Battle the bottle

Ken Robertson (Opinion, 23 March) claims minimum pricing won't reduce harm from alcohol use. However, all credible scientific evidence and our own history tell us the opposite. Over the past 50 years alcohol in our society has become much more affordable, more available and heavily promoted. During that period our alcohol consumption has more than doubled and the harm caused by alcohol use has shot up.

Fifty years ago we had one of the lowest liver disease mortality rates in western Europe. Today we have the highest. Ken Robertson and big alcohol companies oppose minimum pricing. They also oppose increases in duty. In short, they oppose any action that is likely to be effective in reducing consumption and harm and essentially argue that their right to sell as much alcohol as they like at whatever price they wish should take precedence over the health and wellbeing of our population. It's for politicians and society to decide if they concur with this view.

DR BRUCE RITSON

Chair, Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems

Queen Street

Edinburgh