Why are the sensible limits set so low?
Human beings were not designed to run on alcohol; it’s like putting diesel into a petrol engine. In setting the Sensible Limits, the UK Department of Health took into account the many dangers which are inherent in drinking alcohol. Some of these are dangers to health through prolonged drinking – such as liver damage, cancer, impotence, depression or the development of dependency, some of these are acute medical risks such as accidents. Other problems the DOH was keen to protect people from were more social in character: alcohol is strongly associated with problems in relationships and with violent and acquisitive crime. Many people imagine that the only risk alcohol poses is that of dependency or addiction. In fact Consultant Hepatologists tell us that they have found substantial liver damage in patients whose consumption is only slightly higher than the sensible limits.
