Call for action as alcohol deaths rise again

The number of deaths in Scotland from alcohol related causes remains at a high level despite minimum unit pricing, according to latest figures published by National Records of Scotland ("NRS").

In 2021, 1,245 people died from conditions caused by alcohol in Scotland in 2021, up by 55 or 5% on 2020 and the highest number of deaths since 2008. NRS said that more detailed analysis showed the rate of mortality from alcohol-specific causes as 22.3 deaths per 100,000 people in 2021, but while this was higher than the 21.5 deaths per 100,000 in 2020, "it is not a statistically significant increase, and remains below the peak rate of deaths from alcohol in 2006".

There is a strong correlation between areas of deprivation and alcohol related deaths. Julie Ramsay, vital events statistician at NRS, observed: "Health inequalities are a feature of alcohol-specific deaths. Deaths attributed to alcohol were 5.6 times as likely in the most deprived areas of Scotland compared to the least deprived areas. This is more than the deprivation gap for all causes of death, which is 1.9." 

Of those who died from alcohol-specific causes, two thirds were male. The average age of death was 58.7 years for females and 59.7 years for males.

Alison Douglas, chief executive of Alcohol Focus Scotland, described the 2021 figure as "devastating",  coming as it did on top of a substantial increase in 2020. "We seem to almost accept this toll as inevitable, but we should not; each death can be prevented", she commented. "The Scottish Government has recognised alcohol harm as a public health emergency alongside drugs, but we have not yet seen an emergency response on the same scale; they must act now. 

"Action must include investment in support for those who already have alcohol problems. Services were inadequate before COVID, but problems have deepened as many people turned to alcohol to cope with anxiety and stress. They need easy access to support to help aid their recovery."

She also called for an increase in the minimum unit price as part of efforts to prevent the next generation of drinkers developing patterns of drinking that damage their health: "Minimum unit price has delivered a sustained decrease in the amount we are drinking and there are some early signs this is translating into health benefits. But the price is set too low. To counter the effects of inflation since it was set in 2012, and optimise the impact, we need to increase the minimum unit price to at least 65p.

"Obviously the price of alcohol isn’t the only driver of consumption, and on its own minimum unit pricing isn’t going to change our attitudes to alcohol. We also need to address how heavily alcohol is marketed and restrict how available it is in our communities. Only a comprehensive and sustained approach to preventing and reducing alcohol consumption and harm is likely to turn around the worrying trends we are starting to see."

The charity is also urging local authorities not to grant any more off-licences.