Scotland: MUP Helps Reduce Glasgow Alcohol Deaths
New research has found minimum unit pricing (MUP) in Scotland has lead to a significant reduction in alcohol-related deaths in Glasgow.
Alcohol-related deaths in Glasgow have declined by one fifth. Research suggests the cause is the new MUP policy of Scotland. The legislation, introduced across Scotland in May 2018, meant the cost of a unit of alcohol could be no less than 50p.
Statistics released at the British Association for the Study of the Liver (BASL) conference show Glasgow has had a 21.5% reduction in alcohol-related deaths from 2017 to 2018. This translates to a decrease from 186 to 146 deaths.
Almost half (44%) of the alcohol-related deaths in Glasgow last year occurred before May 2018, when minimum unit pricing was introduced.
Scotland was the first country in the world to implement a minimum unit price for alcohol, following a 10-year campaign by health bodies including the British Liver Trust.
NHS Health Scotland is leading an independent monitoring and evaluation programme for minimum unit pricing over five years. According to modelling, the legislation could save 392 lives in the first five years.
Given the clear and proven link between consumption and harm, minimum unit pricing is the most effective way to tackle cheap, high strength alcohol that causes so much harm to so many families,” said a Scottish Government spokeswoman, as per The Scotsman.
We are confident minimum unit pricing will make a significant difference to the harms related to alcohol, including deaths.”
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