Drop in heavy drinking in Scotland

Figures that indicate heavy drinking is on the decline in Scotland have been welcomed by a leading trade group.

According to the Scottish Health Survey, published this week, the number of men drinking above the recommended daily limits has fallen from 34 per cent in 2003 to 20 per cent last year. The figures for women are 23 per cent and 20 per cent respectively.

Patrick Browne, chief executive of the SBPA, said the research indicates measures the Scottish government wants to introduce - such as minimum pricing - are over the top.

"The fact that there has been a reduction in the proportions of men and women exceeding weekly recommended limits for alcohol consumption is a positive step, albeit that we still have work to do in reducing that further," he said.

"But these figures reinforce yet again that the vast majority of Scots drinks sensibly and responsibly and our politicians should be targeting their efforts on changing the behaviour of those Scots that misuse alcohol, not penalising the whole population."

However health secretary Nicola Sturgeon said that alcohol consumption was still "far too high".

She said: "The amount that people drink in Scotland has reached worrying levels and is taking a heavy toll on our NHS, police, criminal justice and other services.

"The Scottish Government is investing almost £120 million over three years in tackling alcohol misuse and we've proposed a radical package of measures to change Scotland's unhealthy relationship with alcohol in the longer term."

Meanwhile crime figures for Scotland show that offences of drunkenness fell from 6,702 offences between 2007 to 2008 to 6,045 between 2008 and 2009.