New Scottish pricing system prevents alcohol deaths, study finds

A new report, published in the Lancet, implies the introduction of minimum unit pricing (MUP) in Scotland has led to a decreased amount of alcohol-related deaths compared to England.

The research, which was published yesterday, has been welcomed by the Public Health Minister, Maree Todd, as it revealed that since the system was launched 156 deaths have been averted.

MUP was originally launched in 2018 and it adds a minimum charge of 50p on each unit of alcohol on top of its initial price.

A Public Health Scotland and University of Glasgow study indicates a 13.4% reduction in deaths, and a 4.1% reduction in hospital admissions due to alcohol consumption in the first two and a half years after MUP was introduced. The report also concludes that policy had reduced deaths and hospital admissions, which used to be higher than English rates, where alcohol consumption may have been a factor.

As well as focusing on the first two and a half years since introducing the MUP policy, experts were influenced to conduct their study after a previous report highlighted that the countries alcohol sales had dropped by 3%.

Experts have remained confident that the reason for fewer deaths and hospital admissions is down to the MUP system. They have also noted that there had been significant reductions in deaths in areas of deprivation, suggesting MUP has helped reduce inequalities in alcohol-attributable deaths in Scotland.

Ms Todd said: ‘I am very pleased with these findings which point to more than 150 lives a year being saved and 411 fewer hospital admissions, further underlining the value of our world-leading Minimum Unit Pricing policy which has helped reduce alcohol sales to their lowest on record.

‘We’re determined to do all we can to reduce alcohol-related harm which is one of the most pressing public health challenges that we face in Scotland.

‘Minimum Unit Pricing continues to achieve its aim – cutting overall sales, particularly cheap high-strength alcohol, which is often drunk by people drinking at harmful levels.

‘It’s also encouraging to see that the research has highlighted that the policy is having an effect in Scotland’s most deprived areas – which experience higher death rates and levels of harms from problem alcohol.’

Image: John Cafazza