Charity Supports 21 Limit For Buying Alcohol In Scotland

A charity is throwing its weight behind increasing the limit for buying alcohol from 18 to 21 in Scotland.

Alcohol Focus Chief Executive Jack Law says that making it illegal for anyone under 21 "would make a difference".

However, student leaders and retailers feels that changing the law would only serve to "blur" the lines as 18-year-olds could still be served in pubs.

Other measures that are expected to be announced by the Scottish Government are an increase in the cost of alcoholic beverages and an end to bargain deals on alcohol in supermarkets.

Mr Law said that one of the features of young people's drinking was "pre-loading" in that alcohol would be consumed before going out for a night.

However, Scottish Retail Consortium Director Fiona Moriarty says that it is "more important" to educate young people to "drink responsibly".

Ms Moriarty said she would prefer to see additional resources going into schools and youth groups and community groups to target excessive consumption of alcohol.

"That would have more long-term impact than demonising alcohol for young people," she said.

The President of students' group, the NUS Scotland, James Alexander said that 18-year-olds are "old enough to take responsibility".

However, Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon has promised "bold proposals" to deal with the problem of drink bingeing.

Ms Sturgeon said that "the government is not anti-alcohol" and that it is "perfectly acceptable to enjoy alcohol responsibly," but that there is "concern about alcohol misuse".

The Government's plan comes after the success of a pilot project in Armadale, West Lothian where off-licences refused to sell alcohol to under-21s on Friday and Saturday. During this time crime and complaints about young people decreased.

Alcohol problems cost Scotland an estimated £2.25 billion per year.

(DS)