Minimum price rise for alcohol 'could save lives'
POLITICAL action must be taken to protect young people and heavy drinkers from alcohol, the island's chief medical officer of health warned, as he backs the introduction of 'minimum alcohol pricing'.
Following the release of an independent alcohol abuse report and the recommendation to explore introducing a minimum price on the sale of alcohol, Dr Stephen Bridgman, pictured, said the evidence was clear enough that an intervention should be made.
The concept of minimum pricing is designed to stop 'cheap booze' being sold in shops and supermarkets.
The Scottish Government is the first jurisdiction to attempt to bring in minimum pricing, but has faced an ongoing legal challenge from the Scottish Whisky Association.
The Welsh Government also wants to set a minimum 50p charge per unit of drink, but the move is being blocked by Whitehall after MPs refused to devolve the powers.
Dr Bridgman has now backed Guernsey looking at the bold move to address alcohol abuse in the island, which according to the Guernsey Alcohol Advisory Service (GAAS) report costs the island £21.8m. last year.
'I strongly recommend the political sector do something, in order to protect younger people and abusers.
'A minimum price increase on drinks won't affect most people, but it could save lives,' he said.
His comments follow calls from within the pub trade for minimum alcohol pricing to be investigated.
Dr Bridgman said the States did already have a strategy of prevention and it focused on making everyone as aware of the dangers of alcohol as possible.
'Limitations on alcohol will make a positive difference to public health, but it's not just about what the government do, it's about what all of us do,' he said.
Addressing the costs of alcohol abuse, estimated to be between £18.8m. and £21.8m. in 2015 across the public sector, Dr Bridgman said he was not surprised at all.
