Alcohol - Minimum price per unit

[thebuzz]

One good thing about the states is the coffee culture. Caffeine might not be the healthiest thing to ingest but it's a lot easier to deal with than alcohol. Coffee shops here provide a good place to mingle without feeling pressured to buy an alcoholic drink.

Did I ever tell you about the time I was at a GAA meeting one time in Boston? I was having lunch at the bar in Canton and I got a glass of wine to go with it. The lads showed up and asked me what it was. I told them and before I knew it there was another one sitting there. I told them I didn't want it, one was enough for me, and everybody (including the barman) laughed like I was joking. When they saw I was serious and didn't touch the second glass they asked me what I drink besides wine. I told them G&T, but don't be buying me any. They tried to order one and I had to intervene and tell the barman not to pour it.

There's times when I've been at an Irish function and they'll ask me what I want to drink. If I've already had a drink I'll say "soda water." They say "Och I'm not asking for soda water! What do you want?!" I had to force the issue and demand they respect my wishes.

The peer pressure to drink can be fierce.

Peer pressure is a terrible thing. My father didn't start drinking until he was 35 or 36. Then he went daft. If he had money he was always forcing people to take drink. He wouldn't take no for an answer. When my mother found out I was drinking she asked me specifically not to force other people to take drink. If someone says "no" when I ask them they don't get asked again.

[Syferus]

One good thing about the states is the coffee culture. Caffeine might not be the healthiest thing to ingest but it's a lot easier to deal with than alcohol. Coffee shops here provide a good place to mingle without feeling pressured to buy an alcoholic drink.

Did I ever tell you about the time I was at a GAA meeting one time in Boston? I was having lunch at the bar in Canton and I got a glass of wine to go with it. The lads showed up and asked me what it was. I told them and before I knew it there was another one sitting there. I told them I didn't want it, one was enough for me, and everybody (including the barman) laughed like I was joking. When they saw I was serious and didn't touch the second glass they asked me what I drink besides wine. I told them G&T, but don't be buying me any. They tried to order one and I had to intervene and tell the barman not to pour it.

There's times when I've been at an Irish function and they'll ask me what I want to drink. If I've already had a drink I'll say "soda water." They say "Och I'm not asking for soda water! What do you want?!" I had to force the issue and demand they respect my wishes.

The peer pressure to drink can be fierce.

Eamonn, I don't mean to be facetious but Ireland is polluted with coffee shops too. There's no difference there and the US government spend an inordinate amount of money on the problems caused by drinking too. As usual with America they're only ahead of everyone else in their own heads.

[Eamonnca1]

How late do coffee shops stay open in Ireland? Are they a place you can go to in the evening or are they a morning / daytime thing?

[BennyCake]

Pubs serving coffee/tea daytime, alcohol in evening. Two types of customer catered for. Would work well especially in rural areas. Could be the hub of the community for all people, young and old. And it would influence peoples behaviour towards alcohol ie. that there's an alternative.

[whitey]

Pubs serving coffee/tea daytime, alcohol in evening. Two types of customer catered for. Would work well especially in rural areas. Could be the hub of the community for all people, young and old. And it would influence peoples behaviour towards alcohol ie. that there's an alternative.

Most Starbucks are open til 11 PM in the states and are as busy at night as they are in the morning.

Nobody bats an eyelid over here if you dont drink in a bar, or if you order a soda water.

There seems to be less stigma attached to being a reformed alcoholic over here......guys just say "those days long are behind me" and people respect their decision.

[johnnycool]

One good thing about the states is the coffee culture. Caffeine might not be the healthiest thing to ingest but it's a lot easier to deal with than alcohol. Coffee shops here provide a good place to mingle without feeling pressured to buy an alcoholic drink.

Did I ever tell you about the time I was at a GAA meeting one time in Boston? I was having lunch at the bar in Canton and I got a glass of wine to go with it. The lads showed up and asked me what it was. I told them and before I knew it there was another one sitting there. I told them I didn't want it, one was enough for me, and everybody (including the barman) laughed like I was joking. When they saw I was serious and didn't touch the second glass they asked me what I drink besides wine. I told them G&T, but don't be buying me any. They tried to order one and I had to intervene and tell the barman not to pour it.

