol", but that isn't enough. Tell me what they are, don't just say they exist and expect me to accept it. So far all I've seen you do is appeal to tradition, but that means precisely nothing; slavery was a big thing for years, so we might as well bring that back in a big way, eh?

 

No one has ever made a solid case for getting drunk, and I very much doubt you will either.

[Chris the great]

8,000 people die from alcohal related causes a year, thats a lot, but consider how many people drink alcohal, in a country with a population excelling

60,000,000 thats a very small proportio9n, and remember, they say alchoal related deaths, it dosent say alcohal caused deaths, it may be that the statistics include heart dissease, into which drinking would play a part, or some one not realising they have an alergy to the drink or even freak acidents that happen to occur to thouse who are drinking. Would you say that cars should be banned? They cause death, what about red meat? thats been known to cause food poisoning and contribute to weight/heart problems. Theres a load of people saying the violent games and movies are related to crimes, should we ban them? And then we have recriational sex, should that be banned to stop the spread of STDs?

 

Certainly, alcohal has a dark side, but consider this, alcohal is not necicarily making people violent, alcohal may just happen to appeal to people with a violent disposition, and acts of violence would still be carried out by these people even without the presence of alcohal.

 

I feel I have justied alcohal in society, it's fun, it livens social events and it brings people together. It serves no less purpouse the the public then TV, movies, video games, football, music or art, yet it seems that people belive that because it lowers inhibitions its some terible Dr Jeckle potion, its not. When alcohal is consumed, synapses between neurons in the brain are blocked. Due to the structure of the brain, regularly performed activities have more related brain cells, meaning more nurons and more synapses,there for during drinking, behaviour with the most synapses, which is the most frequently carried out, will remane were as less frequent behaviours are less common. It isn't making people act vilently,its making people act more naturaly, whichmay be part of its appeal.

[Rummy]

I didn't say you didn't care about people. I don't think I even implied that.

 

As for obesity, it's as I said before: everything in moderation. Obesity is a major health problem, but so is smoking; the topic isn't 'Binge Drinking, Alcohol, Smoking & Obesity'. Plus I'd say obesity is more the spawn of poor nutrition than the invention of the TV. TV dinners, sure, but not television itself.

 

I'm not saying everyone that drinks alcohol in some form or another is going to knife people at every opportunity, but as a substance it negatively affects millions of people. And certainly in the UK it's getting worse!

 

Over 8,000 people dead in a year, and that's just the UK. Is your enjoyment of alcohol worth 8,000 lives? Is it even worth one?

 

Perhaps a shift in perspective would help elucidate the matter. Do you think the UK should change its laws on gun ownership to be more in line with the USA? Sure gun crime would skyrocket, but why should those that can responsibly own a gun suffer because of the irresponsible few?

 

You talk of the "pros of alcohol", but that isn't enough. Tell me what they are, don't just say they exist and expect me to accept it. So far all I've seen you do is appeal to tradition, but that means precisely nothing; slavery was a big thing for years, so we might as well bring that back in a big way, eh?

 

No one has ever made a solid case for getting drunk, and I very much doubt you will either.

 

It's fun and it makes you feel good, he has definitely said that, more than once.

Would I be right in thinking those stats aren't missing a cent, and are actuall 6.9 per 100,000 people? Thats like...0.000069% risen to 0.000129%?

[Blackfox]

Typically I'll go out once a week, and then maybe to the pub for one or two pints a couple of times a week. I'm probably drinking too much, but I think its the whole "uni-thing". Its not giving me an health problems though, so I don't exactly have the incentive to stop..

 

As for the whole teetotal vs alcohol debate; alcohol is fun. For me it gives me the confidence to dance, and then the excuse for dancing badly Its a bit of fun, allows people to unwind a little - its just the idiots who ruin it by not knowing their limits.

 

Last night was a bit of a bender for me. I think I had around about 30 units ish, over the night... I was pretty lucid throughout most of it. Good times.

[conzer16]

Typically I'll go out once a week, and then maybe to the pub for one or two pints a couple of times a week. I'm probably drinking too much, but I think its the whole "uni-thing". Its not giving me an health problems though, so I don't exactly have the incentive to stop..

