Scots alcohol-related deaths double during last 30 years
Minimum pricing is seen by some as the solution to the nation's alcohol problems
THE number of alcohol-related deaths in Scotland has more than doubled in the past three decades, latest figures show.
While 641 people died in 1979 from alcohol-related conditions, by 2010 the number had risen to 1,318.
The figures from the General Register Office for Scotland show that between 2009 and 2010 there was an increase of 3 per cent, or 36 deaths.
However, whereas the number of men whose deaths were alcohol-related increased from 837 to 909 between 2009 and 2010, the number of such deaths among women dropped from 445 to 409.
The figures led to calls for more to be done to tackle the problem, including bringing in minimum pricing legislation.
Jennifer Curran, head of policy, research and communications at Alcohol Focus Scotland, said: “Levels of alcohol harm in Britain are at historically high levels with alcohol being more affordable, more available and more heavily marketed than at any other time in the last 30 years.
“During that time, alcohol consumption per adult in the UK has gone up by 22 per cent and alcohol-related deaths have more than doubled.
“Raising the price of alcohol is one of the most effective ways of reducing alcohol-related harm.”
The data showed Glasgow had the most alcohol related deaths, with 215 in 2010, followed by North Lanarkshire with 119 and Edinburgh with 103. While Edinburgh saw a dramatic rise from 61 deaths to 103 over the past 30 years, Glasgow saw a smaller increase from 187 to 215.
The General Register Office for Scotland pointed out that alcohol-related deaths first started to increase sharply in the 1990s.
Information accompanying the statistics said: “The numbers of alcohol-related deaths for both sexes were relatively stable during the 1980s, but there were significant increases, particularly for men, during the 1990s and early 2000s. The largest numbers, and largest increases, were in those aged 45 to 59.”
In 2010, 569 of the 1,318 deaths were in the 45 to 59-year-old age group, followed by 449 among 60 to 74-year-olds.
Despite the rise in deaths between 2009 and 2010, there has been an overall drop since 2003, when alcohol-related deaths reached a high of 1,525.
Alcohol Concern chief executive Eric Appleby said: “Despite slightly lower figures for alcohol-related deaths in Scotland over recent years, the level of avoidable deaths due to alcohol misuse is still at a very unacceptable level. Evidence shows minimum pricing can make a real difference, so it is very timely for the Scottish Government to be taking the initiative in this area. It’s also vital services are always available for the early identification and support of problem drinkers.”
Minimum pricing legislation is due to be brought forward again by the Scottish Government this year after a failed attempt to pass it last year.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “It is clear that too many people are still drinking too much and damaging their health in the process. We need to take action on this.
“We believe minimum pricing would be the most effective and efficient way to tackle alcohol misuse as it would effectively target problem drinkers and help them reduce their consumption.”
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Comments
There are 42 comments to this article
Page 1 of 3
Kobi
Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 02:09 AM#39 My statistical point has as much statistical validity as the figures this report is based on, you know the ones that the health lobby are seizing on i.e. probably not very much. Also, as I said in my first post "The level of drinking prior to WWI and through most of the 19th century was higher than it is now, despite us all having more money to spend on drink." Do you deny this, or are you claiming that you or Swiss Toni were around at that point and your own observations from pre-WWI suggest that the level of drinking was lower?
Swiss Toni
Friday, January 27, 2012 at 10:42 PMKobi 38 - have just read your last post - your grasp of the concept of "fact" and your understanding of statistics is staggering in it's ineptitude!!. A wee bit of advice - don't believe everything that guy down the pub tells you - he is probably pulling you pudding!!
Swiss Toni
Friday, January 27, 2012 at 10:30 PMKobi 33 - see my comment @ 31 - until you make a rational response, your mince will be ignored i.e. pash or get off the pot. My guess is that when you grow up, you will realise what an absolute diddy you were
Tartancult
Friday, January 27, 2012 at 09:48 PMI don't take ANYTHING I read on here, statistics or otherwise, as ever being correct kobi. This forum in particular appears to attract people who not only swallow such nonsense whole but who come back for more ad then regurgitate what they have seen. Now, that aside, I can easily accept the conclusions reached that people are drinking more and dying as a result based on my own observations. Scots are absolute slaves to alcohol.
