31 January 2007BOOZE KILLS ONE SCOT EVERY 6 HRS
Second shock survey highlights terrible toll
By Natalie Walker
BOOZE abuse kills one Scot every six hours, it was revealed yesterday.
The horrifying figures came just three days after another report showed deaths from liver disease had soared by 85 per cent in 10 years.
Hundreds more Scots are dying from the effects of drink than five years ago, according to the new figures.
There were 2372 deaths in Scotland in 2005 where alcohol was either the cause or a contributing factor - up 15 per cent since 2001.
More than two-thirds of the deaths were men.
The number of people who end up in hospital with an alcohol-related illness or injury is also on the rise - up 10 per cent since 2001.
Health chiefs yesterday said the new statistics highlighted the need for people to do more to protect their own health.
Deputy health minister Lewis Macdonald said: "We must all take personal responsibility for our drinking habits. The solution does not lie solely with government."
Booze-related injuries or illness accounted for four per cent of hospital cases last year.
During 2005-06, there were 1,036,853 general hospital discharges in Scotland.
Of those, 39,061 involved alcohol-related injuries or illnesses - a 10 per cent rise from 2001-02's total of 35,445.
Just over seven in 10 - 71 per cent - of them were men.
The most common diagnosis in alcohol-related discharges was "harmful use", a factor in 29 per cent of cases.
A further 18 per cent were for acute intoxication.
And 15 per cent were diagnosed with alcoholic liver disease.
Nine in 10 alcohol-related discharges followed emergency admissions to hospital.
Figures also showed that of the 139 people accused of murder or culpable homicide in 2005-06, 19 per cent were drunk and a further nine per cent had taken both drink and drugs.
Macdonald insisted the Executive were taking steps to cut the toll.
He said: "We have allocated an additional £10 million this year for alcohol services to ensure more people get access to appropriate help.
"We have a Licensing Act that includes tough action to deal with irresponsible drinks promotions and underage drinking."
But the Tories called for more education to tackle the problem and for the law on underage drinking to be strictly enforced at all times.
Tory health spokeswoman Dr Nanette Milne attacked Macdonald's statements.
She said: "These stark statistics are the most visible consequence of the damage excessive drinking can create - but, behind the figures, are real lives that have been destroyed and families devastated.
"When a minister who has been in his position for over 18 months announces he's just realised the scale of the problem, you can tell he's given up."
SNP health spokeswoman Shona Robison said: "It's time to tackle head-on the terrible toll that alcohol is taking on the physical health of thousands of Scots each year."
Source: Feb 1, 2007 Alcohol and Drug History Society Matthew McKean
