When did alcohol become a luxury?

[chem1st 10]

Often you hear people on here referring to things like alcohol and tobacco as luxuries.

 

When did alcohol become a luxury?

 

A can of beer or bottle of vodka is practically taxation in a bottle. It is not a luxury, it is extortion. Why do people refer to things like this as a luxury?

 

Sky tv for example. Beamed out to all households, everyone could have it, if they were able to unscramble the signal. It costs a lot, but it shouldn't be viewed as a luxury, with the crap they show on there and the amount of adverts you should be paid to watch it!

 

For under £10 a week you could sup a bottle of vodka a day (if it weren't taxed). Hardly a luxury.

 

Baccy, cheaper than chips when you take off the tax. Hardly a luxury.

 

Even the Victorian poor could afford to be permadrunk and smoke. Why shouldn't people be able to do so today, people keep telling me living standards have improved.

[andyofborg 11]

Even the Victorian poor could afford to be permadrunk and smoke. Why shouldn't people be able to do so today,

 

I see a great many people who appear to be poor in that state every day

[melthebell 862]

its not about how cheap something is

 

its not essential....so its a luxary

[Forumosaurus 10]

What does it matter what proportion is tax though, the fact is if it's expensive and you like it and you can't have it as often as you would like to, it's a luxury.

 

The amount of tax in the cost is irrelevant.

[Muldoon 10]

When you are on the Dole

[shanes teeth 10]

its not about how cheap something is

 

its not essential....so its a luxary

 

Thee speak fo' thi sen!

[Mercurian 10]

its not about how cheap something is

 

its not essential....so its a luxary

 

By that definition everything but food is a luxury.

It is luxUry by the way.

[melthebell 862]

By that definition everything but food is a luxury.

It is luxUry by the way.

 

food clothes and shelter are the only neccesities

[shanes teeth 10]

And booze and tabs.

[HeadingNorth 11]

Often you hear people on here referring to things like alcohol and tobacco as luxuries.

 

When did alcohol become a luxury?

 

The day it was discovered. Luxury is the correct term for anything which is not a necessity of life.

[Mecky 10]

The day it was discovered. Luxury is the correct term for anything which is not a necessity of life.

 

Who is anyone to determine what is a necessity and what isn't? I think you'd be better off living in Sudan where fillings get ripped out of teeth because they are a luxury or even killed for having gold fillings because they're cosmetic.

[fruitisbad 10]

when visiting some farmers in the czech republic the first thing they planted was the plum orchard to get plum wine and slivovich (distilled wine). They would apparently see it as an essential.

 

I guess as did we back in the day. small beer was safer to drink than water in a lot of cases, especially at sea! Imagine the navy now with a legal ration of 8 pints and half a bottle of rum.