 

As for the whole teetotal vs alcohol debate; alcohol is fun. For me it gives me the confidence to dance, and then the excuse for dancing badly Its a bit of fun, allows people to unwind a little - its just the idiots who ruin it by not knowing their limits.

 

Last night was a bit of a bender for me. I think I had around about 30 units ish, over the night... I was pretty lucid throughout most of it. Good times.

 

30! Holy God BlackFox! According to this website, you should have no more than 21 units per week! And only 4 units per day!!

 

How many drinks would 30 units be?

 

Edit: I did some searching (because this thread is really interesting me, not because I'm pointing out you BF as an example) and found that a regukar pint of lager had roughly 2.3 units and a (standard UK 25ml) vodka shot has 1 unit. So 30 units would roughly be 10 pints and 3 double vodkas ~ jeeze, I've been known to drink that much in one night.

[DCK]

I usually don't go past 10 beers. Don't like getting totally pissed.

 

With 10 beers it's a lot easier to enjoy people who are totally pissed.

[Blackfox]

30! Holy God BlackFox! According to this website, you should have no more than 21 units per week! And only 4 units per day!!

 

How many drinks would 30 units be?

 

Edit: I did some searching (because this thread is really interesting me, not because I'm pointing out you BF as an example) and found that a regukar pint of lager had roughly 2.3 units and a (standard UK 25ml) vodka shot has 1 unit. So 30 units would roughly be 10 pints and 3 double vodkas ~ jeeze, I've been known to drink that much in one night.

 

Yeah, there's worse people than me though

Those kinda nights don;t happen all too often though; if I'm out in clubs I might have about 5-7 Strongbows - then I get bloated and full, and dance it off. I think last night it was the absinthe cocktail that finished me off.

 

And yeah, it is quite easy to rack up the units, especially as most people don't think beer has that many. Units are also misleading, after 3 or 4 pints I feel quite fine. 30 units had be plastered, but not so much that I couldn;t take care of myself. My friend, on the other hand, had a few cans of beer and ended up vomming all over. Depends on the person!

 

Maybe I'm airresponsible, but since I'll be treating people in a few years time who have had the effects of alcohol enduced upon them - maybe I'm allowed to go out on the lash a little

 

Also finding this thread a little funny: we've had a few lectures on alcohol this week, and the effects of it.

[Aimless]

8,000 people die from alcohal related causes a year, thats a lot, but consider how many people drink alcohal, in a country with a population excelling

60,000,000 thats a very small proportio9n, and remember, they say alchoal related deaths, it dosent say alcohal caused deaths, it may be that the statistics include heart dissease, into which drinking would play a part, or some one not realising they have an alergy to the drink or even freak acidents that happen to occur to thouse who are drinking. Would you say that cars should be banned? They cause death, what about red meat? thats been known to cause food poisoning and contribute to weight/heart problems. Theres a load of people saying the violent games and movies are related to crimes, should we ban them? And then we have recriational sex, should that be banned to stop the spread of STDs?

 

Certainly, alcohal has a dark side, but consider this, alcohal is not necicarily making people violent, alcohal may just happen to appeal to people with a violent disposition, and acts of violence would still be carried out by these people even without the presence of alcohal.

 

I feel I have justied alcohal in society, it's fun, it livens social events and it brings people together. It serves no less purpouse the the public then TV, movies, video games, football, music or art, yet it seems that people belive that because it lowers inhibitions its some terible Dr Jeckle potion, its not. When alcohal is consumed, synapses between neurons in the brain are blocked. Due to the structure of the brain, regularly performed activities have more related brain cells, meaning more nurons and more synapses,there for during drinking, behaviour with the most synapses, which is the most frequently carried out, will remane were as less frequent behaviours are less common. It isn't making people act vilently,its making people act more naturaly, whichmay be part of its appeal.

Alcohol is not like TV, movies and music because it is not a creative medium, it isn't part of culture. It doesn't catalogue human progression or artistic endeavour, it is simply a drug.

 

I think you're dancing around my point. You said "in a country with a population excelling 60,000,000 thats a very small proportio9n". Do you think that justifies the deaths? The Holocaust wasn't much of a dent in the world population, so should we waive that as well? This isn't about proportionate statistics, it's about real people that led real lives, just like you. (You can read all about what constitutes an alcohol-related death in this government PDF.)

