Alcohol deaths in Scotland have hit a 15-year high, with the figures being branded a “national scandal”.
The latest data from National Records of Scotland (NRS) show 1,277 people died from conditions caused by alcohol in 2023.
This was a rise of one death from the year before, which was the highest number since 2008.
Public health minister Jenni Minto said the Scottish government was “determined to do all it can” to reduce alcohol-related harm and continues to “treat it as an equal priority with drugs as a public health emergency”.
But Scottish Labour public health spokeswoman Carol Mochan said every one of the deaths was a “travesty and the scale of this crisis is a national scandal”.
She added: “All alcohol and drug deaths are preventable and the number of lives being cut tragically short shames this SNP government.
“The number of deaths being directly caused by alcohol is just one part of the damage alcohol does in Scotland, with many more lives being ruined.
“This tragedy is a damning indictment of the SNP’s record of failure in government and a reflection of its past cuts to drug and alcohol services.”
Male deaths increased by 25 to 861 and accounted for around two-thirds of the fatalities. Female deaths decreased by 24 to 416.
Those aged between 45-64 and 65-74 continue to have the highest mortality rates.
The 20-24 age group was the youngest to record any fatalities – with two men dying.
NRS said the deaths were 4.5 times as high in the most deprived areas of Scotland compared to the least deprived areas in 2023.
After adjusting for age, the council areas of Dundee City (36), Glasgow City (184), Inverclyde (33) and North Lanarkshire (115) saw deaths above the Scottish average.
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Scotland continued to have the highest alcohol-specific death rate in the UK in 2022. UK wide-figures are not yet available for 2023.
The difference between Scotland and the other UK countries has narrowed over the past two decades.
In 2001, the alcohol-specific mortality rate for Scotland was between 2.1 and 2.9 times as high as other UK countries.
The rate for Scotland was between 1.2 and 1.6 times as high in 2022.
Public health minister Ms Minto said her “sympathy goes out to all those who have lost a loved one through alcohol”.
The MSP said: “Research commended by internationally-renowned public health experts estimated that our world-leading minimum unit pricing policy has saved hundreds of lives, likely averted hundreds of alcohol-attributable hospital admissions and contributed to tackling health inequalities.”
At the end of this month, the minimum unit price (MUP) for alcohol will increase from 50p to 65p.
The change will see the minimum price for a bottle of Scotch whisky rise from £14 to £18.20, vodka from £13.13 to £17.07, and a four-pack of beer from £4.40 to £5.72.
Read more:
MSPs back plans to increase minimum alcohol unit price by 30%
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Ms Minto added: “We are also taking a wide range of other measures including investing in alcohol treatment services, such as the innovative managed alcohol programme pilot in Glasgow and continuing to engage with stakeholders on reducing children and young people’s exposure to alcohol marketing.
“We have provided a record £112m to alcohol and drug partnerships (ADP) for treatment and support this year.
“We are also making £100m available for investment in residential rehabilitation and have provided ADPs with £5m a year until 2025-26 to increase access to detox facilities along with a new additional placement fund which targets ADPs facing the greatest demand.”
Dr Sandesh Gulhane, the Scottish Conservatives’ shadow health secretary, said the deaths remained “disgracefully high”.
He added: “The level of deaths is utterly horrifying and shameful for an SNP government who insist they are progressive; it is our most deprived communities that continue to be hit the hardest by their failings.”
Dr Gulhane described the MUP as a “blunt instrument to tackle a complex problem”, explaining that those suffering from alcohol addiction will skip meals to buy more drink.
He added: “Ministers should instead finally give their full support to the Right to Recovery Bill. It is backed by frontline experts and would enshrine in law a right to treatment – including residential rehabilitation – for all those who need it.
“It has the potential to be a game-changer in our fight against addiction and these latest appalling figures should be a catalyst for SNP ministers to back it.”
