Holyrood 'Committed' To Minimum Pricing

Alcohol misuse is costing Scotland £3.6bn each year- that's £900 for every Adult.

This is just one figure The Scottish Government say is keeping them "absolutely committed" to minimum unit pricing for alcohol.

Nicola Sturgeon will today address the Global Alcohol Policy Conference, with an audience of more than 400 leading researchers.

The Scottish Government are currently pursuing a case with the court of session to implement the minimum unit price for alcohol.

The First Minister said: "I can confirm that the Scottish government continues to be absolutely committed to minimum unit pricing. 

"I will continue to make the case against the sale of deadly cheap alcohol. During the three days of this conference, it is likely that approximately 300 people in Scotland will be admitted to hospital as a result of alcohol misuse, and that approximately 10 people will die.

"Those shocking statistics demonstrate all too clearly why minimum pricing is the right measure for Scotland to reduce the harm that cheap, high-strength alcohol causes our communities.

"We firmly believe that minimum pricing will reduce damaging alcohol consumption, improve health and save lives – and that it will do so more effectively than any alternative measures available to us."