 

Cars serve a purpose in society, without them the country would come to a literal standstill. Red meat can cause food poisoning, but it isn't a poison as of itself unlike alcohol, and only excessive consumption of it is a real threat to health which is something covered before. I have never seen any proof that violent movies and games are linked to violent crime, it's all tabloid scaremongering with no actual evidence to back them up; you cannot say the same for drink driving. You can't ban recreational sex as reproduction is an integral part of life and it would be something impossible to enforce, and whilst STDs are a huge problem people don't go out and pay to suffer them.

 

What unique role does alcohol serve? "It's fun and it feels good", like Rummy said? So does Exstacy. Should we make that legally available from off licenses? Hell, all drugs fit that purpose so let's just legalise everything, yeah?

 

Nobody needs alcohol to have fun. I'm not saying it isn't a social lubricant for people, but it isn't a requirement of fun or being social. If you're someone that can only have fun with your friends when drunk then the problem isn't being sober, it's hanging out with the wrong people.

 

Going back to my original point, you may remember I've said on several occasions that I don't begrudge people the occasional drink, I just find the entire practise of getting drunk completely needless and irresponsible. So far no one has offered any justification for it other than "it's fun", which I feel, when weighed up against the personal, social, and cultural cost, is no defense at all.

[rokhed00]

What unique role does alcohol serve? "It's fun and it feels good", like Rummy said? So does Exstacy. Should we make that legally available from off licenses? Hell, all drugs fit that purpose so let's just legalise everything, yeah?

 

I don't see why not, they already sell the one drug that is, supposedly, guaranteed to kill you.

[Chris the great]

you say drinking isnt a creative emdium, clearly youve never drunk a fine wine.

 

There is a point to going out and getting drunk, regardless of whether you agree with it, it is fun, saying people dont need to drink to have fun is like saying you don't need a car to get to palces, its not necicarily needed but it makes things faster.

 

I don't understand why people like football, which in many cases leads to violence and anti social behaviour, yet i accept that it makes a lot of people very happy, and by not watching football, im not saying that thouse who do are making a mistake, that the chance of violence, crowd behaviour and stress (all factors that can be linked to football) are outweighing the pros of them watching the game.

 

As for compairing alcohal to extacy, its not the same thing, the effects on the body of the two drugs are very different, they act in different ways and the effects on a persons actions and behaviours are different.

 

I do dissagree with people drinking far to much to regularly, but what is too much differs from person to person, the recomended units of alcohal in a week is just plain daft, how can the government say that if i go drinking with a 3foot skinny guy and a 7 foot body builder that they should both have no more then 21 units of alcoha in that week? its like only giving shoes in size 9 to every person. As long as you arnt doing irreperable damage to your body, whats the harm in getting drunk every once in a while? admitedly there are health risks, its the same with the food i eat, but what it all boild down to is that im alot happier eating the odd burger, and id rather take the risks, which for the level i drink, are relitivly low, and enjoy life.

 

oh, and compairing the holocaust to binge drinking, thats not the same, the halocauset was murder, pre ordaned and malicious, the majority of alcohal related deaths, with the exception of a few of the fights that go on are acciedental.

[The Bard]

Er, I've only read the first line, but I'd like to point out that drinking wine isn't a "creative meduim..." It's...drinking wine...now, if you're lucky, wine will taste something close to vinegar, so really, you're saying tasting ethanoic acid and ethanol (a substance the body has a natural repulsion to), so in reality, the only reason anyone has for "tasting wine" is some stupid, pseudo artistic excuse to get drunk. They might aswell be tasting grape juice for fucks sake. I really do find it amusing how people pass the least enjoyable things imaginable as "art." Of course, some people say that it wouldn't be "art" if it were enjoyable .

 

As for Aimless, I do envy and admire your stance on all this, mainly because I guess it makes you a better person than I am (I really don't care what harm others inflict upon themselves through drugs, we can't go around holding their hands like little children, if they can't look after themselves without a law in place, then they're either a fool or a coward who can't turn away from what society expects them to be; they're not independant and intelligent enough to be worth giving a damn about in the first place).

[Aimless]

you say drinking isnt a creative emdium, clearly youve never drunk a fine wine.

