A Message to the Scottish Government with Regard to Alcohol

For a full understanding of our current national problem it is necessary to look into our past.

Consider the situation with regard to alcohol between 50 and 100 years ago in Scotland: -
Alcohol occupied a much lesser role in Scottish society. It is quoted that 25% of the males in Glasgow were teatotalers. This choice is now much less culturally acceptable. The public and private stigma of drunkenness was much greater. The temperance movement was still in existence and people were proud that they had signed the pledge. Travel abroad with exposure to different alcohol cultures and the opportunity to buy duty-free did not exist. There was no commercial radio advertising. Television did not exist and therefore television advertising did not exist. Alcohol was not sold in supermarkets and could only be bought in an off sales shop. Many public houses operated male only policies and were often not the most comfortable of places. Licensing hours were considerably restricted and extended licences virtually unheard of.
Pavement drinking with tables outside licensed premises did not exist. Relatively alcohol was far more expensive. The type and variety of different alcohol-based drinks was much restricted.

Cultural change since this situation has either in itself been too much for the Scottish population or the rate of change has been too great for the society to cope with. European societies incorporating greater use of alcohol, often but not always more appropriately, have developed over a thousand years. Scottish society is attempting to do this in 50 years and I think we have to accept that this is not working out. Whether this is for genetic or cultural reasons I do not know and I don't think it really matters.

In order for the situation to improve cultural attitudes and legislation must mirror the curve relevant to tobacco use over the last hundred years, with a rise and now a fall in popularity. Inevitably the curve for alcohol will be delayed in comparison but I hope we are now at a peak and will start to see an appropriate decline. However this will only happen if the government fully understands what is required and has the political will to take unpopular and difficult decisions with regard to alcohol.

By far the most important measures are those which attempt to change cultural attitudes. Severe advertising restrictions to include television, radio and billboards are a starting point. Many commercial radio stations such as Scot FM, aimed at young people, are loaded with alcohol advertising. Commercial and social events should be included. It is shameful that the major music festival for young people in Scotland, is sponsored by a drinks firm – T in the Park, and that football teams can still have alcohol advertising on their shirts. Advertising restrictions should include a ban on sponsorship.

To ensure effectiveness and fairness Scotland's whisky industry requires to be included and the inevitable commercial consequences accepted. This is necessary in changing attitudes throughout society and will be undoubtedly be unpopular and very difficult for any government. It is hypocritical that Scotland promotes the whisky industry in a climate where we suffer such problems with alcohol. The whisky industry and related tourist trade unfortunately requires to suffer. Perhaps we could replace it with a greater emphasis on golf. Potential developments in Aberdeenshire suggest that the Scottish government is keen to promote this.

The attitudes towards alcohol of the wealthy, the middle-aged and middle-classes require also to change to affect the necessary cultural change throughout Scottish society. Measures must affect them to the same extent as they do underprivileged young people. Their preferred alcohols whether they be malt whisky or Bordeaux wines require to be subject to the same restrictive measures as Buckfast and alcopops. A government statement to say that those who did not accept this must accept the consequences of the current alcohol situation would certainly clarify matters. The alcohol problem affects all ages and all strata of society and anything less than a full an acknowledgement of this is again hypocritical.

Licensing hours require to be restricted, and the number of licensed premises requires to be restricted and reduced through failure to renew licences. It is hoped that licence applications would fall off as licensed premises go out of business and the trade is seen as a poor business investment, and again this should be accepted as a necessary requirement. It would be helpful and would illustrate a clear policy if the government was to say that as a result of its wish to deal effectively with the Scottish alcohol problem it was to institute targets for reductions in the number of licensed premises.

The supermarket giants require to be tackled with an eventual aim of completely restricting all supermarket alcohol sales. Initially promotions should be banned, a lowest allowed price be set and this be kept high together with a legislated Restriction on display shelf space. This determined shelf space be small and equal in magnitude whatever the size of the shop or supermarket. Hours of allowed sale should also be severely restricted.

Alcohol consumption should be banned in all public places and public events. The situation of 100 years ago as described above implicitly accepted that Scottish society, for whatever reason, could not use alcohol responsibly and unless we accept that this situation remains our measures to tackle this problem will be largely ineffective.

There are a few measures which are red herrings and which will be ineffective in effecting the required cultural change. Some of these may seem on initial consideration to be attractive and possibly could become policy. They are largely based on erroneous beliefs such as; alcohol problems can be tackled by price measures alone; certain types of alcohol used by certain societal groups should be targeted; it is possible to effect significant change without losing jobs and causing hardship in the drinks and hospitality trade and the whisky industry; that measures carried out by the medical profession can have a significant cultural effect.

I trust the Scottish government will find this advice helpful and will give it due consideration.