Kobi
Friday, January 27, 2012 at 08:40 PM#37 Rarely drink, I am afraid. Can't afford it. I notice that you seem happy with yet another set of bogus statistics being peddled to support the SNP Scottish Executive's line. As others on here have pointed out, the basis for calculating the figures have changed, so they are meaningless. But never let the facts get in the way of one of Kevin Pringle's trained poodles reacting according to script. Away and ask Pringle what you should write next.
Tartancult
Friday, January 27, 2012 at 08:11 PMI'm flattered (but not surprised) that you would quote me verbatim kobi as you are fundamentally lacking in original thought. No doubt your brain has become addled due to over-consumption of alcohol and other drugs. I'll light a candle for you this Sunday.
AuldLochinvar
Friday, January 27, 2012 at 07:43 PMI think that prog, at #18, is right. Comparison of statistics that are not carefully collected in exactly the same way makes conclusions taken from them, meaningless. If I want to convince you that the Labour party is no longer socialist, I'll ask you to compare speeches and writings of their present shadow Minister of Health (if there is one) with those of Aneurin Bevan. If I want to show that the sun has set on the British Empire, I invite you to look at the website of British Energy, which is now a subsidiary of the French EDF. And take a look at Dinorwig Power Station, in Snowdonia, where my brother worked as Chief Biologist when it belonged to the British people. It is now owned by Mitsui Power Company. It stores electrical energy as hydro potential energy, in a high lake, to supply surges in electrical demand.
AuldLochinvar
Friday, January 27, 2012 at 07:27 PMTobacco is easily the most addictive drug not made in a chemical lab. Admittedly, I'm shading this a bit if I'm not counting a distillery as a lab. Nevertheless, considering the abject failure of Prohibition in the USA (although I understand that while in effect, it worked in Kirkintilloch), I reckon prohibition of cannabis, cocaine, and the derivatives of the poppy are also foolishness, and would not even prohibit nicotine. But having become an American citizen in preference to a subject of the British monarch, I find it amusing in the excellent book "How the Scots Invented the Modern World" -- by an author at Johns Hopkins University -- to find that the Scottish Enlightenment, which gets high praise, was funded by the drug trade, to wit, alcohol, tobacco, and opium!
antiparasite
Friday, January 27, 2012 at 06:26 PMHow many murders are not included on this list where alcohol was involved?
Kobi
Friday, January 27, 2012 at 06:07 PM#32 Your post at #32 tells me that you went to the same school as Swiss Toni. What you posted there is unadulterated rubbish - are you related to Swiss Toni perhaps? You certainly have some of his peculiarities and prediliction for talking from the bottom of your back.
Tartancult
Friday, January 27, 2012 at 05:22 PMYour post at #18 tells me that you went to the same school as Charles, prog. What you posted there is unadulterated rubbish - are you related to Charles perhaps? You certainly have some of his peculiarities and prediliction for talking from the bottom of your back.
Swiss Toni
Friday, January 27, 2012 at 04:57 PMKobi - wtf are you on about!!?? ................."a statistical link between the amount of alcohol-related (sic) deaths and the amount of legislation forced upon us to control our behaviour"!!................"level of drinking prior to WWI and through most of the 19th century was higher than it is now"!! A bit of advice - know the difference between opinion and fact. Otherwise you end up talking mince
Kobi
Friday, January 27, 2012 at 03:41 PMThere is a statistical link between the amount of alcohol-related (sic) deaths and the amount of legislation forced upon us to control our behaviour. And for those who say that deathsabuse etc are at their highest ever levels, you are talking mince. The level of drinking prior to WWI and though most of the 19th century was higher than it is now, despite us all having more money to spend on drink.
antiparasite
Friday, January 27, 2012 at 01:25 PM25.. Nope, they deaths would be through a result of the law, not through the use of cannabis...
Biscuit McVittie
Friday, January 27, 2012 at 01:13 PMThe Scottish Government’s position here is typically hypocritical; on one hand they damn the poorest in society with minimum pricing but at the same time extol the values of the Scotch whisky industry.
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