News and Press

Leading campaigners in Scotland unite to urge MSPs to back the Alcohol Bill

9 Jun 2010

Alcohol Focus Scotland (AFS), BMA Scotland and Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP) have today [Wednesday 9 June 2010] published a briefing paper encouraging MSPs to support the Alcohol Etc. (Scotland) Bill at Thursday’s Stage 1 debate.

Dr Brian Keighley, Chairman of the BMA in Scotland, said:

“It estimated that 1 in 20 deaths in Scotland are attributable to alcohol. It is now our national duty to ensure that we do all we can to tackle this epidemic.

“At the heart of this Bill are measures to stop the irresponsible pricing of alcohol driven by large supermarket chains who sell some of the strongest alcohol products at ridiculously cheap prices, often as a loss leader to attract customers.

“As a public health measure, minimum pricing could have a significant and positive impact on health. Research estimates a 40p minimum price, for example, could reduce alcohol-related deaths by 119 in the first decade and alcohol related hospital admissions by more than 2,000.

“Opponents to this legislation are concerned about a perceived impact on their business profits, yet they have failed to come up with any evidence that trade will be affected significantly. Doctors have no such agenda. We witness the harmful effects of alcohol misuse on our patients and their families every day and we believe that the measures outlined in this Bill offer a way out of this national epidemic.

"AFS, BMA Scotland and SHAAP support a strategy to tackle alcohol that includes legislative and non-legislative measures. We support minimum pricing as the most effective mechanism to increase the price of the cheapest alcohol alongside measures to ban alcohol advertising and sponsorship, and a programme of education and awareness. We also support the concept of a social responsibility levy which would be used to fund services targeted towards reducing alcohol related harm.

"As we approach the first vote on this Bill, we are urging MSPs to put aside party differences and vote for health by progressing this legislation to the next stage."

Briefing paper