Government calls for alcopop tax to cut drinking

Health minister Patricia Hewitt has called for added tax on alcopops to curb drinking among young people.

Alcohol is one of the leading causes of avoidable cancer and has been linked to increased risks of mouth, voice box, foodpipe and liver cancers.

It is also thought to be responsible for around 2,000 cases of breast cancer in the UK every year.

Ms Hewitt called on Gordon Brown to “really increase” the tax due on alcohol, especially the “alcopops” popular with teenagers, in an attempt to price them out of reach.

Young people in the UK have one of the highest rates of drinking for their age group in the EU, with many health specialists saying that they are storing problems up for the future.

November 13th to 19th is mouth cancer awareness week.