Stone calls for caution on festive drinking

10.45.42am GMT Mon 28th Dec 2009

Liberal Democrat Public Health spokesperson Jamie Stone MSP has called on Ministers to do more to highlight the dangers related to excessive drinking over the festive season.

Scots are expected to drink the equivalent of 6.6 million bottles of wine or 30 million pints of lager over the festive season.

Liberal Democrats have revealed that the cost of alcohol related admissions to Scottish hospitals was more than £116 million in 2007-08. This is the cost for hospital admissions alone and does not include the added costs of long term care, ongoing treatment or alcohol related A&E attendance.

Commenting, Mr Stone said:

"Scots are expected to consume around 60 million units of alcohol over the festive season this year.

"This is equal to 30 million pints of lager or more than 6.5 million bottles of wine.

"This level of binge drinking is taking a real toll on the nation’s health and the NHS. In 2007-08 alcohol related admissions alone cost more than £116million.

"Nearly £40million of this was for repeat alcohol-related admission.

"It is important that whilst Scots are out celebrating Christmas and welcoming in the new year, they don't forget the dangers and the cost of binge drinking.

"Nobody is saying don't have a drink, but it is important to drink responsibly. We must do more to tackle the culture of drinking to get drunk.

"Ministers must raise awareness of the dangers of alcohol abuse amongst our young people and focus on establishing a culture change in our society.

"It is also vitally important that more is done to target support at those caught in the cycle of alcohol misuse.

"A good first step would be to speed up the introduction of the HEAT target for alcohol services."