Government seeks views on alcohol laws
17 Jun 08
Raising buying age to 21 and ending three for two promotions among proposals
The Scottish Government is seeking views on a number of measures it is proposing to tackle alcohol abuse.
Launched today, the consultation proposes raising the age for off-sales alcohol purchases to 21 and setting a minimum price at which a unit of alcohol can be sold.
The government also wants to:
- end "three for the price of two" type of promotions;
- introduce a social responsibility fee for some alcohol retailers, to reduce the burden on the general taxpayer;
- introduce alcohol-only checkouts in large off-sales premises.
In addition it has confirmed an £85 million increase in alcohol prevention, treatment and support services, bringing total spending to £120 million over the next three years (previously part of the spending review).
The total cost of alcohol misuse in Scotland is estimated at £2.25 billion a year, and alcohol-related visits to Scottish hospitals have increased by almost 50% in the last decade.
Alcohol-related death rates have more than doubled and Scotland has one of the fastest growing liver cirrhosis death rates in the world.
Drunken offenders
Almost half (45%) of Scottish prisoners in 2007 said they were drunk at the time of the offence and alcohol is said to be a contributory factor in one in three divorces.
Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing Nicola Sturgeon said it was time to defuse the health time bomb alcohol misuse was storing up for the future.
Setting a minimum price for a unit of alcohol would also end the heavy discounting which allows strong drink to be sold cheaper than bottled water.
However, the drinks industry has said it will fight plans for minimum charges on units of alcohol, as it would affect whisky sales and its export.
"Discrimination"
A spokesman for the Scotch Whisky Association said they were very concerned about minimum pricing and government interference in the commercial marketplace. They feel that such a rule would breach competition law and lead to discrimination against Scotch whisky.
John Currie, Scottish President of the Natikonal Federation of Retail Newsagents, said: "We believe that measures such as maximising the price of alcohol by law and stopping off-licences from selling to over-18s are ‘knee-jerk’ rather than well-thought-out policies. Retailers are not at fault when selling a legal product and the Scottish Government suggestions seem like another way to penalise shops and off-licences instead of tackling the real issue, how young people relate to alcohol."
Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said the government was not prepared to “sit back and let alcohol misuse continue to take its shocking toll on our criminal justice system, health service and economy”.
The consultation will run until 9 September. The government envisages legislating in time for many of the measures to coincide with the new Licensing Act coming into force on 1 September 2009.