I'm not saying there isn't skill involved, but I don't see it as a creative medium. What does it say about humanity, what does it say about society, how is it progressive? There is certainly talent behind all those bottles on the shelves, much as J. Robert Oppenheimer was a genius. Much as he thought against the misuse of his creation, I very much doubt creators of fine wines would advocate getting drunk on their produce.

 

 

There is a point to going out and getting drunk, regardless of whether you agree with it, it is fun, saying people dont need to drink to have fun is like saying you don't need a car to get to palces, its not necicarily needed but it makes things faster.

It takes me just over an hour to walk into town from my house. Driving that journey takes about 5 minutes.

 

If I'm doing something fun then it is fun immediately. ExciteTruck is fun, and it doesn't take half-an-hour to build up to that, it's fun straight away.

 

Being drunk makes things seem fun which you might normally not consider to be. That isn't speeding things up, it's lowering the bar. And when you lower that standard you won't match up to the expectations of people that aren't drunk, part of the reason why drunk people are no fun to be around. That's why I call it selfish and not social. In the majority of cases drunk people are only really appreciated by other drunk people.

 

I don't understand why people like football, which in many cases leads to violence and anti social behaviour, yet i accept that it makes a lot of people very happy, and by not watching football, im not saying that thouse who do are making a mistake, that the chance of violence, crowd behaviour and stress (all factors that can be linked to football) are outweighing the pros of them watching the game.

Personally I don't like football, but I don't think you can blame the sport for violence surrounding it. Football hooligans don't really care about the game, they're just after an excuse — ironically hooliganism tends to be fueled by alcohol. Furthermore it isn't a narcotic, it doesn't have lasting physiological effects.

 

As for compairing alcohal to extacy, its not the same thing, the effects on the body of the two drugs are very different, they act in different ways and the effects on a persons actions and behaviours are different.

My point is that if you use alcohol to "have fun and feel good" it is just as self-serving a drug as Exstacy. The difference between them is really only one of degree; if the government didn't make so much tax on alcohol it would have been banned long ago.

 

I do dissagree with people drinking far to much to regularly, but what is too much differs from person to person, the recomended units of alcohal in a week is just plain daft, how can the government say that if i go drinking with a 3foot skinny guy and a 7 foot body builder that they should both have no more then 21 units of alcoha in that week? its like only giving shoes in size 9 to every person. As long as you arnt doing irreperable damage to your body, whats the harm in getting drunk every once in a while? admitedly there are health risks, its the same with the food i eat, but what it all boild down to is that im alot happier eating the odd burger, and id rather take the risks, which for the level i drink, are relitivly low, and enjoy life.

I don't care about unit limits; they're as useless as GDAs on food. And I'll say again that I don't mind people drinking now and then, it is the whole ethos of going out with the aim being to get drunk. I don't see drunk people having more fun than those that have had a glass of wine or two. I do see the former throwing up, being overtly obnoxious and not in control of themselves, though. If you accidentally go a bit over your limit then fair enough, you'll know better next time. But a lot of people — you can hear them bragging about their intentions every day — go out with the sole aim of getting drunk. Not having a drink, but getting drunk. That is what I cannot stand, that is what upsets me.

 

I understand why people have a glass or two to relax their inhibitions, but as far as I can see getting drunk has no advantages over that. And yet going out to get pissed has become more than a cultural norm, it's expected of pretty much everyone in their late teens or twenties. Don't you think that's wrong?

 

You probably think I'm trying to force you not to drink, but that isn't it. The reality is that current social conventions push people to drink and get drunk. If anyone is being pressured it isn't you, it's people like me that don't drink. Now I've no problem just saying no, because I'm a stubborn bastard — I'm sure you've noticed — but you need only look outside your local Co-Op after dark to see how enamored this country's youth is with alcohol and getting drunk. Now some of these people will grow out of it, but what of those that don't? They're the ones lying dead in twisted wreckage, they're the ones lying in hospital with liver failure. And their numbers are growing.

 

 

oh, and compairing the holocaust to binge drinking, thats not the same, the halocauset was murder, pre ordaned and malicious, the majority of alcohal related deaths, with the exception of a few of the fights that go on are acciedental.

My point was that you said that the people that die alcohol-related deaths are only a small percentage of the population, but percentages don't have anything to do with it. Try using that argument against the families of people that have died due to alcohol and see what kind of response you get. The fact is that no one should be dying for it. No one.

