THERE has been a great deal said and published recently about the real problem of our nation – excessive alcoholic consumption, which seems to have got completely out of hand and is costing the NHS an horrendous amount of money and severely reducing the life expectancy of our young people, who are sampling alcohol at an ever young age.

Certainly parents’ example can have a significant effect on their children’s behaviour, but even more important to their children’s behaviour will be the pervading youth culture existing out there, which unfortunately seems to be the desirability of getting drunk as quickly and as cheaply as possible.

Obviously if the present availability of cheap alcohol on most supermarket shelves was curtailed, then this this in itself could reduce the problem significantly.

Publishing units of alcohol contained in each bottle of booze will only enhance the desirability in buying them to the youth.

With out present dire financial indebtedness as a nation, it would seem reasonable for any government to apply swingeing tax increases on the sale of alcohol as has been done similarly to ban excessive tobacco use, so considerably reducing lung cancer.

A further route would be to fine £250 per offence or more all youths and anyone else who through their abusive and drunken behaviour towards the NHS and ambulance staff cause problems.

It might also be worth considering preventing the sale of all alcohol from supermarkets and only allowing off-licence outlets and pubs to sell it in future, who seem more responsible.

It seems to have been the recent pronouncement of Liam Donaldson, the National Medical Officer of Health, drawing our attention to the worsening of this problem, that has focused people’s minds on the absolute necessity of finding a solution.

JOHN TILEY, Chorley.