Over 20 alcohol-related deaths each week in Scotland

Responding to the news that 1,185 people died from alcohol-specific causes in 2024, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader and health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:  

“The equivalent of 22 people a week are dying due to alcohol misuse in Scotland. This will be a hard day for all those who have lost a loved one.

“Scottish Liberal Democrats were the first party to call for an increase in minimum unit pricing. The original impact of minimum pricing has decreased over time as inflation has eaten away at the effectiveness of the policy.

“The SNP has consistently handed down real-terms cuts to drug and alcohol services. At a time when alcohol continues to claim far too many lives, we need joined-up thinking and proper investment to stop this tragedy from wrecking families and communities across Scotland.”