Your "Confused but sober" letter writer notes the huge extent of Britain's drinking problem and the absurdity of loosening the licensing laws (The Citizen 14/06/04).

They are right. Britain has a drink problem. Consumption here is rising unlike nearly all the rest of Europe where it is falling. We are deluding ourselves if we believe that by liberalising licensing laws we will reduce heavy drinking and all the associated problems in town centres.

Ireland did it and had an explosion of alcohal consumption especially amongst young people. They are now reversing this policy.

This bill changing the licensing laws has been muddled and confused from the start. We urgently need laws to stop alcohal being glamorised in adverts and sold to under-age drinkers. It is not good enough to get the industry to regulate itself. They quite clearly have failed. We also need policies that focus on the health problems caused by drinking. It is time we got to grips with this problem before it grows any bigger.

Keith Bessant, Cheltenham Green Party