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Alcohol abuse 'costs Scots £900' Alcohol abuse 'costs Scots £900'
(about 6 hours later)
Alcohol misuse could cost every adult in Scotland about £900 each year, according to a new report. Alcohol misuse could be costing every adult in Scotland £900 every year, according to a new report.
York University economists said problems associated with alcohol cost Scottish taxpayers about £3.56bn a year - a tenth of the country's budget. York University economists said the problem may be costing taxpayers between £2.4bn and £4.6bn.
Ministers have called on MSPs to back the Alcohol Bill to introduce a range of measures including minimum pricing. The Scottish government said the research strengthened its argument for minimum alcohol pricing.
Currently it does not have enough support from opposition parties to see the bill become law. Ministers do not have enough support to get the plan through parliament, with opposition parties saying it could be illegal under European competition law.
It is thought that one in five Scots drink more than recommended daily limits, which three to four units for men and two to three for women. The research, which looked at the impact of alcohol misuse across society, put a much higher cost on the problem than the £2.25bn figure previously used by the Scottish government.
This latest research - which looks at the impact on not just the NHS but also the police, social services, families and the economy - puts a much higher figure than the £2.25bn previously given on the cost of alcohol abuse to Scottish society. The time for stalling is over and the need for action is clear Nicola SturgeonScottish health secretary
The report's calculations were: Using the report's mid-point estimate of £3.5bn, it calculated the problem was costing the health service £268.8m and social care £230.5m.
• Healthcare costs were £268.8m, or 7.5% of the £3.65bn total Crime-related costs were put at £727.1m, while the impact to the economy stood at £865.7m.
• Social care costs were £230.5m, or 6.5% of the £3.65bn total And the human cost caused by suffering through premature death was estimated at £1.46bn.
• Crime costs were put at £727.1m, or 20.4% of the £3.65bn total Challenging her opponents, Scottish Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said: "The time for stalling is over and the need for action is clear.
• Cost to economy's productivity was £865.7m, or 24.3% of £3.65bn "This report, which takes a more comprehensive view than any previous study, indicates that the total cost of alcohol misuse to Scotland's economy and society is even worse than we thought."
• Human cost [suffering caused by premature deaths] was £1.46bn, or 41.2% of £3.65bn Minimum pricing forms part of a range of measures to tackle Scotland's drink problems, contained in the proposed Alcohol Bill.
Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said: "This report, which takes a more comprehensive view than any previous study, indicates that the total cost of alcohol misuse to Scotland's economy and society is even worse than we thought. Industry 'damage'
"Not only does alcohol misuse burden our health service and police - it also has a terrifying knock-on effect on our economic potential and on the families devastated by death and illness caused by alcohol. But rival Holyrood parties have maintained their opposition to the move.
"The Scottish government's Alcohol Bill includes a package of evidence-based measures to get to grips with this issue, including minimum pricing to combat the dirt-cheap ciders, lagers and low-grade spirits favoured by problem drinkers. Labour health spokeswoman, Jackie Baillie, said her party had discounted minimum pricing because is was "untested and possibly illegal", adding: "The challenge now is for us to come up with something better."
"The time for stalling is over and the need for action is clear." Deputy Scottish Tory leader Murdo Fraser said his party backed targeted tax rises on known problem drinks, such as super-strength beer and cider.
"We oppose the SNP's policy of indiscriminate blanket minimum pricing, which is probably illegal, penalises responsible drinkers and will cause immense damage to the Scotch whisky industry," he said.
The York University report pointed out it was "important to recognise the levels of uncertainty around many of the generated costs" and that figures should only be considered as "indicative".