Comité de Salut Public drinks bill...?

[victoriavandal.livejournal.com]

I heard a reference to the Committee of Public Safety's drinks bill on a radio programme a couple of years ago, but I've never come across a written reference to it. Does such a thing exist, or was it a post-Thermidor 'hey, don't blame us, we were drunk all the time' excuse? I've also heard similar about the Tribunal, but again haven't found a reliable, non-anecdotal, non-hostile source.
I'm also aware that the average alcohol intake was universally far higher from the dawn of time until the 19thc - it was safer than water!
On a related issue, does anyone know if the opiate laudanum was used/abused in France as much as it was in Britain at the time? I don't know how greatly the trade links would have made a difference here. I can't remember ever having come across a reference in anything on the Revolution - the Romantic poets in Britain in the 1790's were living on the stuff - but I did wonder if that, rather than the usually assumed bisexuality, may have been Camille Desmoulins' 'vice'?

Comments

[livviebway.livejournal.com]

I remember reading in "An Elegant Madness" that William Pitt consumed around 6 bottles of port per day. Bottles were smaller, but not THAT much smaller. I wouldn't overestimate the influence of alcoholism and drunkenness in preventing someone to run a government. ;-)

[victoriavandal.livejournal.com]

I've got a friend who is only about 7 and a half stone in weight but manages to put away a bottle of wine a night after work, and a lot more at weekends, and rarely even gets hungover! I suppose he's immune.

Politicians here had to cut down when they introduced TV cameras into the House of Commons, but Thatcher drank a surprising amount of spirits, and Churchill and co got through a lot, too. I think it killed Pitt, in the end (rumour had it he'd drink to unconsciousness). New Labour banned it from their HQ - Mandelson (one of the triumvirate) supposedly doesn't even drink caffeine. I presume Bush Jnr. is still an alcoholic - or maybe just naturally stupid?