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Minimum Alcohol Pricing


scottsdad

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In any case, the Scottish Government has made some attempts at addressing Scotland's drugs problem, but has been thwarted by a totally indifferent Westminster Government that still insists on reserving the relevant legislation. That being the case, I'm still unsure how drugs deaths are related to, or a reflection of the outcome of a minimum alcohol pricing law.

Seems very much to me that without the minimum pricing bill, we'd still be looking at an increase in drugs deaths, increased alcohol consumption, and in increase in alcohol related issues as compared to the current reality. I thought people might have realised in the years after the public smoking ban that sometimes governments stepping in and taking choice out of irresponsible peoples' hands does actually result in seeing the intended beneficial effects.

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  • 5 months later...
27 minutes ago, Bairnardo said:

Look forward to a story about how the SNP are doing this on purpose

You do realise I am joking.

If you stop people dying of one thing then there will obviously be an increase on everything else. 

Statistically speaking that is!

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1 minute ago, Fullerene said:

You do realise I am joking.

If you stop people dying of one thing then there will obviously be an increase on everything else. 

Statistically speaking that is!

Yes I was just carrying it on under the theme of how folk will find a way to slate the SNP for this...

 

How about... "STURGE'S BOOZE HIKE HELPS CANCER TOP SHAMEFUL DEATH LEAGUE"

 

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4 minutes ago, Bairnardo said:

Yes I was just carrying it on under the theme of how folk will find a way to slate the SNP for this...

 

How about... "STURGE'S BOOZE HIKE HELPS CANCER TOP SHAMEFUL DEATH LEAGUE"

"Chronic alcoholic recovers from addiction and goes on crime spree across the country!  The latest."

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42 minutes ago, Fullerene said:

You do realise I am joking.

If you stop people dying of one thing then there will obviously be an increase on everything else. 

Statistically speaking that is!

I used to like telling people during the second hand smoke hysteria before the ban that it was much safer to drive if you were a smoker.

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  • 8 months later...

This is back in the news. Yesterday it was reported that alcohol related deaths shot up last year (I wonder why). Straight away the lobbyists were at the media saying that the 50p unit rate needed to increase. 

It isn't the answer. There was an alcoholic on the radio this morning talking about it and said that it made no difference. Her brother - also an alcoholic - simply bought less food or electricity to keep drinking the same amount. Wealthier people can just absorb the cost. 

The minister was on radio yesterday saying that the policy had been a dazzling success. This blip was just lockdown. 

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10 hours ago, scottsdad said:

This is back in the news. Yesterday it was reported that alcohol related deaths shot up last year (I wonder why). Straight away the lobbyists were at the media saying that the 50p unit rate needed to increase. 

It isn't the answer. There was an alcoholic on the radio this morning talking about it and said that it made no difference. Her brother - also an alcoholic - simply bought less food or electricity to keep drinking the same amount. Wealthier people can just absorb the cost. 

The minister was on radio yesterday saying that the policy had been a dazzling success. This blip was just lockdown. 

Was this a Scottish minister?  I am guessing so as it has been obvious that the lockdowns were having adverse effects on people's health, both in terms of obesity, alcohol and drugs.  Never mind though we managed to stop Covid.  Just image how bad it would be if we had all these lockdowns and a year and a half later it was still rampant in the country.

 

But let's not forget our more caring SNP government have only done this to keep you safe.  Let's toast them with non-alcoholic champagne.

 

Edited by strichener
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11 hours ago, strichener said:

Was this a Scottish minister?  I am guessing so as it has been obvious that the lockdowns were having adverse effects on people's health, both in terms of obesity, alcohol and drugs.  Never mind though we managed to stop Covid.  Just image how bad it would be if we had all these lockdowns and a year and a half later it was still rampant in the country.

 

But let's not forget our more caring SNP government have only done this to keep you safe.  Let's toast them with non-alcoholic champagne.

 

I'm not convinced that the lockdown had much of a direct impact on consumption levels for drink and drugs, but rather the removal of rehab options made it far harder for those who needed intervention and treatment to receive it. 

For obesity the evidence is waddling around us on a daily basis though. 

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9 hours ago, virginton said:

I'm not convinced that the lockdown had much of a direct impact on consumption levels for drink and drugs, but rather the removal of rehab options made it far harder for those who needed intervention and treatment to receive it. 

Why did alcohol deaths go down in the previous year then?

"The number of alcohol-specific deaths has decreased by 10%, from 1,136 in 2018 to 1,020 in 2019,"

https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/news/2020/alcohol-deaths-decrease

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16 hours ago, Baxter Parp said:

Why did alcohol deaths go down in the previous year then?

"The number of alcohol-specific deaths has decreased by 10%, from 1,136 in 2018 to 1,020 in 2019,"

https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/news/2020/alcohol-deaths-decrease

Could be a blip but more likely the price increase has only had a short term effect? Alkies will find a way. Problem drinkers will adjust over time.

 

The Scottish government will call for a higher minimum price or more draconian measures.

And we'll keep on drinking.

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9 minutes ago, BigDoddyKane said:

If you make drink too expensive does it not sometimes push people to buying stronger alcohol content to get value for money

The MPU is already based upon the alcohol content.

500 ml of 4% beer = 2 units = £1.00 minimum price

200 ml of 10% cider/wine = 2 units = £1.00 minimum price

50 ml of 40% whisky = 2 units = £1.00 minimum price

If you want to buy the cheapest available product, there's no price advantage in buying drink with a higher ABV

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48 minutes ago, BigDoddyKane said:

If you make drink too expensive does it not sometimes push people to buying stronger alcohol content to get value for money

I do tend to buy wine on price and strength.

I buy beer on strength and taste. Houblon Chouffe is my favourite beer.

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