The whingers will be at it but there’s evidence it works. Crack on.
I’ve noticed the BBC headline for this using quite questionable wording.
“Cheap booze prices to rise as MSPs vote on minimum cost”
Now I’m not one of the anti-BBC brigade, but that particular bit of wording does imply a bit of snobbery/finger pointing – or it does to me, at least.
Cheap alcohol is ‘booze’. Drunk only by the lower classes and alcoholics(sort of reminds me of Victory Gin). Whereas anything that falls outside of the ‘booze’ bracket is refined.
I’m probably reading way too much into it and not properly explained why it stood out so much, but you get what I mean (hopefully- that’ll be the booze)
Since MUP came in, alcohol related deaths have increased in Scotland. Ignoring the inflation costs etc, the policy has failed on its own terms. The hardcore alcoholics will miss food, stop heating and so on to keep drinking.
Overall consumption (ie social drinking) is down a bit.
The fewer deaths? Simple. Since MUP, deaths due to alcohol in North East England rise also, and at a slightly faster rate than in Scotland. That’s it. It’s all extrapolated from that one comparison.
That’ll be a good one to argue on the doorsteps in poorer areas. ‘Yes we’re making your fun much more expensive but it’s for your own good.’
Yeah great, because only poor people abuse alcohol.
The SNP has abused all devolved powers since coming into office, to the extent they can do nothing due to the Greens having a firm grip on their pre-puberitic balls.
Scotland is an embarrassment, and that is massively clear when you see TV shows from around the world slagging us off.
Two years, two more years of SNP rule before decades of work takes place to rectify their shit show.
I’m actually wishing my life away.
Honestly it seems like the SNP are determined to piss people off recently. Their recent policies are punishing everyone these days.
Do you earn a reasonable salary? Tough shit, we’re taxing you more.
Do you like a drink after work? Good luck affording that now.
In theory this is a good idea but in practice I don’t know one problem drinker that now drinks less.
I think it could benefit from an extension of the sunset clause, but not sure about unincreasinf the price
There’s a solid argument to be made that about a third of the data’s totally unusable due to COVID, its impact on service delivery, its enforced social isolation and in turn it spurring an increase in alcohol purchases in supermarkets etc.
>The study estimated a 13.4% reduction in deaths, and a 4.1% reduction in hospital admissions, wholly attributable to alcohol consumption following the implementation of MUP.
>Our study estimates that, following more than two and a half years of implementation, around 150 deaths, and around 400 hospital admissions, wholly attributable to alcohol consumption, were averted each year due to MUP.
>We know that those living in the most socioeconomically deprived areas in Scotland experience alcohol-specific death rates more than five times higher compared to those living in the least deprived areas.
We love keeping the poor poor – SNP
I’m an SNP member and this pisses me off.
Another tax on the poor, SNP can get to fuck
Can they vote on something useful like a 4 day work week, NHS waiting times and not axing teachers?
If you’re an alcoholic the price is irrelevant, you’ll pay whatever it takes to get your fix.
All this does is punish normal people who can responsibly handle their drink. Yet again we are all paying more so do-gooder politicians(who are out of touch with reality) can feel good about themselves.
But is there a risk that people budget less for (expensive) healthy food and more for alcohol. The weather, dark winter, bad economy all contribute to people feeling like shit and needing an escape. Why not legalise cannabis on top of alcohol pricing to find a healthier and cheaper get away for people’s poor mental state with this bleak future in our broke Britain.
Professor Paul McNamee from the Health Economics Research Unit at the University of Aberdeen and Lucie Giles, Public Health Intelligence Principal from Public Health Scotland, talk about the impact of Minimum Unit Pricing for alcohol in Scotland”
“Our work is still ongoing but some earlier modelling suggested a rise in spending on alcohol amongst some households, so there is some concern around other unintended impacts of the policy – if consumers are spending more on alcohol – are they buying less food?
I’ve never actually heard anyone complain about this in real life.
Policy that works needs adjusted for inflation.
**OH MY GOD THIS IS A HATE CRIME THAT CANCELS WOMEN AND SUPPORTS TERROR**
Scotland has such an unhealthy relationship with alcohol
Hopefully things like this like will help reduce the numbers of weekend binge drinkers
Similar to the smoking ban, and not being able to display the sale of cigarettes in the open.
Small steps that can make a big difference in the long run.
I also didn’t realise the money is kept by producers/retailers and not put back to the govt for healthcare.
I’d be for this if the outcome is more money for public spending, but all this does is give corporations more profits.
I’ve lived and worked across the UK. One thing I’ve found is that people living in Scotland are much more receptive to a more involved government. I’m not sure why that is, can only assume it’s the education and ingrained beliefs.
This policy is, of course, a rotten one that will punish the poorest. If reports are to be believed, meal deals are next which is crazy!
From policing speech in your own home, the eroding of women’s rights, free hand outs which aren’t means tested, it’s clear a big chunk of Scotland love the state to tell them what’s right and wrong. It’s very odd
People keep calling this a “tax on the poor”?
The last thing any government wants is people to sober up and start paying attention.
If the government really had any sense they’d keep the public drunk, drugged and compliant.
Make cigarettes free so they don’t survive to retirement age either.
Alcohol should be fucking free in this economy
Ah, government mandated price rises during a cost of living crisis, thanks SNP!
SNP the last few weeks.
Earn a decent wage and already paying a fortune in tax – pay more than anywhere else in the UK.
Enjoy a drink – pay more than anywhere else in the UK.
Say things the party deems wrongthink – straight to jail.
They do not care about you, they want you poor, hopeless and spirit-broken.
26 comments
Fun police strike again
The whingers will be at it but there’s evidence it works. Crack on.
I’ve noticed the BBC headline for this using quite questionable wording.
