Government should do ‘much more’ to tackle problem drinking, campaigners say

Ministers have been urged to do “much more” to tackle problem drinking as the minimum price of a unit of alcohol rises from 50p to 65p.

Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (Shaap) and Alcohol Focus Scotland (AFS) said that while minimum unit pricing (MUP) had been a success, it needed to be uprated annually to prevent “cheaper alcohol that causes the most harm” becoming more affordable over time.

Both groups also said the Government needed to do more than just MUP if it is to tackle the “public health emergency” of alcohol harms, and criticised it for “dragging its feet” over alcohol marketing reforms.

Dr Peter Rice, chairman of Shaap, said: “While MUP has undoubtedly mitigated the worst extremes of the impacts of the pandemic on alcohol consumption that have been experienced in many countries worldwide, it’s tragic that last year 1,277 people lost their lives in Scotland directly because of alcohol.

“The Scottish Government must maintain MUP’s effectiveness by uprating it annually so that cheaper alcohol that causes the most harm does not become more affordable over time.

“But we need to see much more than this if the Scottish Government is going to effectively respond to the public health emergency of alcohol harms in Scotland.

“Instead, we are seeing a Government that is dragging its feet over plans to restrict marketing of alcohol products in the face of intense opposition from the industry and its allies, with no alternative plans being put in place.

“If it wants to prevent the vast health, social and economic harms caused by alcohol in Scotland, the Scottish Government needs to build on the success of the MUP policy by taking forward measures to reset our relationship with alcohol and protect the health and wellbeing of future generations.”

Alison Douglas, chief executive of AFS, welcomed the increase as a “necessary step to ensure this lifesaving policy remains effective”.

She continued: “They now need to ensure the price is automatically uprated by inflation going forward, otherwise the positive effects will once again be eroded over time.

“AFS is also calling for an alcohol harm prevention levy on alcohol retailers, which the Fraser of Allander Institute estimated could raise as much as £57m a year to invest in alcohol treatment services.”

Ms Douglas added that after leading the way on MUP, “Scotland is now in danger of losing its world-leading position in tackling the health harms caused by alcohol”.

“Alcohol specific deaths have just reached a 15-year high and Scottish Government has declared alcohol harm a public health emergency, yet we have seen no emergency response.

“The decision to further delay a promised consultation on alcohol marketing appears to be evidence of a ‘policy chill’ created by vociferous opposition from Big Alcohol, who see effective public health action as a threat to their profit margins.

“Introducing MUP was a great example of Government doing the right thing for the health and prosperity of our nation.

“It’s time to show leadership in tackling alcohol harm once again by improving the identification of people at risk of alcohol problems; increasing access to treatment and recovery support for those already experiencing them; and taking preventative action on marketing and availability to protect future generations.”

Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “Research commended by internationally renowned public health experts estimated that our world-leading policy has saved hundreds of lives, likely averted hundreds of alcohol-attributable hospital admissions and contributed to reducing health inequalities.”

He added that there are “several hundred people with low income in Scotland who are alive today as a result of this policy”.

He continued: “However, the Scottish Government is determined to do all it can to reduce alcohol-related harm and as part of that, I am working to ensure people with problematic alcohol use receive the same quality of care and support as those dealing with problematic drugs use.

“We have also made a record £112m available to alcohol and drug partnerships to deliver or commission treatment and support services locally, as well as investing £100m in residential rehabilitation.

“I have also asked that Public Health Scotland is commissioned to review evidence and options for reducing exposure to alcohol marketing.”

Shaap is a partnership of the Medical Royal Colleges and the Faculty of Public Health in Scotland, and is based at the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.

AFS is a national charity working to prevent and reduce alcohol harm, which works to cut the impact of alcohol in Scotland through effective control policies and legislation.