Alcohol deaths increase by one - remaining at highest level since 2008

The number of alcohol-specific deaths in Scotland remain at the highest level since 2008, rising by one in 2023, new figures show.

Last year, according to statistics from National Records of Scotland, 1,277 people died, up from 1,276 in 2022.

Public health minister Jenni Minto said the Government was "determined to do all it can" to reduce harm caused by alcohol.

The gap between the most and least deprived continued to be pronounced, with those in the least well off areas 4.5 times more likely to die than those in the most well off areas.

The age standardised mortality rate for the most deprived area was 47 per 100,000 of the population in 2023, compared to just 10.5 in the least deprived areas.

Men also continued to make up the majority of recorded deaths, with 861 male deaths and 416 female deaths.

'Equal priority with drugs'

Ms Minto said: "My sympathy goes out to all those who have lost a loved one through alcohol.

"The Scottish Government is determined to do all it can to reduce alcohol-related harm and we continue to treat it as an equal priority with drugs as a public health emergency.

"Research commended by internationally-renowned public health experts estimated that our world-leading Minimum Unit Pricing policy has saved hundreds of lives, likely averted hundreds of alcohol-attributable hospital admissions and contributed to tackling health inequalities.

"The forthcoming price increase to 65p per unit which takes account of inflation, was selected as we seek to continue and increase the positive effects of the policy."

But Louise Stewart, the director of service delivery at addiction charity WithYou, said the Scottish Government "must pursue alcohol-specific deaths with much greater urgency, determination and innovation".

Funding raised from minimum unit pricing, Ms Stewart said, should be directed towards support services.

Deaths could've been prevented

Dr Peter Rice, the chair of Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (Shaap) said the deaths last year "could have been prevented".

"Scotland's approach to reducing alcohol harm has had success in reducing alcohol deaths in the past, including with the introduction of minimum unit price in 2018," he added.

"However to be successful policy needs to be sustained and progressive.

"Lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic changed drinking patterns globally leading to an increase in harm and action needs to be stepped up to reverse this.

"In the face of the ongoing public health emergency that 2023's deaths represent, we need both the Scottish Government and the UK Government to take urgent action."

The UK Government must increase alcohol duty by at least 2% more than inflation every year, he added, while a ban on alcohol marketing shelved by the Scottish Government should be resurrected.

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