SWA hits out at open letter over minimum pricing

The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) has hit out at an open letter by a group of doctors criticising its efforts to block a minimum pricing policy for alcohol in Scotland.

The SWA has hit back at an open letter signed by a group of senior doctors criticising its efforts to block a minimum pricing policy for alcohol in Scotland

The industry body has been a vocal opponent to the proposed policy, which would see a minimum unit price of 50p implemented in Scotland.

Legal action was taken by the SWA after members of Scottish Parliament passed the policy in May 2012, claiming it is an ineffective measure to combat alcoholic misuse and would also breach the European Union’s trading laws.

The policy was supposed to come into affect in 2013, but has been delayed by the current court proceedings.

A group of doctors has therefore recently issued an open letter to the SWA, claiming that 60 lives would have already been saved if the law had been implemented when planned.

It reads: “The SWA has mirrored the tactics of the tobacco industry in delaying life-saving legislation. They oppose any measure that might affect their sizeable profits, no matter the obvious benefits to people’s health.

“By taking this legal action, they are undermining the united view of the Scottish Parliament, ignoring the democratic process and costing taxpayers thousands of pounds in legal bills.”

The letter concludes by urging the SWA to drop its legal challenge, claiming this is the “right thing to do”.

It was signed by 22 senior doctors and health campaigners including Dr Evelyn Gillan, chief executive of Alcohol Focus Scotland, Dr Brian Keighley, chairman of BMA Scotland, Prof Sir Ian Gilmore, chairman of Alcohol Health Alliance and former chief medical officer Dr Mac Armstrong.

‘Ineffective’ measure

However, the SWA has responded to the letter by claiming that it believes MUP is “illegal” and remained steadfast in its claim that the measure would be ineffective, penalising Scotch whisky producers and failing to tackle harmful consumption.

David Frost, SWA chief executive, said: “MUP is based on modelling, not concrete evidence.  The right way forward is targeted help where there are problems, not blanket policies which penalise the vast majority of responsible drinkers. With alcohol-related deaths and harms falling in Scotland, we should build on measures in place which seem to be working.

“The SWA has consistently called for the legal case to be fast-tracked to the European Court of Justice so that we can speed up the process, but the Scottish Government refused to agree to this move.

“I regret that the debate on alcohol policy has become so polarised. We would like to work to build a broader and better consensus.”