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Alcohol Focus Scotland response to Ministerial Statement on alcohol and other drugs

In his Ministerial Statement today on alcohol and other drugs, the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care Neil Gray has announced that plans for a second consultation on alcohol marketing restrictions are to be further delayed pending an evidence review by Public Health Scotland.

Alcohol Focus Scotland is deeply disappointed by this announcement which confirms that it will now be impossible for the Scottish Government to fulfil it’s commitment to legislate to protect children and young people from pervasive alcohol marketing during the course of this parliament.

That is despite the First Minister, a cross party majority of MSPs and more than 40 civic society organisations signing up to our Alcohol Free Childhood campaign – which commits to all children being able to play, learn and socialise in places that are healthy and safe, protected from exposure to alcohol marketing.

Commenting on the Ministerial Statement, Laura Mahon, Deputy CEO of Alcohol Focus Scotland said:

“This week saw the publication of figures showing a 15 year high in alcohol specific deaths. 1,277 of our fellow Scots died last year due to alcohol alone, more than died due to all other drugs combined.

“Yet staggeringly, this figure is only the tip of the iceberg, with more than twice as many likely to have died from other alcohol related causes including cancers, cardiovascular disease, accidents, violence and suicide.

“Despite the Scottish Government itself declaring alcohol a public health emergency more than two years ago, and the scale of that emergency only increasing, we simply have not seen an emergency response.

“Simply tacking alcohol onto the National Mission for Drugs is completely insufficient for the scale of the problem. Whilst some aspects of treatment being delivered by the National Mission will be helpful, alcohol presents a uniquely different challenge to other illegal drugs, with a large proportion of those dying not as a consequence of alcohol dependence or ‘addiction’, but dying as a consequence of long term heavy use. We need to recognise this and provide alcohol-specific pathways and a wide range of support and treatment that meet people where they are at.

“In a culture awash with alcohol promotion, and endless access to alcohol, it is incredibly easy to develop unhealthy habits that go unnoticed but ultimately lead to bad outcomes. So, this is not just about treatment. It’s about addressing our long-standing unhealthy relationship with alcohol and prioritising people over private profit.

“Further delaying the promised consultation on alcohol marketing restrictions is in no doubt another small victory for the alcohol industry, using entirely predictable tactics to create ‘policy chill’. We accept the need to ensure action is evidence based but the international evidence on restricting marketing is clear, and was already strongly reflected in the consultation that has already been conducted.  Waiting for a further evidence review and another consultation on this issue is just delaying essential action further.  

“This is an industry who have been caught red handed discussing how they need to ‘attract the heavy using loyalists of tomorrow’ – our children and young people. Delaying public health policy on alcohol is a tactic which has already cost hundreds of lives in Scotland through the six-year delay to the implementation of minimum pricing led by the Scotch Whisky Association.

“While the Scottish Government must show strong resolve and leadership in the face of pressure from commercially vested interests, all political parties must treat this situation for what it is – a public health crisis affecting thousands of Scots every year. The health and wellbeing of the population has to be the priority.”