There's times when I've been at an Irish function and they'll ask me what I want to drink. If I've already had a drink I'll say "soda water." They say "Och I'm not asking for soda water! What do you want?!" I had to force the issue and demand they respect my wishes.

The peer pressure to drink can be fierce.

Peer pressure is a terrible thing. My father didn't start drinking until he was 35 or 36. Then he went daft. If he had money he was always forcing people to take drink. He wouldn't take no for an answer. When my mother found out I was drinking she asked me specifically not to force other people to take drink. If someone says "no" when I ask them they don't get asked again.

I was late to the drinking game, in fact I was probably in my early thirties when I started to drink red wine. Marriage will do that to you 

I'd the peer pressure thing for a while, but never from my mates, usually when someone else was in our company they'd start the Mrs Doyle thing until they got the message. One questioned my manliness one night because I didn't drink, but he was put straight with a manly left hand to the kisser which put that argument to bed with him.
But by god there's only so much Coke and shite you can drink on a night out.
I don't have an issue even today going out and not drinking, it doesn't bother me whereas others I know couldn't.
I was developing my social skills when the rest were in such a state they couldn't bite their own fingers. I never got the enjoyment side of that type of drinking and still don't.

I've worked with Germans, French lads who like a drink, but they struggled with our attitude to it where we drink to oblivion and by and large become arseholes. It's more a relaxed social thing in a lot of other European countries.

[HiMucker]

One good thing about the states is the coffee culture. Caffeine might not be the healthiest thing to ingest but it's a lot easier to deal with than alcohol. Coffee shops here provide a good place to mingle without feeling pressured to buy an alcoholic drink.

Did I ever tell you about the time I was at a GAA meeting one time in Boston? I was having lunch at the bar in Canton and I got a glass of wine to go with it. The lads showed up and asked me what it was. I told them and before I knew it there was another one sitting there. I told them I didn't want it, one was enough for me, and everybody (including the barman) laughed like I was joking. When they saw I was serious and didn't touch the second glass they asked me what I drink besides wine. I told them G&T, but don't be buying me any. They tried to order one and I had to intervene and tell the barman not to pour it.

There's times when I've been at an Irish function and they'll ask me what I want to drink. If I've already had a drink I'll say "soda water." They say "Och I'm not asking for soda water! What do you want?!" I had to force the issue and demand they respect my wishes.

The peer pressure to drink can be fierce.

Peer pressure is a terrible thing. My father didn't start drinking until he was 35 or 36. Then he went daft. If he had money he was always forcing people to take drink. He wouldn't take no for an answer. When my mother found out I was drinking she asked me specifically not to force other people to take drink. If someone says "no" when I ask them they don't get asked again.

I was late to the drinking game, in fact I was probably in my early thirties when I started to drink red wine. Marriage will do that to you 

I'd the peer pressure thing for a while, but never from my mates, usually when someone else was in our company they'd start the Mrs Doyle thing until they got the message. One questioned my manliness one night because I didn't drink, but he was put straight with a manly left hand to the kisser which put that argument to bed with him.
But by god there's only so much Coke and shite you can drink on a night out.
I don't have an issue even today going out and not drinking, it doesn't bother me whereas others I know couldn't.
I was developing my social skills when the rest were in such a state they couldn't bite their own fingers. I never got the enjoyment side of that type of drinking and still don't.

I've worked with Germans, French lads who like a drink, but they struggled with our attitude to it where we drink to oblivion and by and large become arseholes. It's more a relaxed social thing in a lot of other European countries.

Probably best you don't drink then, God knows how violent you could get 

[The Iceman]

How late do coffee shops stay open in Ireland? Are they a place you can go to in the evening or are they a morning / daytime thing?

