Dr Alastair MacGilchrist OBE, Chair of Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP), a partnership of the Medical Royal Colleges, commented:
“Any reduction in the number of people dying from alcohol in Scotland is to be welcomed, but a rate of 20.9 per 100,000 is a stark reminder that Scotland remains in the grip of a public health emergency. Deaths remain far too high and significantly above pre-pandemic levels.
“Every one of these deaths was avoidable. Behind each statistic is a person – a family member, a friend, a colleague – whose life has been cut short by a harmful but legal product.
“We know what works to reduce these deaths. Minimum Unit Pricing has already saved lives, particularly in Scotland’s poorest communities, and it is essential that MUP continues to keep pace with inflation so that the cheapest, most harmful alcohol does not become more affordable. But pricing alone is not enough. We need the Scottish Government to bring forward long-promised restrictions on alcohol marketing, and to ensure that alcohol treatment and support services are funded to meet the scale of need.
“The newly re-elected Scottish Government must now set out a clear plan to reduce the number of people dying from alcohol in Scotland. A small decline in one year’s figures must not become a reason for complacency – ambitions in the new Alcohol and Drugs Strategic Plan must be matched with action and investment if we are to see sustained reductions in the devastating toll alcohol takes on individuals, families and communities across Scotland.”