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| Minimum alcohol price in UK 'would save lives' | Minimum alcohol price in UK 'would save lives' |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| A minimum price for alcohol in the UK would help prevent thousands of deaths from related diseases, a group of leading doctors and academics has said. | |
| href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/8954794/Ban-cut-price-alcohol-to-save-lives-leading-doctors-warn.html" >In a letter to the Daily Telegraph, 19 experts said Scottish plans for minimum pricing were a "simple and effective" way to tackle alcohol-related deaths. | |
| They called for an end to so-called "pocket-money prices" ahead of a debate by MPs later on alcohol taxation. | |
| The Department for Health said it was due to launch a new "alcohol strategy". | |
| The group of leading experts said alcohol was linked to 13,000 new cases of cancer each year and associated with one in four deaths of people in the 15-to-24 age group. | |
| Their letter was signed by the British Medical Association, the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Nursing among others. | |
| 'Bold action' | |
| It said: "We need to narrow the price gap between alcohol bought in bars and restaurants with alcohol bought in supermarkets and off-licences, to make bulk discounts and pocket-money prices a thing of the past." | |
| "We urgently need to raise the price of cheap drink," it states because of a "wealth of evidence" linking the cost of alcohol and levels of harm. | "We urgently need to raise the price of cheap drink," it states because of a "wealth of evidence" linking the cost of alcohol and levels of harm. |
| If the coalition is not ready for the "bold action" of minimum pricing, it says MPs must not "lose sight" of taxation as a tool to lower drinking levels. | If the coalition is not ready for the "bold action" of minimum pricing, it says MPs must not "lose sight" of taxation as a tool to lower drinking levels. |
| Last August David Cameron called for a crackdown on stores selling cheap drinks to stop alcohol-fuelled disorder leaving town and city centres like "the wild west". | Last August David Cameron called for a crackdown on stores selling cheap drinks to stop alcohol-fuelled disorder leaving town and city centres like "the wild west". |
| The coalition has introduced a ban on the sale of alcohol for less than cost price, which will come into force in England and Wales in April 2012. | The coalition has introduced a ban on the sale of alcohol for less than cost price, which will come into force in England and Wales in April 2012. |
| In November, the Scottish government made a second bid to bring in legislation which will set a minimum price for a unit of alcohol. It has already put in place a ban on "irresponsible" drinks promotions. | In November, the Scottish government made a second bid to bring in legislation which will set a minimum price for a unit of alcohol. It has already put in place a ban on "irresponsible" drinks promotions. |
| Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, special adviser to the Royal College of Physicians, said nearly 10,000 lives a year could be saved by a minimum price of 50p per alcohol unit. | Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, special adviser to the Royal College of Physicians, said nearly 10,000 lives a year could be saved by a minimum price of 50p per alcohol unit. |
| He told the Telegraph that the government had acknowledged the importance of price by introducing a ban on selling alcohol below cost, but said this did not go "far enough". | He told the Telegraph that the government had acknowledged the importance of price by introducing a ban on selling alcohol below cost, but said this did not go "far enough". |
| "We're talking about saving lives here. | "We're talking about saving lives here. |
| "It's not just about damage to individuals who drink too much but their children and unborn babies and the victims of alcohol-related crime. The most effective way of targeting the heaviest drinkers is probably through a minimum unit price." | "It's not just about damage to individuals who drink too much but their children and unborn babies and the victims of alcohol-related crime. The most effective way of targeting the heaviest drinkers is probably through a minimum unit price." |
| A Department for Health spokesman said its new "alcohol strategy" would be launched early next year. | |
| And a spokesman for Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said he had been reluctant to consider a minimum price per unit because it would not be legal in terms of the EU competition regulations. | |
| Opponents of a minimum unit price say it is unfair because it penalises all drinkers, not just those who cause or have problems. | Opponents of a minimum unit price say it is unfair because it penalises all drinkers, not just those who cause or have problems. |
| In October, Anne Milton, public health minister for England, told MPs that a minimum price per unit could be open to legal challenges relating to European competition law. | In October, Anne Milton, public health minister for England, told MPs that a minimum price per unit could be open to legal challenges relating to European competition law. |
| Shadow public health minister Diane Abbott said alcohol had been too cheap for too long. | |
| "There are record numbers of people being admitted to hospital for alcohol abuse. And the number of under-18s is rising steeply," she said. | |
| "All the medical evidence points to the need for a minimum price per unit of alcohol. Alcohol abuse is not just a health issue, it is a public order issue." |