Many European countries are now starting to restrict the availability of cheap booze. Although these governments get a lot of money from the duty on the alcohol it is far less than the medical and other related costs caused by excessive drinking by young people.

This excessive drinking is also sometimes referred to as ‘binge drinking’ because of the fact that young people over indulge with their alcohol consumption with the cheap booze being available almost any hour of the day or night.

So, the first rule that the European governments have imposed is the requirement for all supermarkets and hypermarkets to charge the full price for the alcohol, instead of their current prices which are lower than the normal licensed premises prices for the same drinks.

The executive leaders of these retail organizations have committed to

Implementing the ruling immediately and will be further restricting the availability for young people to purchase alcohol after normal licensed premises have closed their doors.

Excessive drinking by young people has resulted in them getting to a point when they are totally incoherent and in many cases are extremely violent. The ‘binge drinkers’ cause a public disturbance and disrupt the lives of all the people around them.

Property and cars have been damaged and innocent people who have just been walking by have been violently attacked. The ‘binge drinkers’ either finish up spending a night, or more, in hospital or jail.

This youth culture of ‘binge drinking’ has come about over the last ten years solely because of the ridiculously low prices for alcohol and the fact that young people could buy it just about any time they wanted to.

But now the European governments are taking stern action for two very important reasons; the violence has gotten out of hand, the police are now spending more time on controlling ‘binge drinkers’ than capturing criminals.

This obviously incurs a huge cost for the police services, as well as the other emergency services and puts an increasing cost and burden on the national health services.

Which brings us to the other important reason for the action that is now being taken by the European governments; in this time of high financial deficits they are looking for whatever ways that they can control costs.

And when this excessive drinking by young people impacts so many of the areas that are paid for by the taxpayer none of the governments wish to allow this situation to continue.

So, the days of cheap booze and binge drinking are numbered. Yes, it is true that many of the young people will rebel and endeavour to acquire their cheap booze somewhere else, but just like many other past youth cultures, this one has had its time.