Starbucks are now offering wine in the evenings in some stores - targeting a mixed bag of clients who want to drink but not in a pub setting and mix with friends who don't want to drink but don't want to feel like the odd man out in a pub with a soda water. I think it's a great idea.

[johnnycool]

One good thing about the states is the coffee culture. Caffeine might not be the healthiest thing to ingest but it's a lot easier to deal with than alcohol. Coffee shops here provide a good place to mingle without feeling pressured to buy an alcoholic drink.

Did I ever tell you about the time I was at a GAA meeting one time in Boston? I was having lunch at the bar in Canton and I got a glass of wine to go with it. The lads showed up and asked me what it was. I told them and before I knew it there was another one sitting there. I told them I didn't want it, one was enough for me, and everybody (including the barman) laughed like I was joking. When they saw I was serious and didn't touch the second glass they asked me what I drink besides wine. I told them G&T, but don't be buying me any. They tried to order one and I had to intervene and tell the barman not to pour it.

There's times when I've been at an Irish function and they'll ask me what I want to drink. If I've already had a drink I'll say "soda water." They say "Och I'm not asking for soda water! What do you want?!" I had to force the issue and demand they respect my wishes.

The peer pressure to drink can be fierce.

Peer pressure is a terrible thing. My father didn't start drinking until he was 35 or 36. Then he went daft. If he had money he was always forcing people to take drink. He wouldn't take no for an answer. When my mother found out I was drinking she asked me specifically not to force other people to take drink. If someone says "no" when I ask them they don't get asked again.

I was late to the drinking game, in fact I was probably in my early thirties when I started to drink red wine. Marriage will do that to you 

I'd the peer pressure thing for a while, but never from my mates, usually when someone else was in our company they'd start the Mrs Doyle thing until they got the message. One questioned my manliness one night because I didn't drink, but he was put straight with a manly left hand to the kisser which put that argument to bed with him.
But by god there's only so much Coke and shite you can drink on a night out.
I don't have an issue even today going out and not drinking, it doesn't bother me whereas others I know couldn't.
I was developing my social skills when the rest were in such a state they couldn't bite their own fingers. I never got the enjoyment side of that type of drinking and still don't.

I've worked with Germans, French lads who like a drink, but they struggled with our attitude to it where we drink to oblivion and by and large become arseholes. It's more a relaxed social thing in a lot of other European countries.

Probably best you don't drink then, God knows how violent you could get 

I'm probably worse sober than with drink in me in that regard.

My tolerance level for fools and bullshitters is generally pretty low, but after a few reds I prefer to take the piss out of them in the verbals.

[Hound]

The price of alcohol is not the problem. It's the easy availability of it. If you want to reduce alcohol-related illnesses/deaths, then ban off licenses and drink in supermarkets.

Disagree. It's purely down to the culture. Went to a place in the dead centre of Majorca 3 years ago and 300cl cans on Heino were 50 cent in the supermarket, 30c for San Miguel. Heavy stuff very cheap too. Yet didn't see a drunk Spaniard for the week.

Restricting advertising of alcohol esp around sporting events would be more effective I think

I'm not sure about this. I don't think is particularly nice having alcohol sponsorship at sporting events, but I don't think its a big influencer that starts people drinking.
It makes people choose between different types, but not sure about it starting people off.
Thinking back to my teenage years (when there was also a proliferation of tobacco sponsors also) it certainly was nothing to do with me starting. But once I started, it probably did influence my choices.

[thebigfella]

Have largely stopped drinking (but not given up) as back training and working flat out on a new project. It's not condusive to being productive after a certain age

The missus has joined in too and neither of us miss it - bar a few family events and birthday I still go out and just don't drink. Have had plenty of nights out with friends and work events where none of the perceived peer pressure exists. There have been plenty of slagging because I used to be the first to start and last to finish on the beer; but ultimately everyone I've encountered has been very supportive or in reality couldn't give a fcuk.

I think a lot of this peer pressure is a myth and more a excuse for people's insecurities about not fitting in.

One thing I still don't do is drive even though I'm not drinking. I've better things to be doing that taxi'ing people home.