The minimum age for buying alcohol in off-licenses would be raised to 21 and a minimum price per unit of alcohol introduced under new plans to reduce the harm done by drinking released by the Government today.

Other key proposals contained in the consultation document include ending ‘three for the price of two’ style promotions and introducing a ‘social responsibility fee’ for some alcohol retailers to pay for the consequences of alcohol misuse.

Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing, Nicola Sturgeon, said:

“The Scottish Government is determined to tackle alcohol misuse. People across all sections of society, of all ages, are drinking ever greater quantities of stronger alcoholic drinks. It should come as no surprise that alcohol-related health problems have risen hand-in-hand with this increased consumption. The cost of alcohol misuse to our health service, our justice services and our economy is enormous and growing. The cost to our families, our communities and our society is incalculable.

“Now is the time for action to defuse the health time-bomb alcohol misuse is storing up for the future. We believe that by raising the age for off-sales purchase of alcohol to 21, together with better enforcement, we will reduce excessive consumption among young people. Setting a minimum price for a unit of alcohol will mean price better reflects the strength of alcoholic drinks. This will end the heavy discounting which allows strong drink to be sold cheaper than bottled water.”

Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said:

“We can no longer sit back and let alcohol misuse continue to take its shocking toll on our criminal justice system, health service and economy. In criminal justice alone we know that two-thirds of murders are fuelled by drink and almost half of prisoners admitting to being drunk when they offended, Alcohol is part of Scottish culture, and we value the contribution of the industry to our economy and national life, but we've got our drinking out of kilter. It's not the drink, it's how we're drinking it. I believe these proposals will help us build on the changes brought in by the Licensing Act, such as ending happy hours in pubs and clubs and bringing in separate display areas for alcohol.

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