The BMA proposed setting tax rate increases on alcoholic drinks according to its strength. But the British government had been adjusting upward the tax on drinks only equal to inflation rates on beer and wine, but not for the rest of the spirits.
As the parliament prepares to tackle the national budget next month, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown is under pressure to curb excessive and minor drinking.
In addition to claiming lives, alcohol abuse is linked to more than 60 medical conditions, said Dr. Vivienne Nathanson of the BMA Ethics Committee. By upping alcohol taxes by merely 10 percent, 29 percent of alcohol-related deaths could be prevented among British men and 27 percent among British women. In 2006, alcohol-related deaths dramatically rose by more than 50 percent to 8,758 compared to 4,144 in 1991.
Aside from hiking alcohol taxes, the BMA wants warning labels placed on all drinks and a further reduction in drunk-driving limits.
