ADPH joins call to Scottish Parliament to increase MUP

We have joined over 80 organisations, led by Alcohol Focus Scotland and SHAAP (Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems), to call on MSPs to increase the minimum unit price (MUP) for alcohol to 65p.

The letter comes ahead of a crucial Holyrood vote and brings together dozens of medical, faith organisations and charities. It was sent to the Scottish Parliament’s Health, Social Care and Sport Committee and calls for cross-party support for the renewal of MUP and to uprate the price to 65p per unit.

The Parliament as a whole must vote by the end of April to pass the regulations, otherwise the policy will end.

The letter explains how MUP has saved and improved hundreds of lives in Scotland since it was introduced in 2018, citing extensive and robust evaluation by Public Health Scotland. The evaluation estimates that MUP had reduced deaths caused solely by alcohol by 13.4%, driven by significant improvements in chronic outcomes, particularly alcoholic liver disease. This translates to 156 families each year who have been spared the loss of a loved one.

In addition, hospital admissions are down by an estimated 4.1%, reducing pressure on the NHS.

The benefits of the policy have been seen most in more deprived communities, indicating that it has helped to reduce health inequalities.

The signatories highlight that failure to raise MUP to 65p per unit will result in an estimated 800 more deaths, and almost 10,000 additional hospital admissions at an estimated cost of £11 million to our hospitals, over the next five years.