Scotland clamps down on costly booze culture

By Stefano Ambrogi

LONDON (Reuters) - The Scottish government launched radical plans to tackle alcohol abuse on Monday, including setting a minimum price, to stop drinks being sold for "pocket money prices."

The government said it was acting to tackle an epidemic which was costing the country over 2.25 billion pounds a year in health costs and days off work.

The move will make Scotland one of the few places in the world with a minimum price for alcohol.

Announcing the plans, Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon and Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill said discount deals on strong drinks would be banned in shops and supermarkets, and advertising restricted.

"The scale of Scotland's alcohol misuse problem is shocking," Sturgeon said in a statement, citing the country's 1,500 deaths from alcohol a year; its 42,500 alcohol-related hospital discharges; soaring rates of liver disease and the eighth highest consumption of alcohol in the world.

"Plummeting prices and aggressive promotion have led to a surge in consumption, causing and adding to health problems ranging from liver and heart diseases to diabetes, obesity, dementia and cancers," she said.

A government media release spoke of alcohol being sold for "pocket money prices" in Scotland.

A government spokeswoman said a minimum price per unit of alcohol would be thrashed out by the end of the year, though an indicative price floor of 40 pence had been suggested.