Minimum alcohol pricing battle headed for Brussels

Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP) is taking its battle for the policy to be implemented in Scotland all the way to Brussels next week.

The body - a partnership of the Scottish Medical Royal Colleges and Faculties and the Royal College of Nursing - has hit out at what is sees as “the continued opposition by global alcohol producers to the implementation of Scotland’s alcohol minimum unit pricing (MUP) policy”.

According to SHAAP, written opinions from EU member states may be made to the European Court, with the deadline for this being mid-October.

Representatives of the body said they will head to Brussels to “make the case for health” at a seminar in the city on September 5.

The organisation said it will be joined by industry supporters of the policy, including C&C Group and the Scottish Licensed Trade Association (SLTA).

Legislation to introduce a minimum unit price of 50p north of the border was passed by the Scottish Parliament in 2012

But the legislation has not yet to come into force because a group led by the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) and other European wine and spirits producers has mounted a legal challenge to the Scottish Government’s plans.

They argue that minimum pricing legislation breaches European law, while Scottish Ministers have said they are committed to introducing the policy in a bid to address the country’s unhealthy relationship with drink, and save lives.

The SWA’s legal bid was initially rejected by judge Lord Doherty at the Court of Session in Edinburgh last year.

Following an appeal hearing, judges at the court referred the case against the policy to the Court of Justice of the European Union (EU).

SHAAP director Eric Carlin said: “We need other member states and the Commission to support or at least not oppose the Scottish policy.

“MUP is opposed by a consortium of multi-national alcohol producers who, inaccurately, are framing this as a Health v Industry issue.

“Demonstrating the falseness of this claim, we have speakers from the Scottish alcohol industry who support this policy from an ethical position.”

Dr Peter Rice, chair of the body, said a 10% increase in average minimum price in Canada was associated with a 32% drop in alcohol death rates.

“Changes in the price of alcohol are a key determinant in rates of alcohol harm,” he said.

“This vitally important health policy will save Scottish lives and it needs to be implemented as a matter of urgency.”

Paul Waterson, chief executive of the Scottish Licensed Trade Association said: “The SLTA is delighted to be involved in this very important seminar exploring Scotland’s innovative alcohol policies. We fully support the most inventive of these, minimum unit pricing, and believe it to be a crucial element in trying to change Scotland’s uneasy relationship with alcohol.”