Sir, - I commend Kathryn Holmquist for outlining the country's alcohol problem ("Booze Nation", Weekend, September 21st). As a GP I witness the effects of alcohol in my practice with increasing frequency. The Department of Health's National Alcohol Strategy 2002 seeks social sanctions and limits, which I hope the Government will act upon.
The country's heroin problem was ignored for many years in the 1980s and 1990s at a great price in human suffering. I hope the required action on alcohol is not similarly delayed by a laissez-faire attitude from a Government afraid of putting society's needs ahead of the sectoral interest of the alcohol industry. - Yours, etc.,
Dr PASCAL O'DEA,
Bachelors Walk,
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Bagenalstown,
Co Carlow.