Days after Scotland’s drug deaths fell by 21% in one year, BBC Scotland think they have a new toy – alcohol deaths:
Call for emergency response to alcohol deaths. New figures out on Tuesday could show that the number of alcohol-specific deaths is higher than drug deaths.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-66615583
It’s not in the online report above but, in the seconds available to them in their BBC Breakfast insert on alcohol deaths, Reporting Scotland found space to remind us that drug deaths remain the highest in Europe!
Hopefully, higher than drugs deaths? How handy is that? Scotland’s media have something to live for again now that everybody, except in the Herald, knows our ferries are among the best in the world.
So, what’s the trend?
Starting to level off with a 5% increase on the pandemic surge in 2020 but overall down from a peak just before the SNP came into power? Labour drove us to drink before? Pay attention good folk of Rutherglen and Hamilton West.
How are alcohol treatment services performing?
90% of those referred seen in three weeks or less in 2022/2023, hitting the target, and services for alcohol very close to waiting times targets since 2018 when records begin:
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
Ah, but Minimum Unit Pricing has had very little effect on very heavy drinkers’ consumption, so probably it will make ordinary drinkers and teetotallers drink more and so deaths will go up and then it can be a competition to between alcohol and drugs to see which is the worst!
These are very serious matters, especially alcohol, which has blighted the lives of people in Scotland for centuries. Both my parents died directly as a result of excessive alcohol consumption and poverty was a feature of my childhood as a large fraction of the budget went on booze.
Alcohol campaigners are well intentioned and do fine work, but, sadly are exploited by the media and opposition to attack the Scottish Government and, indeed the people of Scotland. The media could not give a monkey’s about alcohol and drugs deaths. They jus want a stick to attack with.
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If IRC, the MUP as going to be used to fund information & treatment programmes, before Osborne refused to let that happen resulting in the extra costs going back to the manufacturers instead.
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Do Scottish people never wonder why the policies and reserved powers via the UK government that currently are impacting their lives in such a detrimental way are never covered as relentlessly and with such focus by a BRITISH TV channel in their ‘SCOTTISH’ editions of the news…..as in those that they, the BBC here, constantly revisit and concentrate upon via our devolved government.
Surely the BBC here recognise that Scotland , being a part of their UK, that we are then subject to policies and decisions implemented by another government via their reserved powers who , as a government, (over) rule from another country
…..well of course they do realise very much that is THE case…but although the BBC’s here in Scotland ultimate mission is to try and keep us , in Scotland , within their UK they seem very reluctant, nay negligent, in wanting to do their supposed ‘JOB’ in reporting ALL UK news ,via politics and decisions, that effects us in Scotland as UK CITIZENS…..so why do they neglect to highlight the UK news generated from elsewhere (UK government) that currently, and too in the past, has resulted in us in Scotland being worse off and which our Scottish government are at times forced to try and mitigate the impact for us citizens in Scotland…..
We here in Scotland are not, as UK citizens, restricted to and ONLY subject to decisions and powers held by OUR Scottish government….we must also be subjected to and must adhere to accept rules and powers held by the UK government that impacts ALL within their UK…including us here in Scotland…..
Comparisons with European countries and Scotland is a not a fair comparison as European countries, unlike us, are not tied to , held back by and controlled by anther country’s government…..I mean how would Portugal fair if another country in Europe held all of the significant powers and money over their respective government ….but that is what is happening with Scotland….and too what is THE MISSING part of the BBC in Scotland’s equation when they report upon all matters in Scotland and then compare our government’s performance to that of other European countries ….surely ALL Scots know that !
So I, a Scot, am one of many who do not accept that ALL liability must rest with OUR government irrespective of how determined the BBC here seem to want to give that impression….once we are independent then and ONLY then will the buck stop with our elected SCOTTISH government…until then I will just see the supposed but NOT ‘news where we are’ upon our SCOTTISH devolved government ….as just a propaganda exercise by the BBC here to undermine and destroy the party in Scotland who they see as a threat to THEIR UK….simples
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I think the trend will be the same throughout the UK following the pandemic. The Scottish Government has had success in bringing the its rate down substantially since the peak in 2005.
Also, if you read the notes for ‘Alcohol specific deaths by UK constituent countries’ you will find this 👇
https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/alcoholspecificdeathsintheuk/2021registrations#alcohol-specific-deaths-by-uk-constituent-country
“Figures for Scotland and Northern Ireland include deaths of non-residents. However, figures for England and Wales (separately) exclude deaths of non-residents.”
Guess which two constituent UK countries has the highest rates?
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