Changing Scotland’s relationship to drink

Evidence is growing that Scotland’s toxic relationship with alcohol is changing. The ‘demon drink’ is a major cause of ill health, with those regularly drinking more than six pints of beer or 10 small glasses of wine a week deemed to be at elevated risk of health harms.

Among the potential impacts is stroke, heart and liver disease, brain damage and a heightened risk of cancer.

While those harms are widely acknowledged, Scotland’s drinking culture has proven a difficult habit to break.

Frightening NHS Health Scotland figures show that in 2016 an average of 24 people died every single week in Scotland as a result of alcohol abuse.

That is a stark picture by any standard. But, thankfully, it appears it is one that is starting to change.

Initiatives like Sober for October and Dry January have become fixtures of the calendar for many and Scotland’s pioneering legislation around minimum pricing for alcohol has started to make inroads into overall consumption levels, albeit the improvement is relatively modest.

One group where the shift in attitudes is gathering pace is the student community. It used to be a given that alcohol would be a constituent part of any student night out.

But now that stereotype is being challenged with dry university bars and the increasing popularity of alcohol-free mocktails. It may be a small change, but it is a step in the right direction nonetheless.