5 days ago
- Health
- The Herald Scotland
Stark new statistics on Scotland's deepening alcohol problem
This is more than 50% above the Chief Medical Officers' safe drinking guidelines of 14 for both men and women.
This latest figures shows that while the volume of alcohol sold is decreasing, it remains higher than the amount sold per adult in England and Wales.
The data also reveals stark inequalities between those from the most and least deprived areas in Scotland.
People living in Scotland's most deprived areas are six times more likely to be hospitalised or die from causes wholly related to alcohol compared to those in the least deprived communities.
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Dr Tara Shivaji, Consultant in Public Health Medicine at PHS, said: "Today's updates add to the evidence base that as a population, Scotland is consuming too much alcohol.
'If current drinking patterns continue, we project a 21% increase in alcohol-related disease burden by 2043 compared to 2019 levels. This means thousands more individuals and families facing the devastating impacts of alcohol related ill-health such as liver disease, heart disease, stroke and cancer.
'Every week, people across Scotland are drinking well above the recommended 14-unit limit, significantly increasing their risk of these serious health conditions.
'The newly released data provides compelling evidence that despite progress, Scotland's relationship with alcohol remains deeply problematic and requires immediate attention.
'This isn't inevitable," Dr Shivaji added, "With urgent, collective and evidence-based action to tackle harmful alcohol use, we can change Scotland's path. We need to take steps to implement the preventative measures outlined in the Population Health Framework. This means addressing the availability, affordability, and attractiveness of alcohol, as well as providing early intervention and support for people experiencing problems. But that work must start now.'
Since Scotland introduced Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) in 2018, alcohol deaths have dropped by 13.4%, and overall drinking fell by 3%.
However, the number of people in Scotland whose death was caused by alcohol remains high, with the figures for 2023 showing the largest number of deaths in 15 years.
Alcohol Policy Minister Maree Todd said: 'The Scottish Government is working to reduce alcohol-related harm and deaths. Our world-leading Minimum Unit Pricing policy and the decision to uprate the unit price to 65 pence per unit is a key part of our approach to tackling alcohol harm.
'We want every person experiencing harm from alcohol use to be able access the support they need. That is why we have allocated £112 million to local Alcohol and Drug Partnerships for treatment and support services.
'The forthcoming UK Clinical Guidelines for Alcohol Treatment are anticipated to further support the improvement of alcohol treatment in Scotland. In addition, the recently published Population Health Framework sets out a 10-year plan for population health, including addressing the harms caused by alcohol.'
