Letter: Booze ban backed

This week a policy summit takes place in Edinburgh to consider the most effective action to reduce public health problems caused by alcohol and tobacco use in Scotland.

Despite assertions to the contrary by the alcohol industry (your report, 11 March), alcohol and tobacco share similar properties. Both are addictive, psychoactive substances that are associated with a substantial burden of harm.

Tobacco and alcohol are two of the three main risk factors for disease and disability globally. Alcohol contributes to the deaths of more people worldwide than HIV/AIDS, violence and tuberculosis. In Scotland, nearly a quarter of deaths are attributable to smoking, and one person dies every six hours due to alcohol.

In light of these dire statistics, it is entirely appropriate for public health practitioners to meet and share information about best practice on how to reduce alcohol and tobacco- related harm in Scotland.

The alcohol industry has complained about being excluded from the policy summit; however it has no expertise in public health. Moreover, it has consistently lobbied against effective interventions to reduce alcohol-related harm in Scotland.

If public policies are to be successful in tackling high rates of tobacco and alcohol-related harm, they need to be driven by concern for the health and welfare of the people of Scotland and not by commercial interests.

Bruce Ritson

Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems

Peter Brunt

Alcohol Focus Scotland

Edinburgh