Buckfast Tonic Wine, better known to us as "Buckie", "commotion lotion" or "wreck the hoose juice", could be banned if Scottish MEP Catherine Stihler's proposals, made to the European Parliament's Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee, are approved.
She wants to ban caffeinated alcoholic drinks which she says are linked to crime and health problems. Buckfast, which has been linked by police to violent behaviour, contains as much caffeine as eight cans of coke.
Additionally Mrs Stihler pointed out that one energy drink can increase the chance of heart attack or stroke. She said: "Surely it is high time for a ban on alcoholic caffeinated drinks. The combination of alcohol and caffeine can be fatal. Caffeine addiction can lead to a whole host of medical problems, not to mention its link with crime and violence on Scottish streets. The fact is many consumers are unaware of the damage they are doing to their bodies and lack the essential information to make an informed decision about what they purchase."
A documentary, a couple of weeks ago pointed out that the tonic wine had been mentioned in 5,000 crime reports by Strathclyde Police in the last three years. Labour MSP Richard Baker backed Mrs Stihler's proposals demanding action to reduce access to caffeinated alcohol and tackle the impact it has on violent crime in Scotland.
I have doubts that any of this will do any good. Teenagers bent on getting drunk and high on caffeine and booze are probably about bright enough to work out that mixing coke with vodka, or cider or both will end up doing the job just as well. Buckie is not cheap, and they already mix it with cheap vodka for it to have the effect it does.
I maintain that we need to find out why a large proportion of our population feel that the only way that they can get through a day is in a state to bacchanalian oblivion. Once we know that, and act to improve our lives, then maybe we will rid ourselves of the scourge of drunkenness.
If, in the meantime, legislators wish to get involved, they may wish to find a way of making it illegal to sell this type of drink in glass bottles, which become extremely useful weapons once their contents have no longer any need of them....
She wants to ban caffeinated alcoholic drinks which she says are linked to crime and health problems. Buckfast, which has been linked by police to violent behaviour, contains as much caffeine as eight cans of coke.
Additionally Mrs Stihler pointed out that one energy drink can increase the chance of heart attack or stroke. She said: "Surely it is high time for a ban on alcoholic caffeinated drinks. The combination of alcohol and caffeine can be fatal. Caffeine addiction can lead to a whole host of medical problems, not to mention its link with crime and violence on Scottish streets. The fact is many consumers are unaware of the damage they are doing to their bodies and lack the essential information to make an informed decision about what they purchase."
A documentary, a couple of weeks ago pointed out that the tonic wine had been mentioned in 5,000 crime reports by Strathclyde Police in the last three years. Labour MSP Richard Baker backed Mrs Stihler's proposals demanding action to reduce access to caffeinated alcohol and tackle the impact it has on violent crime in Scotland.
I have doubts that any of this will do any good. Teenagers bent on getting drunk and high on caffeine and booze are probably about bright enough to work out that mixing coke with vodka, or cider or both will end up doing the job just as well. Buckie is not cheap, and they already mix it with cheap vodka for it to have the effect it does.
I maintain that we need to find out why a large proportion of our population feel that the only way that they can get through a day is in a state to bacchanalian oblivion. Once we know that, and act to improve our lives, then maybe we will rid ourselves of the scourge of drunkenness.
If, in the meantime, legislators wish to get involved, they may wish to find a way of making it illegal to sell this type of drink in glass bottles, which become extremely useful weapons once their contents have no longer any need of them....
