Supping with the cheap and nasty

Published on Sunday 5 October 2008 22:44

THE justice secretary, Kenny MacAskill, has taken a determined line on making Scotland confront its love affair with drinking. No-one denies the poor health and economic costs that result from alcohol abuse. Too often Scottish society has turned a blind eye to the extent to which alcohol pervades our culture, not least because it forms a major part of the economy.

Taking a brave, if unpopular, stance is one thing; failing to cho0se the correct path to reform is quite another. Mr MacAskill's plans to raise the age for buying alcohol from off-licences were rejected last week by Holyrood. Now his proposal to introduce a minimum price for alcohol based on the alcoholic content – probably 35p per unit – has run into problems. Lawyers are warning that legislation mandating minimum prices might contradict competition laws by making it impossible for efficient firms to undercut rivals.

As Mr MacAskill often points out, what Scotland really needs is a change in its attitudes towards drinking excessively. Altering the legal framework is only a means to that end. The Scottish Government should pursue its legislation in that spirit – seeking consensus for change – rather than engaging in a macho political contest to show it is "hard" on drink. Equally, the drinks industry must act in a socially responsible manner and voluntarily stop deep discounting of alcohol products.