Scottish Labour Party consider radical alcohol strategy - but no minimum pricing

Alcohol treatment and testing orders, similar to those used to deal with drug offenders, are being considered by the party’s alcohol commission, among other radical proposals.

The party refuses to consider minimum alcohol pricing which would 'add to the profits of producers and retailers.'  Instead it is investigating other methods of increasing prices, with the extra cash going to aid health and justice budgets

The other measures being considered are:

• A mandatory ‘Challenge 25’ scheme to stop underage drinking.
• Alternative pricing mechanisms to help pay the health and social costs of alcohol abuse.
• Enforcement of existing legislation to impose tougher sanctions on premises that sell alcohol to people already drunk.
• Restrictions on advertising to protect children from being exposed to alcohol promotions.

If the proposals are not accepted by the SNP government (whose own alcohol control programme is floundering)  Labour says it will include the measures in its next Scottish election manifesto.

Read the rest of this item from the Evening Times here