Minimum alcohol pricing could help prevent alcohol-related deaths in Scotland, experts say
Experts say that minimum alcohol pricing is helping to target the recent spike in alcohol-related deaths.
A report published by the Office for National Statistics found that more than 1200 people in Scotland died in 2022 due to alcohol abuse.
A 25% increase from pre-pandemic levels, Scotland is the worst affected country in the UK.
Laura Mahon, Deputy Chief Executive of Alcohol Focus Scotland, said: “Minimum unit pricing has had a mitigating effect, where had minimum unit pricing not been in place, we would have seen a much bigger increase in alcohol harm than we have.
“The 25% increase in specific deaths is awful, but without minimum pricing it would have been a lot worse.”
