Alcohol: introduction

Alcohol problems are a major concern for public health in Scotland.

Short-term problems such as intoxication can lead to risk of injury and is associated with violence and social disorder. Over the longer term, excessive consumption can cause irreversible damage to parts of the body such as the liver and brain. Alcohol can also lead to mental health problems, for example, alcohol dependency and increased risk of suicide. In addition, alcohol is recognised as a contributory factor in many other diseases including cancer, stroke and heart disease. Wider social problems include family disruption, absenteeism from work and financial difficulties. The Alcohol Framework 2018: Preventing Harm, published by the Scottish Government includes the estimate from the 2010 study, The Societal Cost of Alcohol Misuse in Scotland for 2007, that the impact of this excessive consumption is estimated to cost Scotland £3.6 billion each year.

The UK government have produced sensible drinking guidelines based on units of alcohol. The Chief Medical Officers’ guidelines for both men and women is that, to keep health risks from alcohol to a low level, it is safest not to drink more than 14 units a week on a regular basis. The Scottish Government’s Count 14 campaign aims to raise awareness of these guidelines, and of what units mean in terms of alcoholic drinks.

The net benefits from small amounts of alcohol are less than previously thought (with substantial uncertainties around the level of protection) and are significant in only a limited part of the population - i.e. women over the age of 55, for whom the maximum benefit is gained when drinking around 5 units a week, with some beneficial effect up to around 14 units a week (Chief Medical Officers’ guidelines).