Brown Kills UK Plan to Double Alcohol Prices

Britain's top doc called for raising costs to combat binge drinking
By Jason Farago,  Newser Staff
Posted Mar 16, 2009 8:10 AM CDT
Brown Kills UK Plan to Double Alcohol Prices
Gordon Brown, the British prime minister, rejected a proposal from the country's chief medical officer to double the price of alcohol to combat binge drinking.   (©garryknight)

Gordon Brown today rejected controversial proposals from Britain’s top medical officer to establish minimum prices for alcohol, the Guardian reports. The PM said he would protect the “sensible majority of moderate drinkers” after a report advised doubling prices to combat binge drinking. In Scotland, however, the regional government is preparing to introduce a floor for alcohol prices—the first in Europe to do so. (More alcohol stories.)

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