Scottish Anti-Booze Bill Welcomed

Doctors have today welcomed the introduction of legislation that aims to curb excess boozing in Scotland.

The BMA Scotland said that the Alcohol (Scotland) Bill was timely, and called on politicians to put party politics aside and support the measures outlined in the legislation.

The medics also expressed disappointment at the Labour Party's decision not to support minimum pricing, saying that it was "premature" and a "blot on their excellent public health track record".

They said that, in 2003, one in 20 deaths in Scotland was estimated to be attributable to alcohol.

In 2007/08 there were 42,430 alcohol related discharges from general hospitals and said that, over the last 30 years, UK liver cirrhosis mortality has risen over 450% across the population, with a 52% increase in alcoholic liver disease between 1998 and 2002.

Scotland now has one of the highest cirrhosis mortality rates in western Europe, explained Dr Brian Keighley, Chairman of the BMA in Scotland.

"Scotland's alcohol consumption rates are staggering. More than a million people in Scotland are drinking hazardously or harmfully.

"There appears to be a view that drinking to excess is simply part of our culture – an inevitable national characteristic - so much so that we are ranked 8th in the world for alcohol consumption.

"Almost half of all deaths could be prevented by lower alcohol consumption. It is now our national duty to ensure that we do all we can to do what we can to tackle this epidemic," he said.

"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 can have a significant and positive impact on health.

"Research estimates a 40p minimum price, for example, can reduce alcohol-related deaths by 365 in the first decade and alcohol related hospital admissions by more than 6,000," he continued.

"Opponents to this legislation are concerned about a perceived impact of legislation 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," he said.

Commenting on the Labour Party's decision not to support the Bill, Dr Keighley added: "I am especially disappointed that the Labour group has decided not to support minimum pricing - a decision that will blot their excellent track record on public health policy.

"It is a premature step by the party in an attempt to derail this legislation before it’s even begun.

"I am confounded by their announcement and I would urge them to consider, with an open mind, the evidence that will be presented at stage One of the Bill's process.

"By listening to the overwhelming evidence in support of minimum pricing, I believe that the party's concerns could easily be resolved.

"By supporting all the measures in this Bill, Scotland can once again take its place as an international leader in public health policy," the doctor concluded.

(BMcC/GK)