I currently work as a Door Supervisor in a busy town centre. I have worked in the security industry both the doors and retail since 2009. I have been involved in hundreds of scraps with intoxicated people and been assaulted more times than I can remember for simply doing my job which is to protect the public, businesses and staff members alike. 

Week in week out I witness in person and on the town watch radio violent assualts taking place all of which are alcohol and drug related incidents, not to mention crime such as theft, muggings, shoplifting etc which is also heavily fueled by addiction or intoxication.

According to NHS Digital, the yearly cost to the NHS for drug related incidents is £500 MILLION per year. For alcohol related incidents its £3.5 BILLION. 

Alcohol-related crime in England and Wales is estimated to cost society around £11.4 billion per year. The equivalent cost of drugs is £20 billion per year.

That's a GRAND TOTAL OF £35.4 BILLION.... EVERY YEAR!!!!!!

Disturbing stats:

35% of all Accident & Emergency (A&E) attendance and ambulance costs may be alcohol related in England. 9

530 people died from alcohol poisoning in the UK in 2018. 1

Males accounted for approximately two-thirds of the total number of alcohol-related deaths in 2018 in the UK. There were 7,551 alcohol-specific deaths in the UK 5,077 (16.4 per 100,000 population) in males and 2,474 (7.6 per 100,000) in females. 1

In 2018, it is estimated that there were 240 fatal drink drive accidents. 2

Being impaired by alcohol is thought to be a contributory factor in 13% of pedestrian road deaths. 11

For 16 – 24-year olds, 21% of deaths in males and 9% of deaths in females have been attributed to alcohol consumption. 8

In the year ending March 2018, 39% of all victims of violence in England and Wales said their attacker was affected by alcohol at the time. It is estimated that there were 561,000 violent alcohol-related incidents in 2017/18. 3

Alcohol misuse is a factor in 30% of suicides each year.

Hospital admissions for young people under 18 in the 3 year period 2016/17-2018/19 were 11,233. The admission rate for girls was 37.5 (per 100,000) compared to 25.9 (per 100,000) for boys. 4

In England, there were 357,659 estimated admissions where an alcohol-related disease, injury or condition was the primary diagnosis or there was an alcohol-related external cause in 2017/18. 4

4% of 16 – 24 year-old men drink more than 50 units a week and 3% of women aged 16 – 24 drink more than 35 units a week putting themselves at risk of alcohol dependency, mental and behavioural problems and long term health risks such as liver disease. Among adults aged 16 – 74, 5% of men and 3% of women are estimated to be higher risk drinkers in England. 5

There were 12,180 exclusions for drug and alcohol offences in English schools in 2018/19 – 17% up on the year before and the highest since records began in 2006-07. 13.

Our justice system only hands out petty fines which they believe suit the crime itself instead of covering the actual costs spent to deal with that single individual meaning the "tax payer" foot the bill... NOT the person committing the offence. 

Why should those people that are able to go out and drink responsibly and don't take drugs, don't drink & drive, don't start fights, don't commit crime and don't get so drunk they end up in A&E needing treatment, have to be forced to pick up the bill for those that do???

WE... the tax payer are LITERALLY paying money out of our hard earned wages to help people that are in most cases, selfish, immature and irresponsible people to get drunk and/or take drugs and cause havoc. If they CHOOSE to do that then THEY and ONLY they should have to suffer the consequences and pay the FULL amount it has cost for those affected by his or her actions.

Any and all costs and fines issued by the police and the NHS will be required by law to be paid back by said individual. Failure to do so will lead to further criminal action taken against you. 

I understand that their are plenty of accidents, addictions and mental health issues related to alcohol and drugs but the money made from charging people can be put towards helping those with real serious issues, not to mention more nurses, doctors, equipment etc.

Our NHS and Police force have been crippled over the years. Knowhere near enough Doctors, nurses, medical equipment and Police to deal with the overwhelming amount of crime and illness in the UK. By charging for alcohol and drug related incidents we gain £35.4 BILLION per year back into improving the NHS, the Police and ultimately the entire UK as a whole, reducing crime and making people more aware and responsible for their own actions. 

It doesn't solve all the issues but it's one step in the right direction to improving our country. Please sign and share this petition if you would like to see some real change and charge those causing these costs not punish those that don't!