Tackling Scotland's alcohol problem

Over the past 15 years Scotland has become a global leader in effective alcohol policy, and alcohol-related deaths fell by a third between 2003 and 2012, although this has now stalled. The Scottish Government issued its strategy document in March 2009 called 'Changing Scotland's relationship with alcohol: a framework for action' which included:

• A ban on multibuy price promotions of alcohol in off-licensed premises (October 2011)
• The introduction of minimum unit pricing for all alcohol sold in Scotland (passed by the Scottish Parliament in 2012; enacted May 2018)
• Support for the delivery and evaluation of brief interventions to reduce harmful alcohol use (2015)
• Reducing the drink-driving limit in Scotland to 22mg/100ml (Dec 2014)

Key elements of the 2018 strategy include:

• Preventing harm to children & young people through alcohol marketing on TV and in cinemas by restricting exposure to 9pm watershed
• Consulting with the public on mandatory restriction of advertising in Scotland; urging the UK government to pass appropriate legislation, devolving such powers to Scotland if necessary
• Evaluating the impacts of minimum unit pricing legislation after five years and reviewing its effects in October 2020
• Updating statutory guidance on the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 with a public consultation in 2019
• Keeping the licensing system under review to ensure it delivers for public health aims and to protect vulnerable communities
• No involvement of the alcohol industry in policy development or public health messages/educational campaigns
• Improving susbstance use education and using evidence-based campaigns to reach children and young people
• Initiating marketing campaigns promoting the Chief Medical Officers' lower risk drinking guidelines and raising awareness of links between alcohol and cancer
• Pressing alcohol producers to introduce labelling with health information, and if necessary mandating this
• Increasing awareness, diagnosis and treatment of Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
• Building resilience and awareness in communities to reduce violence and improve safety.

• The Scottish Government has published its 2019-21 Action Plan for the Rights Respect and Recovery Strategy, which sits alongside and complements the Alcohol Framework:  https://www.gov.scot/publications/rights-respect-and-recovery-action-plan/
• The Scottish Government supports WHO's new SAFER initiative.
• For more information on Scotland's alcohol and drugs strategy, visit: https://www.gov.scot/policies/alcohol-and-drugs/