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Alcohol factor in over half of Cork male suicides

According to Prof. Ella Arensman, Director of Research with the National Suicide Research Foundation (NSRF), approximately 85% of men in Cork, Ireland, over the age of 40 who committed suicide since 2008, had a history of abusing alcohol. During the same period, about 55% of men under 40, including teenagers, who took their own lives, also abused alcohol.

Arensman provided the figures during her testimony in favour of the proposed Public Health Alcohol Bill, which would impose extra restrictions on alcohol sales in Ireland. She said the data showed a clear relationship between abusing alcohol and suicide.

One provision in the propped legislation would impose a minimum unit price on alcoholic beverages sold in off-licences and shops. Pub prices would not be affected.

The intention of this provision is to curtail access to inexpensive alcohol, reducing the consumption associated with alcohol abuse. Arensman said the legislation was good public health policy, consistent with regulatory requirements in other EU countries.

Arensman added that her agency analysed data on alcohol abuse during the 2007-2010 recession when prices of alcoholic beverages decreased. During that time, the number of people attending emergency departments in Ireland with indications of self-harm, increased by 30%, the majority of whom were abusing alcohol.

The reverse trend occurred in the UK at the time, where the prices of alcoholic beverages increased. Arensman said that the contrast in experiences between Ireland the UK demonstrated a link between the price of alcohol and the occurrence of self-harm.

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