The Chief Constable of Scotland's largest force has today backed calls for alcohol to be made more expensive.
Steve House says the reason why Strathclyde police have to work on so many murder inquiries is because people are drinking too much.
He believes minimum pricing has a role to play in tackling alcohol-fuelled violence.
In the past two months Strathclyde Police has dealt with eighteen murders, fourteen of which were drink-related, according to Chief Constable House.
He said: “We see it every weekend, particularly in good weather.
“You’ll have a barbecue that starts off good-natured. Twelve hours later the hardcore are still drinking and out come the knives, the smashed bottle, the fists, whatever comes to hand.
“It ends in violence, and it’s alcohol-fuelled.”
Chief Constable House’s comments came on the same day that a conference called "changing our drinking culture" has been taking place in Edinburgh.
Delegates here heard claims a million Scots drink potentially dangerous amounts, with the population consuming - on average - the equivalent of 46 bottles of Vodka a year.
Half the prisoners in Scotland’s jails were drunk at the time of their offence, and 70% of assaults reaching accident and emergency departments involved alcohol.
Dr Evelyn Gillan, of Alcohol Focus Scotland, said that every Scottish family has been affected by drinking.
She said: “We really have to start taking serious action. The simple message is just that we need to drink less, as individuals and as a country.
“If we drink less, we’ll reduce the harm.”
The Scottish Government has been trying to bring forward minimum pricing for alcohol in an attempt to reduce binge drinking.
The Alcohol Bill which includes the minimum pricing proposals will be debated in parliament on Thursday.
While the SNP Government are in favour, all the other major parties at Holyrood have been against it.
Health secretary Nicola Sturgeon said: “The other parties are increasingly out of step with what I consider to be growing public opinion in favour of maintaining pricing.
“We have the backing of doctors, nurses, the police and the chief medical officer.
“The weight of evidence is becoming overwhelming.”
