James Bryce
EXCLUSIVE by James Bryce
AN expat author has helped shape the UK government’s strategy on alcoholism through her book presenting first-hand accounts of the subject.
Renate van Nijen, author of Cheers – The Hidden Voices of Alcoholism, was asked to give written evidence to the House of Commons Health Committee, set up to review government policy.
The Dutch writer, from La Herradura, lived with an alcoholic partner for 12 years and interviewed partners, children and friends of alcoholics for her book.
She also spoke to health workers and alcoholics themselves in an effort to show the human side of the illness.
Van Nijen told the committee she is pleased wider attention is being paid to the subject, but stressed more emphasis needed to be placed on those indirectly affected, such as family and friends.
“I feel honoured they have taken my information seriously,” van Nijen told the Olive Press.
“My ex-partner is now back in England in full recovery, but his story is not unique.
“The experience of interviewing people affected by the problem showed me not only how having ‘a life consumed by alcoholism’ can happen to anybody, but also how those indirectly affected by it feel they have no voice in today’s society.”
Rhetorical question. Would Renate van Nijen, who is Dutch, also be called “an expat” in this article if she lived in Belgium instead of Spain?
This person cannot possibly have anything new to say about a drug that is probably the most widely-consumed and well understood on earth. It’s just old-fashioned book flogging going on here.
Any well-researched book, or public survey, expert witness or “Parliamentary inquiry” etc, will not cause Cameron or Clegg from doing what THEY want, rather than represent the Taxpayers
I say in 1776 they were right: “Taxation withOUT representation is tyranny” Welcome UK to the New World Order.
Anyone may submit written evidence to the parliament of the uk on any subject, it’s democracy. No particular qualification is needed.
Sara, there is a big difference between, on one hand, submitting evidence to Parliament, and on the other hand, being invited to submit evidence to the House of Commons Health Committee whose remit is to review government policy.
And what difference wil her testimony make – sod all. The legal drug barons are simply too powerful – what happened to those evil drug dealers who dreamt up alcopops to get another generation hooked – sod all.