 

But you know what, screw it. This isn't going to change anything. All it's doing is draining me of all energy and depressing me due to the futility of it all. You 'win'.

[Bren]

thanks to this thread im getting drunk tonite, its just inspired me to get some heinekin! WOOO!

[conzer16]

I picked up 18 bottles of Miller for €15

[Rummy]

Alcohol is not like TV, movies and music because it is not a creative medium, it isn't part of culture. It doesn't catalogue human progression or artistic endeavour, it is simply a drug.

I beg to differ on that point, it is very much a part of some cultures, and I'd say british culture is one of them. Also, if it wasn't so much a part of general culture, I imagine it would be illegal like all the other drugs.

You also said no one needs it to have fun, how do you know? Are you everyone? I think maybe there are some people out there who do.

You strike me as very closed to the idea of it being anything but stupid, yet if it was so stupid why would so many people drink it? Yes there's some deaths from it too, but that I say is down to the people and not solely the alcohol. There's deaths from gaming every year, let's make them illegal! You said you haven't seen any evidence, but I was learning about it just the other day, the general consensus amongst social psychologist is that violent games/movies DO increase violent behaviour, but the argument of 'small proportion' is used to counter it. I haven't seen the sources myself, I've been told this by my lecturer on the subject, but I take her word for it. I'm gonna email her and try and find some sources for you.

 

30! Holy God BlackFox! According to this website, you should have no more than 21 units per week! And only 4 units per day!!

 

How many drinks would 30 units be?

 

Edit: I did some searching (because this thread is really interesting me, not because I'm pointing out you BF as an example) and found that a regukar pint of lager had roughly 2.3 units and a (standard UK 25ml) vodka shot has 1 unit. So 30 units would roughly be 10 pints and 3 double vodkas ~ jeeze, I've been known to drink that much in one night.

 

Units are 1cl(10ml) of alcohol, so if you put the quantity of something into cl and multiply it by the percentage, you have the units in it, just for anyone not so sure of how to work it out. I try to do the numbers on alot of what I drink, both for the cost of what I'm drinking, and the knowledge of what I'm putting in me. Most pints are in excess of two units, as I worked out earlier, they'd have to be pretty weak(3.4%) to be 2units/less.

[mcj metroid]

To people who have read Dante's post about Ireland being the binge drinking capital of the world.....how many drinks do you have on a regular night out? And how often do you have a night out?

 

Do you go out to get drunk in a night club with loads of people, or do you prefer a sociable drink with some friends in a quiet pub?

 

What are NE's opinions on binge drinking and alcohol in general?

 

Going out the town is very over-rated. I drink the odd time since i've got my age card. I drink far more at house parties which are far more fun. Yes we are the binge drinking capital of the world:)

[Chris the great]

Well, to be honest, the argument isn't going to be resolved is it, saying you win isn't really necicary, I wasn't trying to win any arguments, simply discuss the issues, after all whats the point of a forum without discussion?

[conzer16]

Units are 1cl(10ml) of alcohol, so if you put the quantity of something into cl and multiply it by the percentage, you have the units in it, just for anyone not so sure of how to work it out. I try to do the numbers on alot of what I drink, both for the cost of what I'm drinking, and the knowledge of what I'm putting in me. Most pints are in excess of two units, as I worked out earlier, they'd have to be pretty weak(3.4%) to be 2units/less.

 

It's 10 ml of pure ethanol. I just wanted to point that out as some people get confused between alcohol and a pint; ie a pint is alcohol etc.

 

An average pint of lager (as I pointed out earlier) is roughly 2.3 units.

 

A pint = 568ml, so [ (568ml * 4%)/1000 ] = 2.3

 

That's how I worked out my units earlier.

[Aimless]

Well, to be honest, the argument isn't going to be resolved is it, saying you win isn't really necicary, I wasn't trying to win any arguments, simply discuss the issues, after all whats the point of a forum without discussion?

I said 'win', not win.

 

If you'd prefer a longhand explanation, I find discussions such as these draining as they don't go anywhere nor change anything and tend to leave me looking the bad guy, so I'm not going to continue banging my head against a brick wall as all it results in is a headache. I'm no savant, I'm not going to bring anything new to this discussion; I tread in others' footsteps and it's a familiar path with no hidden treasure at its end.