Minimum pricing has no impact on underage drinking, NHS study finds

Minimium unit pricing is not stopping youngsters from drinking alcohol.

That's according to an NHS Scotland report which found the law change hasn't impacted teenager's ability to obtain booze.

It spoke to 50 teenagers aged 13 to 17 and is the first study of it's kind since the policy was introduced.

NHS Health Scotland's principal public health intelligence adviser, Jane Ford, said the study helped to understand the drinking behaviour of young people in Scotland

"While the findings published today show that implementation of minimum unit pricing (MUP) was not perceived to affect participants' consumption, there were no reported negative impacts on alcohol-related harms among the children and young people in this study," she said.

"A number of further studies are due to be undertaken as part of our evaluation, which will assess the impact of MUP on protecting children and young people from harm.''

But leading alcohol counsellor Kathryn Baker believes attitudes are changing.

"There's some work that's done nationally, tapping into young people through schools," she said.

"The indication there is that alcohol use is showing a slight downward trend among young people.

"For a lot of young people it's parents that are buying the alcohol for them. Perhaps parents who don't see an alcohol as being a big issue for young people or parents who are relieved that they're child is only using alcohol and not other illicit substances."