Stevenson Welcomes Government Crack Down on Binge Culture

Banff & Buchan MSP Stewart Stevenson has welcomed the Government’s decision to tackle Scotland’s excessive drinking culture by curbing cut price alcohol deals in supermarkets and shops.

The Government has outlined proposals to ban any promotion that provides alcohol free or at a reduced price on the purchase of one or more of the product or another product. It is hoped that the new regulations will be created in 2008 for implementation in early 2009.

Commenting Mr. Stevenson said;

“I welcome the Government’s moves to bring Scotland’s binge drinking culture to an end. In towns such as Peterhead and Fraserburgh, as with other communities throughout Scotland, it is far too often the case that people are drinking purely as a means to get drunk.

“This inevitably leads to a high level of antisocial behaviour in the streets where we live and large numbers of people dying in our hospitals of alcoholic liver disease. The facts speak for themselves - over 60 per cent of prisoners admit they were drunk when they offended, and six people die every day from an alcohol related illness.

“This Government does not want to curtail people’s right to have a good time and enjoy alcohol in a responsible manner, but the proposed legislation will take the right step towards making people adopt a conscientious attitude to drinking. It will naturally take time for cultural attitudes to change in the long term, but I am confident these measures will see the beginning of healthier and safer towns in Banff & Buchan and across Scotland.

“There is a role in this cultural shift for the NHS, the police, the alcohol industry, and for our schools. We need to communicate with the public about taking responsibility and drinking sensibly. This Government’s proposals signal our intent to step up the pace of action on antisocial drinking."