Scotland faces 'alcohol epidemic' as drinkers in hospital hit record high

Published on Tuesday 24 February 2009 21:48

SCOTLAND is facing an "alcohol epidemic" as new figures reveal the number of people treated in hospital for drink-related conditions has reached an all-time high.

Alcohol-related discharges in 2007-8 increased to almost 42,500 – a 20 per cent jump in the last five years, according to statistics released yesterday by the Scottish Government.

Public Health Minister Shona Robison said urgent and bold action was needed to stem the tide of alcohol misuse across the country.

Last night charities described the latest figures as "horrific" and proof that Scotland is facing an alcohol epidemic.

Andrew Horne, director of Addaction Scotland, said his charity was seeing one death every week among its clients – highlighting the appalling extent of the country's addiction to alcohol.

"We run five services and have a fatality every week," he said. "If that was happening with drugs the country would be in uproar.

"These are relatively young people, in their 30s and 40s, who are dying of chronic organ failure."

Latest figures show 6,817 people were discharged following treatment for alcoholic liver disease, while 4,646 were treated for alcohol poisoning. The rates of alcohol-related hospital admissions have increased in every age group except the under-15s.

Ms Robison said the figures were further evidence that we need to take urgent action to tackle alcohol misuse.

She said: "They show that there were 116 hospital discharges directly due to alcohol-related problems every day in Scotland. This is putting a huge strain on the health service, but it also hints at a great deal of misery for individuals, families and communities."

Nearly 50 million litres of pure alcohol were drunk in 2007 – the equivalent of 11.8 litres for every person aged over 16. That is the equivalent of everyone over the age of 16 drinking 570 pints of normal strength beer, or 125 bottles of wine or 42 bottles of vodka.

Recent research found almost 1,500 Scots are dying every year because of drink.

Experts from Glasgow University and the Medical Research Council compiled details of the alcohol-related mortality rates for all parts of Scotland. Their study found that on average 999 men in Scotland and 448 women die every year from alcohol-related causes.

Patrick Fox, from the Alcohol Counselling Service, said television continued to glamorise alcohol and it had become a socially acceptable part of our culture.

He said: "We have a horrendous problem with alcohol in Scotland. Although they have cut back on adverts for alcohol, when you switch on the TV you see people drinking all the time.

"As a man you're supposed to be hard-drinking ... and this macho stuff is something we have had for a long time."

Despite the Scottish Government's public pledge to tackle alcohol abuse, critics have accused ministers of ditching or watering down a number of key policies.

It is understood plans to force off-licences, pubs and clubs to meet the cost of policing city centres at weekends and other social costs of alcohol abuse have been shelved until the economy is more robust. Alcohol misuse is related to more than 60 medical conditions including heart and liver disease, diabetes, strokes and mental health problems. Binge-drinking and severe intoxication can cause other problems such as hypothermia, convulsions and even comas.