Minimum alcohol pricing has FAILED
Flagship policy hasn’t cut harmful boozing, reveals bombshell study. In fact, deaths rose last year. And the SNP’s response? They’re set to put up prices even more!
‘No strong evidence it reduced consumption’
THE SNP’s crackdown on cheap booze has failed to reduce levels of harmful drinking, The Scottish Mail on Sunday can reveal.
A landmark study has found ‘no strong evidence that minimum unit pricing had reduced alcohol consumption or harm’.
The research, which was based on evidence from hospital emergency departments, is a blow to the SNP, which had hoped that the controversial ban on cheap booze would help tackle Scotland’s shamefully high death rate.
It also makes it more likely that the cost of alcohol may now rise again, as the researchers concluded that the minimum price was set ‘too low’ to make a difference.
However, the study did find that the amount of alcohol bought in pubs, clubs and restaurants actually increased following its introduction. And Scots teens continue to buy more booze than those south of the Border.
The Scottish Government has pledged to review the current price of 50p per unit, with campaigners calling for an increase to 65p – up by almost a third. The 50p limit was set in 2012 but it was not implemented until 2018, due to a lengthy legal battle.
Alex Neil, then health secretary, said that the policy ‘would begin saving lives within months’. However, latest figures show that deaths from alcohol rose by 17 per cent last year, the highest level in more than a decade.
The new study, by the National Institute for Health Research, for Public Health Scotland, compared admissions from emergency departments in Scotland to England, which has no minimum unit pricing.
The authors reported: ‘We found no strong evidence that minimum unit pricing had reduced alcohol consumption or harm in this group.’
They added: ‘One measure showed that in Scotland, compared with England, alcohol was more likely to be bought from pubs, venues and restaurants after minimum unit pricing.
‘We found no changes by age, sex or social circumstances, except for those aged under 19 years, who were more likely to buy alcohol from an on- or off-licence after minimum unit pricing in Scotland, compared with England.’
The report looked at all alcoholrelated cases, including chronic and acute health problems, and interviewed hospital attendees. The experts concluded: ‘Within the emergency departments, there was no evidence of a beneficial impact of minimum unit pricing.
‘Implementation appeared to have been successful and there was no evidence of substitution from alcohol consumption to other drugs.
‘The lack of effect observed in these settings in the short term, and the problem-free implementation, suggests that the price per unit set was acceptable, but may be too low.’
Alcohol Focus Scotland, which championed the minimum price policy, has said it should be increased to 65p. That would see the price of a bottle of wine rise from £5 to £6.50, a six-pack of medium-strength lager go from £6 to £7.80, and a bottle of whisky increase from £14 to £18.20. Last night, the charity warned that the country was ‘headed [sic] in the wrong direction’ in the battle against excessive drinking.
Chief executive Alison Douglas said: ‘Alcohol Focus Scotland wants to see the Scottish Government raise the minimum unit price to 65p per unit as soon as possible.
‘There is a real risk that we are headed in the wrong direction when we look at the significant rise in the number of deaths from alcohol in 2020.’
Dr Lewis Morrison, chairman of BMA Scotland, added: ‘There has been evidence of some impact during the early years of the policy, but we need to allow more time to see the difference it can make.
‘There is definitely a strong and growing case that minimum unit pricing needs to be increased and Alcohol Focus Scotland are right to be putting that forward.’
The investigation follows another study, by Manchester Metropolitan University, which showed that the pricing policy had only a small impact on drink-related crime in Scotland. Analysis of Police Scotland data found that crime, disorder and public-nuisance activity related to booze was already falling, and the trajectory did not change following the introduction of minimum pricing.
Last night, the Scots Tories said the Government must look at other ideas to tackle problem boozing.
Sue Webber, the party’s public health spokesman, said: ‘The SNP trumpeted minimum unit pricing as the main solution to Scotland’s alcohol problem – but these findings suggest that it may not be having much of an impact.
‘We urge them to support the Scottish Conservatives’ Right to Recovery Bill, so that more people can immediately access the drug or alcohol addiction treatment they need.’
A Government spokesman said: ‘We remain committed to preventing and tackling alcohol-related harm in Scotland.’
‘Real risk we are headed in the wrong direction’
LIKE all populist nationalists, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon offers simplistic solutions to complex problems. Nothing is insurmountable if only we’ll vote to leave the UK.
Ms Sturgeon’s weakness for simple, sloganeering politics may have helped shape her reputation as an orator, but it has done little to make Scotland a better place.
In fact, her record is strewn with pieces of unnecessary – or even damaging – legislation.
Perhaps the worst case of the SNP Government bringing forward bad law was the attempted introduction of state guardians: an intrusion into family life that would have shamed the most totalitarian state and which was foiled only after judges at the Supreme Court ruled it breached rights protected by the European Convention on Human Rights.
Another piece of nannyish legislation did, unfortunately, pass through Holyrood. The introduction of minimum pricing was trumpeted by the SNP as a radical and progressive policy that would help tackle the problem of alcohol abuse.
Unsurprisingly, the policy has had no effect. A new study found ‘no strong evidence that minimum unit pricing had reduced alcohol consumption or harm’.
The reality is that the policy harms the responsible drinker, forced to pay more for a bottle of wine to accompany their Sunday dinner.
When minimum pricing was introduced, then Health Secretary Alex Neil said lives would be saved within months. However, latest figures show deaths from alcohol rose by 17 per cent last year to the highest level in more than a decade.
Alcohol abuse and its devastating effect on families is an important issue – but the complex problems involved cannot be solved by yet another simplistic SNP ‘solution’.
Minimum pricing has had no impact on the problem it was supposed to address.
But instead of ditching a scheme which quite obviously doesn’t work, the Scottish Government is considering increasing the minimum pricing level from 50p to 65p – a measure that would further increase the price of many drinks and punish the responsible person even more.
It’s a bit like throwing good money after bad. The Scottish Government should call time on this nannyish policy.