Scotland’s chief medical officer yesterday said he was convinced that a minimum price for alcohol would help save lives.
Dr Harry Burns told a summit of politicians, retailers and health professionals that he was once “agnostic” but now endorsed the Scottish Government plan.
“It’s a no-brainer – one of the ways in which we can control the amount of alcohol being consumed is to tackle price,” he said.
“If we do that, people who in the course of the next year are going to die are going to be drawn back from the brink.”
A minimum drink price was one of the main elements of government proposals announced earlier this year to tackle a problem estimated to cost Scotland more than £2.2billion a year.
A figure of 40p per unit has been widely speculated, making the minimum price of a 13% bottle of wine £3.90.
Dr Burns used shock tactics at the summit in Edinburgh in an attempt to hammer home health warnings about alcohol-related deaths.
Illustrating his speech with stark images of diseased organs, he said: “Am I scaring you? I hope so.”
“Alcoholic liver disease is not a pleasant way to go, whether for the patient or the staff looking after you,” he added.
Guest speaker Dr Peter Anderson, a consultant to the World Health Organisation, said Scotland should have the “courage” to introduce minimum pricing.
“If you are really serious in wanting to reduce the burden of alcohol to individuals, to families and to communities you have to deal with the price of alcohol,” he said.
Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon said: “Dealing with alcohol misuse is perhaps the biggest public health challenge we face. I believe the time has come for action.
“The eyes of the world are on us – we are seen as a world leader and I believe we have an obligation to live up to that.”
Following the summit, Wine and Spirits Trade Association chief executive Jeremy Beadles said: “Those who claim minimum pricing is the solution should consider why alcohol misuse remains an issue in Ireland and Scandinavian countries where alcohol is highly taxed and very expensive.”
Labour health spokeswoman Cathy Jamieson MSP wants a ban on alcohol advertising billboards near schools as part of plans to tackle the issue.
Tory health spokeswoman Mary Scanlon MSP said: “More needs to be done to understand why people drink to excess.”
Liberal Democrat justice spokesman Robert Brown MSP said: “Minimum pricing will not tackle deprivation levels that are at the heart of the challenge of alcohol abuse.”