Action on alcohol must follow Christmas cheer

Scotland's health professionals have backed SNP calls for action on alcohol in the New Year. 

Scotland’s public health directors have written to MSPs urging them to back minimum pricing for alcohol as part of the Scottish government’s package of measures to address Scotland’s relationship with alcohol.

Writing to MSPs the letter from the Scottish Directors of Public Health Group, signed by 17 directors of Public Health in Scotland states:

“Over the past thirty years in Scotland, our level of deaths directly caused by alcohol – conditions like alcoholic cirrhosis and alcoholic heart disease – has almost tripled. One person in Scotland is dying every three hours of every day as a direct result of alcohol, many of them prematurely. Fifteen of the twenty local areas in the UK with the highest male alcohol-related death rates between 1998 and 2004 are in Scotland, and the top five are all Scottish, spread across from Inverclyde to Dundee.”

The Directors continue to call for support to end cheap alcohol and promotions in the interests of Scotland’s public health.

“Minimum pricing and reduced discounting are ways of reducing alcohol consumption that do not require the approval of the Westminster Parliament. For the sake of the health and social wellbeing of the people in Scotland we encourage you to support these actions.”

Welcoming the letter which has been sent to MSPs of all parties SNP MSP Michael Matheson, a member of the health committee said:

“No one wants to stop people drinking safely and sensibly and many people will be looking forward to toasting Christmas and the New Year with a drink. 

"While we enjoy ourselves sensibly over Christmas with family and friends, Christmas cheer must be followed by political action to tackle the problem of cheap cider, vodka and beer wreaking havoc on our society, damaging Scotland's health and affecting too many of Scotland's families.

“This is a significant show of support for the Scottish Government’s bold proposals to address Scotland’s relationship with alcohol.

"Our alcohol consumption is increasing and the relative cost of alcohol has decreased. Despite numerous opportunities supermarkets have shown they will not act responsibly when it comes to price and alcohol.

"As the supermarkets will not take action the Government has no choice but to put in place a responsible price for alcohol.

“Scotland’s Public Health Directors are right to approach MSPs and I hope their letter is welcomed by members from all parties.

“I am confident that as the evidence in favour of minimum pricing is presented to MSPs of all parties in the Health Committee Scotland will see politicians put party politics aside in favour of the compelling case for action to build a healthier and safer Scotland.”

The letter from the Directors of Public Health is below:

Dear MSP,

SUPPORT FOR ALCOHOL BILL
I write on behalf of the Scottish Directors of Public Health Group to request your support for the forthcoming Alcohol Bill.

For most people in Scotland, prudent use of alcohol is a predominantly pleasurable experience. However, for too many people, the harm caused by alcohol has changed their lives forever. All ages can be adversely affected by alcohol, from the foetus in the womb affected by a mother's drinking to the older person suffering alcohol related brain damage in later life. All kinds of communities are affected too, although there is clear evidence that health related harms and deaths occur up to seven times more frequently in people from the most deprived communities than in those from more affluent areas.

Over the past thirty years in Scotland, our level of deaths directly caused by alcohol – conditions like alcoholic cirrhosis and alcoholic heart disease – has almost tripled. One person in Scotland is dying every three hours of every day as a direct result of alcohol, many of them prematurely. Fifteen of the twenty local areas in the UK with the highest male alcohol-related death rates between 1998 and 2004 are in Scotland, and the top five are all Scottish, spread across from Inverclyde to Dundee.

Enough alcohol is bought in Scotland for each man and woman to be taking around 23 units a week – when recommended limits for health are 21 units for men and 14 units for women. An enormous amount of public service resource across society is being spent on coping with the consequences of our alcohol use. It is estimated that the cost of alcohol misuse to Scottish society is at least £2.2 billion, across employment, criminal justice, social care and health. It is estimated that more than three in five homicides are alcohol-related and almost one in two prisoners say they committed their offence when drunk.

Alcohol has become more affordable over the past thirty years and increasingly widely available. In contrast to thirty years ago, more alcohol is now bought in off-licensed premises – supermarkets and shops - than in on-licensed ones – the pubs, clubs, restaurants and bars. This change in patterns of sales has been associated with patterns of promotions of alcoholic drinks – the ‘3 for 2’, ‘happy hours’, ‘buy-one-get-one-free’ kind of offers with which we are all familiar. The Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 enhanced the controls on alcohol in on-sales premises through amendments to promotions, tighter controls on licensing hours and mandatory server training. The Act also affirmed a clear statement regarding protecting and improving the public health as one of the five licensing objectives. Off-sales have not been as constrained by legislation and still operate deep discounting of products and promotions, to gain footfall for other products and hence competitive advantage. It is clear that the off-sales sector is not able to restrict its promotional activity voluntarily in a world of such commercial competitive pressures as currently apply.

In September 2009, the World Health Organisation recognised the extent and consistency of the evidence that alcohol-related harm is linked to product price, with a particular impact on younger and heavier drinkers. Research from Sheffield University has indicated that a minimum price for alcohol can be set which will reduce consumption by young and heavy drinkers with little effect on responsible drinkers. Setting a sensible minimum price for alcohol and ending deep discounting and promotions across the board will reduce the price gap between the off-licensed and on-licensed trade. The combination of these measures will have a major impact on the health of Scotland. It will lower overall consumption with significant health benefits for the Scottish population. It will curb the ability of problem drinkers to get drunk cheaply.

We urge you to put the health and wellbeing of the people of Scotland ahead of party politics. Since the beginning of the Scottish Parliament we have shown how working together we could begin to tackle the problems associated with alcohol. That brought us a groundbreaking Scottish alcohol strategy and the farsighted reform of licensing legislation. We need to continue to show that commitment and dedication to reducing the heavy toll that alcohol problems impose on Scotland. Minimum pricing and reduced discounting are ways of reducing alcohol consumption that do not require the approval of the Westminster Parliament. For the sake of the health and social wellbeing of the people in Scotland we encourage you to support these actions.

Yours sincerely
Dr Lesley Wilkie
Chair of Scottish Directors of Public Health Group
On behalf of:
Dr Carol Davidson
DPH, NHS Ayrshire & Arran Dr Eric Baijal
DPH, NHS Borders
Dr Derek Cox
DPH, NHS Dumfries & Galloway
Dr Eddie Coyle
DPH, NHS Fife
Dr Anne Maree Wallace
DPH, NHS Forth Valley
Dr Linda de Caestecker
DPH, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde
Dr Ken Oates
Interim DPH, NHS Highland
Dr Harpreet Kohli
DPH, NHS Lanarkshire
Dr Alison McCallum
DPH, NHS Lothian
Dr Drew Walker
DPH, NHS Tayside
Dr Sarah Taylor
DPH, NHS Shetland
Dr Lesley Wilkie
DPH, NHS Grampian and
Acting DPH, NHS Orkney
Dr Sheila Scott
DPH, NHS Western Isles
Dr Laurence Gruer
Director of Public Health Science
NHS Health Scotland
Dr. Martin Donaghy
Medical Director
Health Protection Scotland
Dr Hester Ward
Medical Director
Information Services Division
NHS National Services Scotland
Dr. Andrew Fraser
Director of Health & Care
Scottish Prison Service