Let Them Drink Less Wine

Shock horror alert:

Pubs will soon be forced to offer patrons smaller glasses of wine, according to Britain's Daily Mail. It's part of the government's efforts to curb the cult of binge drinking and also to not encourage women to exceed a safe limit of alcohol.

The Mail article notes that in the UK, "A standard glass of wine used to be 125ml -- around one unit of alcohol. But most pubs now serve wine in a 'small' 175ml glass or a 'large' 250ml glass -- as much as a third of a bottle of wine." And, the article further notes, "One in 10 bars use 250ml as their standard size, which with certain strengths of wine can ... contain 3.5 units of alcohol -- enough to put a woman over the driving limit and exceed safe drinking limits."

I can speak for the mega-serving trend. Just two weeks ago, I was in the UK and went out with a sibling for a demure evening on the town involving a glass or two of wine at a pub or two. The glasses were behemoths! Filled to the brim! We surely had but a couple before popping round to visit my (practically teetotaler) brother and sister-in-law and treating them and our young nephew to an hour of witty banter and a knocked-over mug of coffee. If the mini-glass option had been available, I am sure this would not have happened.

The newly mandatory mini-servings would be offered in 125-milliliter glasses.