Doctors' calls for drink crackdown
Updated on 25 June 2007
Medical chiefs have called for a crackdown on the sale of cheap drink.
A ban on alcohol advertising at sporting and entertainment events is also among a series of demands being made by doctors' group the BMA (British Medical Association) Scotland.
It also wants the drink-drive limit increased, a measure which won the backing of the governing SNP at its conference last year.
Justice secretary Kenny MacAskill pledged to crack down on "irresponsible" alcohol promotions earlier this month, claiming the Licensing Act, which comes into effect in 2009, bans certain types of promotions in pubs and clubs and some in shops.
The Scottish body's five demands were highlighted in a paper published at the opening of the BMA's annual UK conference in Torquay.
Alcohol kills six people every day in Scotland according to the association, which says doctors report an increase in the number of young people with "serious illness" from alcohol misuse.
Dr Peter Terry, chairman of the BMA in Scotland, said the death toll is "completely unacceptable" as he launched the plan.
"Worryingly, more and more teenagers are drinking at an earlier age and we must do more to combat this trend," he said. Increasing price is one part of a strategy that can deter children from purchasing alcohol. The BMA would also like to see more done in primary schools to educate children about the dangers of drink before they are drawn in by industry advertising. After smoking, alcohol is next big public health priority and I want Scottish ministers to work with doctors to end Scotland's drink problem."
The number of patients discharged from hospital with alcoholic liver disease has more than doubled in the past 10 years.
The plan calls on the Executive use the 2005 Licensing (Scotland) Act, to end deep discounting of alcohol for sale in off-licences, supermarkets and other off-sales outlets. It also wants to examine how pricing mechanisms can be used in Scotland to discourage heavy consumption of high-alcohol products.
These news feeds are provided by an independent third party and Channel 4 is not responsible or liable to you for the same.
