Monday 2nd March 2009

Changing Scotland’s Relationship with Alcohol: A Framework for Action.

The Scottish Government today published its framework for tackling Scotland's £2.25 billion alcohol misuse problem.

The strategy was launched by Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon and Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill, with minimum pricing and local flexibility to ban off-sales to under-21s among its key elements in tackling what health experts regard as Scotland's most pressing public health concern.

The proposals.

• Regulations should be made under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 to:

• Prevent the sale of alcohol as a loss leader

• Put an end to off-sales premises supplying alcohol at a reduced price on the purchase of one or more of the product, or of any other product, whether alcohol or not

• Put an end to off-sales premises supplying alcohol free of charge on the purchase of one or more of the product, or of any other product, whether alcohol or not
• Introduce minimum retail pricing.

• Support the introduction of legislation to require licensed premises to offer measures of 125ml of wine and 25ml measures of spirits.

• Review current advice for parents and carers.

• Empower licensing authorities to raise the minimum legal purchase age for off-sales purchases.

• Apply a fee to some alcohol retailers to help offset the costs of dealing with the adverse consequences of alcohol.

• Arrange a Scottish survey of the incidence of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.

• Work with partners at national and local level to improve substance misuse education in schools.

• Continue to support a number of third sector organisations to provide youth work and/or diversionary opportunities.

• Improve identification and assessment of those affected by parental substance misuse and sharing of appropriate information amongst agencies; and building capacity, availability and quality of support services.

• Monitor the effectiveness of measures within the new Licensing (Scotland) Act to control the availability of alcohol.

• Consider the role of local authority trading standards officers in relation to enforcement in off-sales.

• Continue to work the national Violence Reduction Unit and local Community Safety Partnerships to ensure the effective and innovative use of prevention and enforcement measures.

• Commission research to identify and evaluate models for services for drunk and incapable people.

• Following the debate on 18 December 2008, the Scottish Parliament agreed a motion calling on the UK Government to reduce the drink drive limit from 80mg per 100ml of blood to 50mg.

• Action to further restrict the use of marketing materials within licensed premises.

• Introduce alcohol only checkouts in off-sales premises.

• Require that alcohol checkout staff should be at least 18 years old.

• Continue to work with health and industry partners to promote awareness and understanding of alcohol misuse and responsible drinking.

Full report available here.

The Scottish Government news release available here.