LABOUR COMMISSION MISSES THE POINT

LABOUR COMMISSION MISSES THE POINT

SCOTLAND’S ALCOHOL PROBLEM GOES BEYOND BUCKFAST

Commenting on the interim report of Labour’s Alcohol Commission – which does not address the key issue of minimum pricing SNP MSP Michael Matheson said:

“Banning Buckfast on its own will not put a stop to Scotland’s problem with alcohol, nor will it stop alcohol related violence.

“This is an interesting report but it misses the key point in the alcohol debate.

“Focussing alcohol strategy on one drink is not a credible approach.

“The real answer, that the Commission fails to address, is to tackle the link between price and consumption as one of a series of measures to target Scotland’s drinking culture.

“Instead of focussing on public health Labour have been focussed on political opportunism.

“I hope when the Commission does consider price before it’s final report it will look at the evidence and the wide support for minimum pricing and see the logic of the Scottish Government’s proposal”