-
Source: Reuters -
Related
The Scottish government launched a crackdown on alcohol abuse, including plans for a minimum price to stop drinks being sold for "pocket money prices" and tougher advertising rules.
The government said it was acting to tackle an epidemic costing the country 2.25 billion pounds a year in health costs and days off work.
The move would make Scotland one of the few places in the world with a minimum price for alcohol.
Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon and Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said discount deals on strong drinks would be banned in shops and supermarkets and advertising restricted.
"The scale of Scotland's alcohol misuse problem is shocking," Sturgeon said in a statement, citing the country's 1,500 deaths from alcohol a year; its 42,500 alcohol-related hospital discharges; soaring rates of liver disease and the eighth highest consumption of alcohol in the world.
"Plummeting prices and aggressive promotion have led to a surge in consumption, causing and adding to health problems ranging from liver and heart diseases to diabetes, obesity, dementia and cancers," she said.
A government spokeswoman said a minimum price per unit of alcohol would be set by the end of the year, though an indicative price floor of 40 pence had been suggested, equivalent to a pound for a half-litre can of 5% lager, or 11.20 pounds for a standard bottle of whisky.
"Our efforts to make communities in Scotland safer and stronger are being undermined by the tide of cheap drink and the 'drinking to get drunk' culture that's rife in Scotland," said MacAskill.
However, the minority government decided against a move to raise the minimum age at which alcohol can be bought in off-licences and shops to 21.
That decision will now be taken at a local level with chief constables in Scotland having powers to enforce the initiative.
The legislation was welcomed by doctors, police, charities and campaign groups, but criticised by the drinks industry.
The Portman Group, an alcohol industry body which promotes responsible drinking, said the plans were flawed and would punish all drinkers. Chief executive David Poley said people who drank to get drunk would not be influenced by the measures.
"We should be targeting the harmful drinking minority through better education and effective law enforcement," he said in a statement. "Raising the legal purchase age to 21 is a crazy idea. It is astonishing that some 20 year-old Scots could go to war, smoke and vote, but not buy a drink."
Scotland's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Harry Burns, said the country had led the way on tackling smoking and would lead the way on alcohol misuse too.
"There is no doubt that alcohol misuse claims many hundreds of lives in Scotland every year, twice as many today as 15 years ago, and that it hits our poorest communities the hardest," he said.
Is a minimum price the answer? Have your say on our message board below:
World News Video
-
Dangerous rush to Everest summit (1:59)
-
Dozens killed in Syrian massacre (2:09)
-
'King of Romance' competes in Eurovision (1:46)
Add a Comment:
Post new commentLaurie Reid said on 2009-03-03 @ 18:11 NZDT: Report abusive post
It is worth a go..and nothing else seems to be working. Sweden has a government controlled system which seems to work.
lemur said on 2009-03-03 @ 15:30 NZDT: Report abusive post
if drinking is considered a form of entertainment/"the national sport" then you've got bigger problems to tackle than the price of booze.