Institute of Alcohol Studies
Institute of Alcohol Studies
John Jolly on the 2018 Budget
John Jolly on the 2018 Budget
John Jolly on the 2018 Budget
Wednesday 31st October 2018
John Jolly explains how the 2018 UK budget's freeze on alcohol duties impacts public health and treatment services in this Alcohol Alert episode.
8 minutes
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Get the buttons here!John Jolly on How the 2018 Budget Missed the Mark on Alcohol Duties
The alcohol industry is there to actually sell alcohol and I don't see any evidence that they are concerned about people's health.
Picture this: the UK government has just announced its 2018 budget, and instead of tackling the cheap alcohol problem head-on, it decides to freeze duties on beers, spirits, and ciders. Sounds like a win for the alcohol industry, right? But what about public health? In this eye-opening episode of the Alcohol Alert Podcast, John Jolly, Chief Executive of Blenheim, unpacks the real consequences of this decision.
He argues that Chancellor Philip Hammond’s business-friendly approach may have saved a few pennies for consumers but will cost much more in terms of public health and treatment services. Jolly sheds light on how the freeze on alcohol duties is a missed opportunity to address the sale of cheap alcohol, which continues to wreak havoc on public health.
He voices his concerns over the lack of investment in alcohol treatment services, which have already been suffering from disinvestment and staff cuts for the past three years. With alcohol-related issues projected to cost the NHS billions and affect millions, Jolly makes a compelling case for an alcohol levy to fund treatment services and a complete overhaul of the taxation system for alcohol. But that's not all. The episode dives into potential measures that could form an effective alcohol strategy.
From minimum unit pricing to reformulation and public health messages, Jolly emphasizes that the alcohol industry’s primary focus is on sales, often at the expense of public well-being. He urges the government to follow its own evidence and guidelines when it comes to pricing, treatment, labeling, and public health messages. If you're curious about how government policies can shape public health outcomes or if you're directly affected by these issues, this episode is a must-listen.
John Jolly's insights offer a sobering look at why an effective alcohol strategy is urgently needed and what steps can be taken to align industry practices with public health priorities.