Booze deregulation leads to 11% drop in violent crime

This is similar to cannabis reclassification to class C - use went down. It is also as I predicted before the pub hours change.

I don't see how these figures can saying anything about the effects of longer pub opening hours and they came into effect in late November.

I would agree with the police.

I fully supported the deregulation of pub opening hours and I am sure that over the long term it will reduce alcohol related violence but it is a bit too soon to expect to see any changes from official statistics.

It reminds me a bit of the Gun Control Network (sic) who were crowing over the reduction in armed crime in 1998, claiming it was due to the confiscation of target shooters' pistols. It turned out the 98 figures were atypical and we have seen serious year on year increases since then, which the GCN has not been so keen to brag about.

didn't you make a wager on the outcome?

the single best way to reduce alcohol-related mayhem is to allow open sales and use of other intoxicants. all the young lads who cause most of the problems would be much better off smoking cannabis rather than alcohol.

having a *choice* will allow people to act more responsibly -- while forcing them to drink booze only ensures a continuation of young people drinking to the point of losing control.

Yes, £10. Trouble is, I can't recall whom my bet is with!

Bloke called Francis Burton. "Kev" witnessed it. A year isn't up yet though so you've got a little while to wait before collecting. I'll bet you 10GBP that you do though. ;)

brian

Of course, there will be more violence due to other drugs. What if the lads' favourite turns out to be crack instead of dope?

hmmmm, short term memory problems? ;^)

not bloody likely -- drug users exhibit very strong tendencies in the drugs they use, and some of them (like crack, heroin and pcp) are just

To your first point: totally untrue. Most of the violence is related to the black market drug trade, not the use of the drugs.

To your second point: won't happen. Crack "epidemics" always fail to continue because it becomes very obvious to others what becomes of crack addicts and they refuse even to try it.

-Pete Zakel ( snipped-for-privacy@seeheader.nospam)

"God made the integers; all else is the work of Man."

-Kronecker

Strange how a legal drug like alcohol seems to cause so much violence then.

-- Andy

What is your prediction about what will happen to tobacco use rates if/when they ban smoking in pubs?

What has the effect been of the *increasing* prohibition on smoking we've seen over the last 20 years or so?

-- Andy

Not strange at all. It has nothing to do with legal status, but with a property unique to alcohol.

Numerous studies have shown that the only drug that tends to provoke increased violence in users is alcohol.

-Pete Zakel ( snipped-for-privacy@seeheader.nospam)

"Public nudity is the evil the state seeks to prevent."

-William Rehnquist, Chief Justice of the United States

Banning smoking in pubs isn't the same thing as prohibition.

If simply possessing tobacco landed you in jail, THAT would be prohibition.

-Pete Zakel ( snipped-for-privacy@seeheader.nospam)

Nothing is faster than the speed of light...

To prove this to yourself, try opening the refrigerator door before the light comes on.

That's because alcohol is very atypical in its propensity to induce violent behaviour. Most other drugs do not.

Beware!! this message was crossposted

Salut/Hi Jasbird,

le/on Wed, 08 Feb 2006 06:34:52 GMT, tu disais/you said:-

Ah, but will the half backs like it too?

Or are you illiterate as well as provocative.

Oops, I should take my own advice.

DFTT

hypocrite.

Jasbird wrote:

OK, I admit it, I was wrong about the wingers. But I still think I'm right to take an optimistic view of human nature and to assume that good news is good.

I would disagree with them (nearly always). The police were wrong on this one. They predicted a rise in violence and mayhem with the deregulation of opening hours. They are bound to say that the DECLINE in violence has nothing to do with the deregulation because they will NEVER admit that they are wrong.

ban

Er, yes it is. Have a look in the dictionary.

Prohibition of smoking in pubs, just like prohibition of smoking on trains, in the workplace etc. *is* prohibition. .

Have you never seen "smoking prohibited" signs? It does *not* mean possession is illegal.

That would be total prohibition. There is currently prohibition of smoking in certain places, like pubic transport etc, and which will probably be extended to pubs.

-- Andy