Experts flag dangers of drink despite fall in deaths

AN addiction support service has warned people not to take their eye off the ball as Dundee recorded its lowest number of drink-related deaths since 2015.

New statistics from the National Records of Scotland found there were 74 alcohol-specific deaths in the NHS Tayside area in 2019, down from 88 in 2018.

And in Dundee the numbers dropped from 36 to 30, which is the fewest alcohollinked deaths in the city for five years.

But Dundee is still ranked 11th among local authority areas and NHS Tayside is the fifth highest Scottish health board area for drink-related deaths.

Around Tayside, there were 21 deaths in Angus in 2019 (down from 22) and 23 in Perth and Kinross (down from 30).

Dave Barrie from We Are With You Dundee, which supports people struggling with alcohol and drug misuse issues, said it was good to see the number of deaths dropping in the city, but stressed there was no room for complacency.

He said: “This is certainly good news, it is great to see the figures reducing.

“Let’s hope this is an indication that alcohol use as a problem is reducing and it suggests people are accessing the support they need and are hopefully consuming alcohol in safer ways.

“People are starting to realise alcohol is at times a very harmful drug and we need to be extremely careful around alcohol.

“We need to hold on to any reductions in alcohol-specific deaths.

“But over the coronavirus pandemic we cannot take our eyes off the ball. During lockdown there is anecdotal evidence we could be seeing an increase in alcohol use and the problems that brings.

“The impact of alcohol misuse is significant on individuals’ health and their families with hospital admissions, accidents, violence and domestic violence so we cannot be complacent.”

He said anyone concerned about their or someone else’s drinking habits should get in touch to see what support is on offer.

David added: “Keep a really close eye on how much alcohol we are consuming. It is important to understand what the guidelines are and what is deemed safe.

“You shouldn’t be drinking every day and if it is becoming an issue, seek support and advice early on rather than have it potentially developing into a serious issue.

“We need to treat alcohol seriously because services like ours see the real damage and impact alcohol can bring.

“Alcohol is a drug some people can use for a lot of years, but eventually people will get major health conditions linked with long-term alcohol use like heart disease, different cancers linked to alcohol, liver damage and mental health issues like depression and anxiety.

“There is a growing understanding that alcohol is highly addictive and can be extremely dangerous so we need to be very cautious and mindful of the harm that can come from alcohol.”

NHS Tayside is also urging anyone struggling with their alcohol consumption to seek support.

A health board spokeswoman said: “It has been a difficult year for everyone during the Covid-19 pandemic and people may feel like it is not getting easier.

“Alcohol is sometimes used by people to try to help manage symptoms of anxiety and depression, but excessive drinking is likely to make those symptoms worse.

“Managing your drinking and getting the right support are crucial to good mental health. It’s vital that anyone who is struggling gets the support they need.”

NHS Tayside recommends accessing free, confidential advice by calling the alcohol helpline on 0800 7314 314 or visiting nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/ alcohol.