Q&A: Phil Hanlon on Scotland's excessive drinking

Published on Sunday 15 February 2009 20:56

Professor of public health at the University of Glasgow comments on figures which suggest that many men and women in Scotland are drinking too much, with the average intake standing at 23 units of alcohol a week.

Why are people drinking so much more than the recommended units of 14 for women and 21 for men?

There are three main reasons. The first is that the cost of alcohol is so low – it has almost halved in the past 17 years.

The second is availability. Alcohol is on sale so cheaply in so many shops, off-licences and supermarkets. It's so easy to purchase.

The third reason is a change in culture and attitudes towards alcohol; by this I mean a shift in the way it is used.

Research has shown that between 1991 and 1992 these three factors came together and the result has been a huge increase in the amount of alcohol drunk and, therefore, the scale of drink-related problems in Scotland.

The trend has continued and it will carry on unless action is taken.

Is enough being done to tackle the problem?

Clearly no – because the numbers of people who are drinking too much continues to rise.

The SNP wanted to introduce a policy raising the minimum age for buying alcohol from off-licences from 18 to 21, but I think it is going to have to claw that back. That would have gone some way to help reduce the problem.

What more could be done?

There is no single solution. There needs to be a variety of factors.

Increasing the cost is one, and educating people about the damage alcohol can cause is another. There needs to be more awareness of the amount of units in drinks – because wine, for example differs in terms of strength from bottle to bottle.

In terms of young people drinking, sadly, one of the reasons is, in part, the promotion of individual brands specifically targeted at this group, and this needs to be looked at.

There needs to be a serious national conversation on this issue.

Unless action is taken we are going to see more problems – health, social and mental – in Scotland.