News
- The Alcohol Framework 2018 Preventing Harm
- Scotlands new drug and alcohol strategy launched
- AFS welcome new alcohol strategy
- Recent reporting on alcohol sales data
- Cross-Party Group Improving Scotland's health: 2021 and beyond October 2018
- Diageo is failing to provide latest guidelines on their products
- Drinks companies keeping consumers in dark about risky drinking
- Reducing alcohol consumption can address health inequalities
- Alcohol-specific deaths remain at very high levels
- Oh Lila goes digital
- Global first alcohol policy set to save hundreds of Scots' lives
- AFS welcomes minimum unit pricing for alcohol
- Walker's crisp ad exposes children to alcohol marketing
- Truer picture of alcohol harm revealed
- Focus on link between alcohol and obesity
- Alcohol causes 3,700 deaths in Scotland every year
- Last Christmas for heavily discounted alcohol
- Scotland's licensing system needs clearer direction
- Minimum pricing blog
- Minimum pricing gets green light
- Reflections on GAPC 2017
- Alcohol brands and young people
- Time for honest conversations about alcohol
- Q&A on alcohol marketing
- UK children anxious about parents' drinking
- Quarter of Scots drink above guidelines
- Alcohol producers failing to inform public
- Concern over alcohol-related deaths
- We need to make it easier for people to drink less
- Worrying rise in alcohol-related deaths
- Minimum pricing will save lives
- Pocket money prices for alcohol continue
- Scotland's alcohol problem laid bare
- Cheap alcohol is costing Scotland dear
- One drink a day can increase breast cancer risk
- Poverty linked to increased harm from alcohol
- What next for reducing alcohol harm in Scotland?
- Scotland must do more to turn tide of alcohol harm
- Concern as funding for alcohol services cut
- Budget: No change in alcohol duty
- Scottish Government urged to curb alcohol marketing
- Consumers have the right to know health risks
- Chancellor urged to tackle cheap, strong cider in Budget
- Online help for families affected by alcohol
- Alcohol-free childhood is healthiest option
- SWA granted leave to appeal minimum pricing
- Drink drive warning
- Scottish Greens call for action on alcohol marketing
- Scottish Government receives European alcohol award
- SWA will appeal to UK Supreme Court
- Half of alcohol being sold under 50p per unit
- SWA urged to respect minimum pricing decision
- Alcohol and mental health are closely linked
- Minimum pricing can be implemented in Scotland
- Alcohol sold at pocket money prices
- Scotland has so much to gain from reducing how much we drink
- AFS welcomes revised alcohol consumption guidelines
- Emergency services face shocking levels of alcohol abuse
- Every child has the right to grow up safe from alcohol harm
- Public health must prevail over big business
- New toolkit to help children affected by family alcohol problems
- Price check reveals cheap cost of strong alcohol
- Sales increase underlines need for minimum pricing
- Time to kick alcohol out of sport
- Alcohol linked with stomach cancer
- AFS calls for compulsory health warnings on alcoholic drinks
- Are supermarkets 'responsible retailers' when it comes to alcohol?
- Scottish health charities call for excise duty rise to tackle cheap alcohol
- Alcohol campaigners unite to call for stronger protection from alcohol advertising to children
- New resource for people concerned about alcohol in their community
- Minimum pricing decision delayed until summer
- No completely 'safe' level of drinking
- New alcohol guidelines published
- Minimum pricing - European court ruling
- Alcohol fuels ambulance assaults
- 82% of Scots agree drink driving is unacceptable
- Scotland's alcohol strategy - what next?
- Scotland leads way in evidence-based alcohol policy
- New report reveals impact of alcohol on emergency services
- Alcohol: a global concern
Scottish Government receives European alcohol award
The Scottish Government’s pioneering work to reduce the harm caused by alcohol has been honoured with a European Award.
The European Reducing Alcohol Harm award was given in recognition of a “comprehensive range” of measures including the multi-buy discount ban, lowering the drink-drive limit and legislating for minimum unit pricing.
It was announced at the seventh European Alcohol Policy Conference in Slovenia, attended by health ministers, scientists and public health officials from across the European Union.
Aileen Campbell, Minister for Public Health and Sport, said:
“It’s a huge honour that Scotland has been given this award in recognition of our work to reduce the damage caused by alcohol. This award is a tribute to all the people in Scotland who work with those affected by alcohol.
“The Scottish Government has over 40 measures designed to reduce alcohol-related harm. We have legislated to end multi-buy discounts and the irresponsible promotion of alcohol products, introduced a nationwide programme of alcohol brief interventions and lowered the drink drive limit. We’ve also invested significantly in specialist treatment and care services to help those with alcohol problems.
“We remain absolutely committed to introduce minimum unit pricing as soon as possible. Of course I was deeply disappointed that this life-saving policy has been further delayed by another legal challenge from the Scotch Whisky Association last week. However, the policy has been ruled lawful twice in the Scottish courts and I am confident the Supreme Court will come to the same conclusion if this latest appeal proceeds.
“Alcohol misuse is costing Scotland £3.6 billion a year and it kills around 22 people a week. So we will continue our work to reduce this harm, and will shortly be publishing a refreshed alcohol strategy for Scotland to build on the progress so far.”
Alison Douglas, Chief Executive of Alcohol Focus Scotland said:
"This award recognises the Scottish Government’s commitment to reducing our high levels of alcohol-related harm, particularly in pursuing minimum unit pricing. It is astonishing that the Scotch Whisky Association continue to put profits before people by delaying this life-saving policy.
"Some good progress has been made in the seven years since Scotland’s alcohol strategy was published, but there is much still to be done. We hope that the next phase of the alcohol strategy focuses on protecting children from alcohol marketing and reducing the availability and accessibility of alcohol."
Announcing the award, Mariann Skar, Secretary General of Eurocare (The European Alcohol Policy Alliance), said:
“The first European Award for Reducing Alcohol Harm Award is awarded to the Scottish Government in recognition of its actions to develop and implement a comprehensive range of evidence-based alcohol policies, and specifically its battle to implement minimum unit pricing, in the face of sustained opposition by global alcohol producers. Scotland is recognised as an international beacon for evidence-based alcohol policies, making the improvement of the health of its population a top priority.”