Alcohol Policy UK

Findings bulletins: education evidence, Scottish drug & alcohol strategy, treatment & recovery lessons

Recent bulletins from the Findings drug and alcohol bank: 

Alcohol harm reduction education gains credibility in UK

Trialled in schools in Northern Ireland and Scotland, an alcohol harm reduction curriculum for secondary schools plus a parental component led to fewer pupils drinking heavily at a single sitting. Bolstered by this study, school programmes aiming to reduce harm rather than prevent drinking per se now have a limited but relatively good research record in the UK.

A new strategy for Scotland: ‘rights, respect and recovery’

Already credited with being the most closely aligned of UK nations with evidence-based recommendations, Scotland’s new strategy on alcohol and other drugs isn’t afraid to stray into value-driven territory. Eschewing messages about ‘personal responsibility’ in favour of respect and dignity, the Scottish Government frames substance use as an urgent human rights and public health issue.

Scotland's drink-drive limit reduction - ineffective in isolation?

A new study published in the Lancet indicates the lowering of Scotland's drink-drive limit in 2014 to 50mg has not resulted in a reduction of Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs), though it suggests this may be due to a lack of supporting enforcement and campaigns.

Jim Lewsey, Professor of Medical Statistics, at the University’s Institute of Health and Wellbeing, said the findings were "surprising" given previous international evidence, which "generally supports a reduction of RTAs following the same lowering of a blood alcohol concentration limit", and that:

Minimum pricing six months on: too soon to tell?

NHS Scotland have published a briefing paper addressing what can be deduced about the impact of minimum unit pricing (MUP) since its introduction in May 2018.

Download 'Six months on from the implementation of MUP, what can we say about changes in alcohol sales in Scotland?' [pdf]

The short summary follows a number of recent media reports speculating on the impact of MUP in Scotland, though lead researchers have stated it is "too early to draw conclusions" after just six months. The briefing echoes this point and highlights complete findings will be reported in 2023, but NHS Scotland will continue to present trends in per-adult alcohol consumption in Scotland and England & Wales in annual monitoring reports as part of its evaluation framework. Details on a specific evaluation component of the impact of MUP on harmful drinkers has also been released this month.

New Scottish national alcohol strategy framework 2018 published

The Scottish government has published a new alcohol framework 2018, outlining 20 key actions that seek to 'reduce consumption and minimise alcohol-related harm arising in the first place'.

The strategy has three key themes including 'reducing consumption', 'positive attitudes, positive choices' and 'supporting families and communities', and coincides with the latest figures on alcohol-related hospital admissions in Scotland of 35,499 in 2017/18. 

The strategy follows on from the implementation of Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) earlier this year after a long running legal challenge by sections of the alcohol industry. The Ministerial foreword says that while MUP "will contribute towards the step-change we need to see in Scotland’s levels of alcohol-related harm, we have always been clear that it was not a ‘silver bullet’".

SHAAP 'Dying for a Drink' & Alcohol Occasional seminars 2013–2018 reports

Two recent reports have been released by Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP), a body guided by the Medical Royal Colleges and Faculties in Scotland seeking action to reduce alcohol harm. 

'Dying for a drink' 

Last month SHAAP launched a new report, 'Dying for a drink’ [pdf], commissioned by the Scottish Government, exploring alcohol deaths in Scotland and recommendations for future action. There were 1,235 alcohol-related deaths in Scotland in 2017, and 3,705 alcohol-attributable deaths in 2015. Whilst deaths had peaked at around 1,500 in the mid-2000s and declined until around 2012, three of the four years to 2016 saw increases, with 2017 rates roughly double those of 1991.

News & updates July 2018: flying and boating; University AA, alcoholocks, marketing & more

Selected media stories since the June update:

A government-backed campaign to prevent inebriated passengers from boarding airplanes is being rolled out at ten airports – Gatwick, Stansted, Birmingham, East Midlands, Manchester, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Southampton, Bristol and Newcastle. The One Too Many initiative, where passengers will see warnings about alcohol consumption posted on digital display screens, will be shown in duty-free shops and leaflets handed out by the police. Telegraph

NUS Wales president Gwyneth Sweatman said Cardiff University's successful Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings means they should be rolled out across all universities, reports the BBC. An AA trustee said the number of younger attendees at meetings was rising each year. However Professor Tony Moss Tweeted the article missed two important points; firstly that not all alcohol problems are dependence, and secondly that AA is just one form of support drinkers might seek.

UK alcohol consumption trend flat: MESAS 2018

The latest data on UK alcohol sales has been released by NHS Scotland, showing consumption appears to have stabilised since 2013 in England and Scotland.

The report states:

'After increasing over the 1990s and early 2000s, the volume of pure alcohol sold per adult in Scotland stabilised at around 11.6 litres per adult between 2005 and 2009. Following a period of decline to 2013, the volume of pure alcohol sold per adult has remained broadly stable and in 2017 was at a level similar to that seen in 1994.'

Guidance and anticipation as Scotland gears up for minimum pricing

On Tuesday 1st May 2018, Scotland's long running bid for minimum unit pricing (MUP) will finally come into action, preventing the sale of alcohol at less than 50 pence per unit.

The Scottish Government recently issued guidance on the implementation of MUP [pdf], outlining information and FAQs on the calculation, implementation, and enforcement of minimum pricing - also at www.minimumunitpricing.scot.

MUP will be enacted as a mandatory condition applying to all licensed premises in Scotland, with local Licensing Standards Officers (LSOs) responsible for licensing adherence, and there will be 'no period of grace allowed'. The guidance states licensed premises are likely to be contacted by LSO which may include inspection visits for which 'the LSO will expect to see clear pricing information for every alcoholic product offered for sale'.

News & updates March 2018: MUP Scotland and Wales, cuts, older people, beer affordability & more

Selected media stories since the February roundup:

Writing in the Scotsman, Alcohol Focus Scotland Chief Executive Alison Douglas, said "The historic introduction of Minimum Unit ­Pricing (MUP) of ­alcohol is just weeks away and will mark a significant turning point in ­Scotland’s damaging relationship with drink. When this life-saving ­policy comes into effect on May 1, the positive impact on the nation’s health will be felt in a matter of months. In the first year alone, minimum pricing could prevent 60 ­alcohol-related deaths, 1,300 hospital admissions and 3,500 crimes, and those health and ­other benefits will build over time.". See APUK's MUP and UK policy analysis here.

Alcohol policy questions for the UK ahead of Scotland's MUP date

As Scotland's 1st May 2018 Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) implementation date fast approaches, debates on the role of pricing and other alcohol control policies is again receiving increased attention.

Writing in the Scotsman, Alcohol Focus Scotland's Chief Exec Alison Douglas says MUP’s 'positive impact on the nation’s health will be felt in a matter of months' and the 'life saving measure' is a ‘starting point for even more ambitious policies aimed at further tackling Scotland’s problematic relationship with alcohol'. The Scottish Government is shortly due to release a new national alcohol strategy to follow its former strategy and MESAS evaluation.