Labour in bid to rid Buckfast of caffeine

LABOUR has launched a concerted bid to effectively outlaw caffeinated alcohol drinks such as Buckfast by tabling amendments to the Scottish Government's controversial Alcohol Bill.

The party wants a legal limit imposed on the amount of caffeine in alcoholic drinks which, it says, are linked to violence. The proposal is contained in tabled amendments to the legislation currently being considered at Holyrood.

Labour health spokeswoman Jackie Baillie said: "I believe that the risks involved in consuming caffeinated alcohol are so great that the Scottish Government must take action.

"Research suggests you are more likely to end up in hospital or be assaulted if you drink these products."

It emerged this year that Buckfast, brewed by monks in Devon, was mentioned by Strathclyde Police in 5,000 crime reports over three years. During that period, Buckfast bottles were used as a weapon 114 times.

Labour wants to set the caffeine limit at 150mg a litre, which would effectively remove Buckfast from shops unless the caffeine content is reduced from 375mg a litre.

Labour has also outlined amendments to end "irresponsible" price-based advertising of alcohol and introducing alcohol treatment and testing orders to help offenders address their behaviour.

The party is also seeking to overturn plans to ban under-21s from buying alcohol in some areas. The move would remove powers in the bill to allow local licensing boards to introduce their own bans on off-sale purchases.

The centrepiece of the bill, which is receiving a stormy passage through the Scottish Parliament, is the SNP's plan to introduce a 45p minimum price per unit of alcohol. The measures have won widespread support from health professionals but are opposed by opposition parties. Labour claims it is a tax on the poor and will generate a windfall of about 140 million for supermarkets.

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon questioned whether some of Labour's amendments are "within the scope of the bill".