To worry about the poor alcoholics in Scotland

[jnfrrss]

the cheap ciders in 3l bottles have gone up three fold in price overnight with nothing done to actually help people that are dependent.

Surely this is going to cause a lot of pain in the immediate future? Seems very irresponsible to just do this in isolation without having some way to help people

alcoholics, dyslexia.

The NHS already offers free treatment to alcoholics, from therapy and support groups all the way through to hospitalisation and rehabilitation where needed.

You can't make people use these services, but they exist for those who want or need them.

Excessively cheap alcohol is one of the aggravating factors of alcoholism!

Not sure...if this is...a reverse?

Would it be unreasonable of me to suggest that some are going to get so desperate that they may turn to crime to fund their addiction instead when they get desperate enough?

It’s just a stealth anti-poverty law isn’t it

I know first hand how awful the NHS is in Scotland with helping people with mental health. I can't see them being any better at supporting A dependant people. They are an oil rich country with the hugely beneficial Barnett formula so they have the money but yet the NHS there seems in a terrible state.

It is a stealth tax, would be better to introduce it 25% every three months rather than overnight.

I'm not sure what I think to be honest. It seems like a tax on the vulnerable but I suppose time will tell.

@jnfrrss what part of Scotland are you from because I've had nothing but good treatment from the NHS for my mental health issues.

I think it's terrible. There are plenty of middle class people around who are alcohol dependent, sitting in their nice kitchen diner extensions drinking bottle after bottle of good wine every single night. No one in power has a word to say about them.

You can't help an alcoholic who doesn't want to stop drinking. No amount of counselling or help will make any difference.
TBH I feel more sorry for the family and friends of alcoholics who don't try and change. That's where the real pain is.

I’m sure they’ll be a nice abd dangerous black market for cheap booze now. Some probably made at home and fucking lethal.

It's not a tax because Scotland has no control over VAT. The off licences and supermarkets keep the profit.

IMO this is a shame and if it was allowed, it should be a tax so the money can go towards the NHS (which I don't think is any worse here than the rest of the UK, in fact I've always been pleasantly surprised and grateful anytime I've had to use it).

I think it is a bold move that won't please everyone but remember Scotland was first in UK to introduce a ban on smoking in public places to a huge outcry. It is a much more pleasant place because of it.

Scotland has historical problems with alcohol abuse and it is doing something about it. The law has a sunset clause so in six years time, once the effects can be measured, if it is deemed not to have had a positive effect then it will change again.

No great things ever happened when they are not even tried out.

Och we’re all drinking buckfast and I don’t think that’s gone up.....

Id imagine the Scottish Nhs would rather fund support groups and the like than operations which arise from alcoholism. Which makes absoloute sense.

paganmolly that's really interesting about the sunset clause. I hope it does work as well as the smoking ban.

It's not really an increase in tax is it? I thought it was a minimum pricing policy so still the same rate of tax but the booze must be sold at a higher rate. Profits go to producers/ retailers? I imagine some of the cheap high strength stuff will vanish as no one will buy it at an increased price.

Slightly random question do you think it'll push up the price of the meal deals with wine? Starter, main, pudding and wine for a tenner.

Just another way to try to screw more money out of people. The homebrew business will definitely benefit, however.

I feel sorry for the off license staff. Saw on the news a bottle of frosty jacks gone from £3.50 odd to £11.50! Imagine having to explain that news to someone in need of a fix.

I think it's a good thing because they will hopefully drink less if they can't afford it.

I completely agree with formerbabe.

History shows pretty clearly that when you make a substance more expensive and harder to get hold of, consumption goes down. Even addicts respond to basic financial incentives.

Some people may go to more dangerous lengths to get hold of alcohol but it's likely that a larger number will actually drink less.

It's hard to predict and quantify these things precisely beforehand, but they've built in a sunset clause for review and I think it's worth trying.

The fact that it isn't a tax means the government aren't motivated by money but I think companies gaining from it should at least donate to charities helping addicts, hopefully they already are. I'm going to read up on it.

When alcohol is cheaper to buy than fresh produce to make a decent meal then something isn't right.

I think it's a good thing.