THE latest national suggestion of placing health warning labels on drinks containers smacks of yet more ridiculous and unnecessary legislation from a fading Government, trying yet again to introduce a nanny state.

Those at whom the message is aimed will not take a blind bit of notice of any written warning about the alcohol content of the bottle or tin.

Their main interest when going out for a night's boozing, whether it be at a night club, stag do, or hen party, is just to "have a good time" by getting legless in the shortest time possible.

What sort of labelling would the legislation demand for those whose favourite tipple is ten or more pints of draught lager?

What about the cocktail mixture of two or more alcoholic drinks? Where is the warning label for them to be displayed?

The only sure thing I can imagine resulting from such legislation will be an increase in the number of drivers over the limit, as people try to use the information on the label to judge whether or not to have "one for the road", never thinking that one unit of alcohol will affect different people in different ways.

And of course, you will always have the idiot who will claim that a few pints make him a better driver.

A Dobinson, Askham Lane, Acomb, York.