And rightly so. This could well be a positive development for anyone who finds themselves in need of help to cut down.
Not all health campaigners welcomed the drug, however. Some, such as Professor Mark Bellis of the Faculty of Public Health, was quoted saying that other measures could help, “without the need to medicate the middle classes.”
So, should we trust Alcohol Concern’s endorsement - we can surely be assured of its impartiality at least? The anti-alcohol brigade being, after all, rather concerned with the subject.
Its criticism of the Portman Group, for being funded by drinks producers, has been vocal and prolonged, and there have also been attacks on drinks companies who donate to treatment and addiction charities (though I’m confident that if they did not this would attract just as much disapprobation).
To be clear, I am not saying Alcohol Concern itself made these specific complaints, but the general impression portrayed is drinks industry equals corrupt, and anti-alcohol brigade equals whiter than white.
Interesting to read, then, that Alcohol Concern has received support from Lundbeck UK in the past for, “administrative and logistical support for roundtable meetings.”
Meetings that took place at political party conferences.
How impartial is that?