Social costs

The burden of social harm from drinking alcohol is substantial. Alcohol is a recognised as a contributory factor in a wide range of social problems including anti-social behaviour, crime, violence, domestic violence, strained relationships, family breakdown, child abuse and child neglect.

• Alcohol is a factor in half of those accused of homicide in Scotland in 2003
• 1 in 6 of those 15 year olds who have drunk alcohol reported trying drugs and 1 in 7 reported have unprotected sex as a consequence of alcohol consumption
• 65,000 Scottish children are estimated to live with a parent whose drinking is problematic
• A quarter of children on the Child Protection Register are estimated to be there due to parental alcohol or drug misuse
• One in three divorces cite excessive drinking by a partner as a contributory factor.


Cost of Scottish society of alcohol misuse, 2006/7
£820m per year in reduced output and productivity, including work days lost due to alcohol- related absenteeism.
£405m per year in NHS services
£170m per year in social work services
£385m per year in criminal justice and emergency services
£418m per year in Human costs (e.g. victims of alcohol-related crime in terms of physical and emotional costs).