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Study claims MUP would affect ‘harmful’ drinkers
By Amy HopkinsThe UK Government’s shelved plans for a minimum price for alcohol could save hundreds of lives every year with little impact on moderate consumers, a new study has claimed.
Researchers have found the UK Government’s shelved minimum pricing for alcohol plans would mostly hit “harmful” drinkersResearchers at the University of Sheffield conducted a study into how the British public might respond to a minimum unit pricing (MUP) policy, which would require a minimum charge of 45 pence per unit of alcohol.
They found that the policy would hit the 5% of the population whose alcohol consumption is characterised as “harmful”, with the potential to save up to 860 alcohol-related deaths a year and prevent 29,900 hospital admissions every year.
This group of “heavy drinkers” includes men who consume more than 50 units of alcohol a week and women who consume more than 35.
These drinkers were predicted to reduce their alcohol intake by 300 units a year should the policy be implemented.
However, the policy was expected to have little impact on moderate consumers with low incomes, who may reduce their consumption by 3.8 units a year – the equivalent of two pints of beer.
“Overall, the impact of a minimum unit price policy on moderate drinkers would be very small, irrespective of income,” said Dr John Holmes, who led the study reported in The Lancet medical journal
“The policy would mainly affect harmful drinkers, and it is the low income harmful drinkers – who purchase more alcohol below the minimum unit price threshold than any other group – who would be most affected.
“No evidence” for MUP criticisms
The UK Government scrapped its plans for a minimum price for alcohol in July over fears it would hit irresponsible drinkers.
Co-author Professor Petra Meier, director of the Sheffield Alcohol Research Group, said: “Our study finds no evidence to support the concerns highlighted by Government and the alcohol industry that minimum unit pricing would penalise responsible drinkers on low incomes.
“Instead, minimum unit pricing is a policy that is targeted at those who consume large quantities of cheap alcohol.
“By significantly lowering rates of ill health and premature deaths in this group, it is likely to contribute to the reduction of health inequalities.”
The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) is currently fighting a minimum pricing policy for alcohol in Scotland, claiming it contravenes the EU’s trading laws and would be ineffective in battling the country’s alcohol abuse problems.
Last month, 22 health experts published an open letter accusing the UK Government of “deplorable practices” by meeting with members of the alcohol industry before shelving the minimum pricing policy in July 2013.