Jim’s Blog
Comics
Forums

Shastrix Blogs

 
    Shastrix.com    |    Shastrix Blogs     Sign In   

December 2005

M T W T F S S
      1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28 29 30 31  
November January

Recent Posts

Rail travel in July 2016

Cover of Survivors

Book of the Year 2014

Saying goodbye to Clive Cussler

Cover of The Children of Hamlin

Cover of The Peacekeepers

Book of the Year Award

Recent Comments

Jim Books on the shor...

ASH Will SOMEBODY ple...

ASH Quite right; more...

Cait That last point r...

Jim MathsAlso, if the...

Guy I think I saw the...

Daffyd :o That's wierd. ...


Warning: Use of undefined constant galimg - assumed 'galimg' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/blogs/craptohtml.php on line 8

Warning: Use of undefined constant galimg - assumed 'galimg' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/blogs/craptohtml.php on line 9

Warning: Use of undefined constant youtube - assumed 'youtube' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/blogs/craptohtml.php on line 10
Scotch | 15th December 2005, 20:07  
BBC News reports that Scotland is seeing more and more people admitted to hospital with drink related illnesses, which is taking its toll on the NHS.

My question for today is: Why should illness and injury caused by alcohol be paid for by the NHS? As people who know me will be aware, I choose not to drink, and so I am wondering why I, as a future taxpayer, should have to pay for the consequences of other people drinking?

People in general drink deliberately. It's no accident that they go to the pub, club or students union and purchase large amounts of alcohol with exactly the intention of getting drunk. Why, at this stage, do they cease to become responsible for their actions?

Generally in law they are held responsible. Drink driving is one example where it is the drivers fault if they are drunk and they can be fined or even imprisoned. Another fantastic one I read about recently on the good old beeb about a student who was told in court that 'drunken consent is still consent', and whose rape case was thrown out.

So, why don't we take this one step further, and hold people financially responsible? Not just to the extent that they pay for damage to property, but also to people. This can apply both to damage to themselves, and to others. If someone causes themselves to be ill through too much drink, then they should pay for their medical treatment, not me. They have chosen to drink and so have chosen to be ill. Similarly, if they cause injury to someone else (through drink driving for example) then they should be made to pay for their victim's medical treatment.

This would have twofold effect. Firstly, it would lift some of the financial burden from the taxpayer, and mean that the NHS had more urgently needed money for caring for those who are actually ill or suffer accidents or are in the mood to give birth. Secondly, it would discourage people from drinking too much, as the financial risk to them is much greater (and they will probably pay more heed to the health of their wallet than themselves).

I suggest the government take up this scheme. Insurance companies however would have to make sure their policies did not include cover for such self-inflicted harm.
Previous
Next

Warning: Use of undefined constant galimg - assumed 'galimg' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/blogs/craptohtml.php on line 8

Warning: Use of undefined constant galimg - assumed 'galimg' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/blogs/craptohtml.php on line 9

Warning: Use of undefined constant youtube - assumed 'youtube' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/blogs/craptohtml.php on line 10


Cait | 16th December 2005, 14:59  
I can't be bothered to list other examples in detail that you could apply this stuff to, but there are lots. E.g. You eat lots of crap food now. Later in life you get diabeties/cancer due to crap diet. You should have to pay for yourself. You chose to give birth, you want children, if anything goes wrong... You should have to pay. Smokers don't have to pay and they give cancer to non-smokers. Drivers contribute to asthma problems. And it goes on and on and on with diet and lifesyle and the choices we make affecting everyone and we all do it and so we all pay tax. It doesn't have a drunken leg to stand on.

I'm tired.

Warning: Use of undefined constant galimg - assumed 'galimg' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/blogs/craptohtml.php on line 8

Warning: Use of undefined constant galimg - assumed 'galimg' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/blogs/craptohtml.php on line 9

Warning: Use of undefined constant youtube - assumed 'youtube' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/blogs/craptohtml.php on line 10


Me again | 16th December 2005, 15:01  
PS I don't like the way I can't get back to warwick blogs from this site just by clicking. I have to type it in again. Booo.

Warning: Use of undefined constant galimg - assumed 'galimg' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/blogs/craptohtml.php on line 8

Warning: Use of undefined constant galimg - assumed 'galimg' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/blogs/craptohtml.php on line 9

Warning: Use of undefined constant youtube - assumed 'youtube' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/blogs/craptohtml.php on line 10


Jim | 16th December 2005, 19:30  
I've just realised that there is a lot of tax on things like alcohol and tobacco which I suppose means they are paying more for it, just indirectly.

On the other matter, surely if you come here from Warwick Blogs you can just use the back button...

Warning: Use of undefined constant galimg - assumed 'galimg' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/blogs/craptohtml.php on line 8

Warning: Use of undefined constant galimg - assumed 'galimg' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/blogs/craptohtml.php on line 9

Warning: Use of undefined constant youtube - assumed 'youtube' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/blogs/craptohtml.php on line 10


Cait | 17th December 2005, 15:57  
Not if I comment... like this. It tells me page expired and won't go back anymore. Boooo

Warning: Use of undefined constant galimg - assumed 'galimg' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/blogs/craptohtml.php on line 8

Warning: Use of undefined constant galimg - assumed 'galimg' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/blogs/craptohtml.php on line 9

Warning: Use of undefined constant youtube - assumed 'youtube' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/blogs/craptohtml.php on line 10


Jim | 17th December 2005, 20:12  
What browser are you using? Most have a drop down from the back button that will let you choose from several pages back to jump to.

Warning: Use of undefined constant galimg - assumed 'galimg' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/blogs/craptohtml.php on line 8

Warning: Use of undefined constant galimg - assumed 'galimg' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/blogs/craptohtml.php on line 9

Warning: Use of undefined constant youtube - assumed 'youtube' (this will throw an Error in a future version of PHP) in /var/www/html/blogs/craptohtml.php on line 10


Cait | 19th December 2005, 18:43  
Oooo how exciting.

Add Comment

Name:
Comment:
Are you a spambot?

By clicking the submit button you are agreeing to the AUP