STEVENSON WELCOMES STRONG FRAMEWORK TO TACKLE ALCOHOL PROBLEM

Banff & Buchan MSP Stewart Stevenson has welcomed the publication of the Scottish Government’s framework for tackling the endemic problem of alcohol misuse across Scotland. The Scottish Government is seeking to introduce a minimum price-per-unit to stop strong alcohol being available for pocket money prices; to bring an end to special offers that encourage bulk buying and over-consumption of alcohol; and to put in place powers for local licensing boards to raise the age on off-licence sales to 21 where deemed appropriate.

Commenting, Mr Stevenson said:

“It is surely not news to anyone that Scotland has a deeply worrying relationship with alcohol, with recent statistics indicating that Scots are the eighth-highest consumers of alcohol in the world.

“Alcohol misuse is costing the NHS, police and the courts billions of pounds and clearly something has got to change. Despite what some members of the opposition parties seem to believe, doing nothing is clearly not an option.

“I welcome the fact that the Scottish Government is not shying away from these challenges, and has published a radical framework to address these problems. Health and justice professionals have highlighted reducing the easy availability of cut-price alcohol as being vital to addressing the problem, and these proposals will go a long way towards doing that.

“In addition to this, by giving local licensing boards the power to increase the age on off-sales to 21 where it is needed, we will see real, locally-led action to combat alcohol fuelled anti-social behaviour in areas that are blighted by these problems.

“These are weighty proposals and I am confident that they can make a real difference in tackling the problems caused by alcohol misuse in Scotland”.

Dr Peter Terry, Chairman of the BMA in Scotland added:

“Tough action is needed to tackle alcohol misuse in Scotland. BMA Scotland supports this wide-ranging framework which tackles price and availability, and in particular proposes measures to end the deep discounting of alcohol where it is sold for ridiculously cheap prices.

“Doctors witness first hand how alcohol misuse destroys lives. The facts are simple - voluntary measures supported by the drinks industry have failed to reduce the damage of alcohol misuse in Scotland. It’s time to step up, legislate and take action.”