Letter to press - minimum pricing
12/03/2009
It's disingenuous and misleading for the leaders of the alcohol industry to suggest that the issue of minimum pricing will not be properly debated and scrutinised if put through on existing licensing legislation and regulation.
They quite conveniently have ignored the background to the Scottish Government's policy on alcohol. The fact is that the previous administration had the vision, foresight and courage to recognise that licensing law exists to 'promote and improve public health'. This is not simply a well intentioned phrase, but in fact embodies a deliberate intention to ensure that when alcohol is sold it should be done in a way which will reduce personal and social harm. Scotland is unique in having such a principle embodied in its licensing law.
One inconvenient truth for many of those who sell alcohol products is that this means that the practice of selling cheap alcohol which is proven unequivocally to contribute to health and social harm has to stop. In other words, public health and wellbeing takes precedence over simple commercial interests when it can be demonstrated that commercial practices are detrimental to them.
Another inconvenient truth is that years of free-market practices have quite clearly run counter to improving Scotland's health. It is neither an accident nor a coincidence that as the real price of alcohol has dropped over the last 30 years, our alcohol problems have increased. This pattern is replicated all over the world. This means it is vital that we agree to set minimum prices based on the alcoholic content of drinks.
It is a myth that minimum pricing will lead to a loss of jobs; there is no evidence to support that assertion. Indeed it is more likely that any reduction in sales will be offset by an increase in revenue with higher purchase costs.
It is typical for some in the industry to react in this way, indeed when test purchasing was introduced some argued against it, asserting that it was tantamount to entrapment. They are silent on this issue now.
Scotland has the dubious honour of seeing alcohol death rates rise, while they are falling elsewhere in Europe. Six people die each day from alcohol related disease. But the tragedy isn't solely about mortality; it's also about blighted lives. The reality is that 65,000 children have their childhood stolen from them and their future blighted because of someone's drinking. The reality is unwanted pregnancy or disfigurement for many young people. The scale of the problem we face means we have to take the right action now and that means setting a minimum price.
Is it too much to ask us to spend 11pence more on a bottle of wine if that means a longer life for some, or a childhood recaptured, or a young person's future assured?Because that's exactly what it means.
It is vital that we don't get distracted from tackling Scotland's alcohol problems. We all have a responsibility to turn our alcohol culture around and recognise that sometimes our health and social wellbeing comes before commercial interest.
Jack Law, Chief Executive, Alcohol Focus Scotland
Dr Peter Terry, Chairman, British Medical Association Scotland
Dr Bruce Ritson, Chairman, Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP)