“Cheap booze prices to rise as MSPs vote on minimum cost”
Now I’m not one of the anti-BBC brigade, but that particular bit of wording does imply a bit of snobbery/finger pointing – or it does to me, at least.
Cheap alcohol is ‘booze’. Drunk only by the lower classes and alcoholics(sort of reminds me of Victory Gin). Whereas anything that falls outside of the ‘booze’ bracket is refined.
I’m probably reading way too much into it and not properly explained why it stood out so much, but you get what I mean (hopefully- that’ll be the booze)
Since MUP came in, alcohol related deaths have increased in Scotland. Ignoring the inflation costs etc, the policy has failed on its own terms. The hardcore alcoholics will miss food, stop heating and so on to keep drinking.
Overall consumption (ie social drinking) is down a bit.
The fewer deaths? Simple. Since MUP, deaths due to alcohol in North East England rise also, and at a slightly faster rate than in Scotland. That’s it. It’s all extrapolated from that one comparison.
That’ll be a good one to argue on the doorsteps in poorer areas. ‘Yes we’re making your fun much more expensive but it’s for your own good.’
Yeah great, because only poor people abuse alcohol.
The SNP has abused all devolved powers since coming into office, to the extent they can do nothing due to the Greens having a firm grip on their pre-puberitic balls.
Scotland is an embarrassment, and that is massively clear when you see TV shows from around the world slagging us off.
Two years, two more years of SNP rule before decades of work takes place to rectify their shit show.
I’m actually wishing my life away.
Honestly it seems like the SNP are determined to piss people off recently. Their recent policies are punishing everyone these days.
Do you earn a reasonable salary? Tough shit, we’re taxing you more.
Do you like a drink after work? Good luck affording that now.
In theory this is a good idea but in practice I don’t know one problem drinker that now drinks less.
I think it could benefit from an extension of the sunset clause, but not sure about unincreasinf the price
There’s a solid argument to be made that about a third of the data’s totally unusable due to COVID, its impact on service delivery, its enforced social isolation and in turn it spurring an increase in alcohol purchases in supermarkets etc.
This post needs facts, not stupid assumptions.
https://publichealthscotland.scot/news/2023/march/report-highlights-the-impact-of-minimum-unit-pricing-mup-on-deaths-and-hospital-admissions/
>The study estimated a 13.4% reduction in deaths, and a 4.1% reduction in hospital admissions, wholly attributable to alcohol consumption following the implementation of MUP.
>Our study estimates that, following more than two and a half years of implementation, around 150 deaths, and around 400 hospital admissions, wholly attributable to alcohol consumption, were averted each year due to MUP.
>We know that those living in the most socioeconomically deprived areas in Scotland experience alcohol-specific death rates more than five times higher compared to those living in the least deprived areas.
We love keeping the poor poor – SNP
I’m an SNP member and this pisses me off.
Another tax on the poor, SNP can get to fuck
Can they vote on something useful like a 4 day work week, NHS waiting times and not axing teachers?
If you’re an alcoholic the price is irrelevant, you’ll pay whatever it takes to get your fix.
All this does is punish normal people who can responsibly handle their drink. Yet again we are all paying more so do-gooder politicians(who are out of touch with reality) can feel good about themselves.
But is there a risk that people budget less for (expensive) healthy food and more for alcohol. The weather, dark winter, bad economy all contribute to people feeling like shit and needing an escape. Why not legalise cannabis on top of alcohol pricing to find a healthier and cheaper get away for people’s poor mental state with this bleak future in our broke Britain.
Professor Paul McNamee from the Health Economics Research Unit at the University of Aberdeen and Lucie Giles, Public Health Intelligence Principal from Public Health Scotland, talk about the impact of Minimum Unit Pricing for alcohol in Scotland”
“Our work is still ongoing but some earlier modelling suggested a rise in spending on alcohol amongst some households, so there is some concern around other unintended impacts of the policy – if consumers are spending more on alcohol – are they buying less food?
[https://www.abdn.ac.uk/news/15589/](https://www.abdn.ac.uk/news/15589/)
I’ve never actually heard anyone complain about this in real life.
Policy that works needs adjusted for inflation.
**OH MY GOD THIS IS A HATE CRIME THAT CANCELS WOMEN AND SUPPORTS TERROR**
Scotland has such an unhealthy relationship with alcohol
Hopefully things like this like will help reduce the numbers of weekend binge drinkers
Similar to the smoking ban, and not being able to display the sale of cigarettes in the open.
Small steps that can make a big difference in the long run.
I also didn’t realise the money is kept by producers/retailers and not put back to the govt for healthcare.
I’d be for this if the outcome is more money for public spending, but all this does is give corporations more profits.
I’ve lived and worked across the UK. One thing I’ve found is that people living in Scotland are much more receptive to a more involved government. I’m not sure why that is, can only assume it’s the education and ingrained beliefs.
This policy is, of course, a rotten one that will punish the poorest. If reports are to be believed, meal deals are next which is crazy!
From policing speech in your own home, the eroding of women’s rights, free hand outs which aren’t means tested, it’s clear a big chunk of Scotland love the state to tell them what’s right and wrong. It’s very odd
People keep calling this a “tax on the poor”?
The last thing any government wants is people to sober up and start paying attention.
If the government really had any sense they’d keep the public drunk, drugged and compliant.
Make cigarettes free so they don’t survive to retirement age either.
Alcohol should be fucking free in this economy
Ah, government mandated price rises during a cost of living crisis, thanks SNP!
SNP the last few weeks.
Earn a decent wage and already paying a fortune in tax – pay more than anywhere else in the UK.
Enjoy a drink – pay more than anywhere else in the UK.
Say things the party deems wrongthink – straight to jail.
They do not care about you, they want you poor, hopeless and spirit-broken.