Can a government EVER get it right on health messages?
By Boingboing
@boiboing (13153)
Northampton, England
January 10, 2016 4:46am CST
In the UK last week the government guidelines on alcohol limits were modified leading to an outcry from many people. In the past, the recommendation was not more than 2-3 units per day for women and 3-4 for men. They've now been changed to 14 units per week - around 6 pints of standard strength beer or 7 glasses of wine. The level for men was brought down to match the level for women for the first time, and recommendations were given that there is 'no safe level' for alcohol consumption and that we should all avoid any alcohol at least a few days a week.
None of this is a problem for me as I already drink within the limits and am not drinking at all this month. My husband and I tend to see our drinking creep up a little bit over Christmas so we knock some sense back into ourselves by not drinking in January.
Not everyone has been so accepting. The usual 'nanny state' accusations are out. The beer-swilling cigarette-smoking leader of UKIP claimed it was outrageous and harrumphed into his beer in indignation.
The thing is that such advice can't ever please everyone. If the top government scientists have research that suggests we should change our behaviour, then we have to be told. They aren't going to lock up the beer or ration the vodka to stop us drinking it. They give us the latest, best info, tell us what the statistical risks are and leave us to choose whether or not we make sensible choices. If they didn't tell us and people got sick and found out later that we should have been told, it would be wrong. So why can't people accept that there's a responsibility on our leaders to tell us what we don't want to hear - as well as what we do.
I saw many posts on here a while back when reports were circulated about the dangers of eating too much bacon, sausage and other processed meats. People were indignant. Some were furious. They spluttered "How dare anybody tell us what to eat?".
Ignorance - it seems - is bliss. People think that what they don't know can't hurt them when the opposite is true. If evidence is presented and guidelines suggested, we should remember they are guidelines and not laws. We can weigh up the evidence ourselves and make our own decisions. But at least we should have access to that evidence.
18 people like this
12 responses
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
10 Jan 16
I also think that this is prob more on an individual level, and all things should be done in moderation.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
11 Jan 16
Why are people so mad? It's a suggestion or guideline not law or did I misunderstand what I read.
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
11 Jan 16
@boiboing Sounds like an unnecessary uproar to me, it's not law and they can do what they wish, we are all grown.
@topffer (42156)
• France
10 Jan 16
I have nothing against guidelines, but be careful as guidelines can become mandatory rules. Since a few years we have a precautionary principle inscribed in our constitution, and the number of laws we have because of this principle is incredibly high. Last year a minister stopped at the last moment a new local regulation in Paris finding its sources in this precautionary principle : the prohibition of chimney fires... It looks like we are all children and cannot anymore decide by ourselves what we want to do. If this principle had existed 2 centuries ago, we would probably have no cars and planes in this country.
@boiboing (13153)
• Northampton, England
10 Jan 16
We can decide by ourselves. But we need to have the latest information and if governments withheld info on the grounds that people might not like it (or more likely don't understand it) then they are failing in their responsibilities.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (472060)
• Switzerland
10 Jan 16
I fully agree, those are guidelines, you can follow on do what you want, but at least you know that there is a danger drinking more. The reality is that people do not want to know, so they can be in peace with themselves eating, drinking and smoking at their pleasure.
@JudyEv (342110)
• Rockingham, Australia
10 Jan 16
Well said. I don't have much patience with those people who regard health information as set-in-stone laws rhat than guidelines to help you choose more wisely.
@boiboing (13153)
• Northampton, England
10 Jan 16
I want to know the facts and be given the chance to react to them. I would not want the government to withhold such information.
@righttotheheart (226)
• Delhi, India
10 Jan 16
drinking in limit is better.. But yes occasionally one can get drunk at parties and stuff like that for such purposes limit should not be fixed!
@boiboing (13153)
• Northampton, England
10 Jan 16
Nothing is fixed at all - it's only a recommendation, not a law.
@Rollo1 (16679)
• Boston, Massachusetts
10 Jan 16
The problem is mostly that these research studies often produce conflicting conclusions and I have seen everything from have two drinks per day if you want to live, to never touch the stuff. As for meat, I have since read two conflicting studies to the one that suggested we don't eat so much meat. Researchers tend to find results that please those who funded the research.
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104628)
• United States
10 Jan 16
I saw something on facebook about new studies and what is recommended for men and women. Honestly, no one will ever be happy and those truly unhappy will always find someone to blame. I say if common sense doesn't tell you when too much is too much than you have another problem entirely. Ya know?
@BelleStarr (61101)
• United States
10 Jan 16
There really is no cure for stupid so those that want to abuse themselves will and the rest of us will just have to pay for their care. Not fair but so little is. lol
@amadeo (111938)
• United States
10 Jan 16
probably not.This goes on and on and on.
Most of them lie about everything.@garymarsh got the right idea.
@softbabe44 (5816)
• Vancouver, Washington
10 Jan 16
Yea your right most around should know the answer.
@Poppylicious (11133)
•
10 Jan 16
I loved the responses of some of the people on the news. Anyone would think it was a new law that had been brought in. Advice, people. Just advice. And fairly good advice at that, I thought. I don't drink enough for it to affect me anyway.
