Abstract
The undoubted pleasure which is enjoyed by 97 per cent of the U.K. population who drink alcohol frequently deters commentators from a robust analysis of its darker side. What is here suggested is that ‘the greatest happiness of the greatest number’ will only be achieved when a more honest and accurate assestment of the costs and benefits of our national habit is achieved. By making a comparison with other contemporary social concerns, like illicit drug use and the spread of AIDS, it is possible to see a considerably different range of values and political priorities operating in relation to alcohol. The question raised is not whether the difference is morally justified but rather whether it makes good economic sense. It is suggested that, in spite of its immediate attractions, denial of the kind described above could, in the long term, be self-defeating.
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