Alcohol deaths in Scotland reach 15-year high

Alcohol deaths in Scotland have reached a 15-year high, hitting the highest level since 2008, figures show.

In total, 1,277 deaths were attributed to alcohol-specific causes in 2023, an increase of one death from 2022.

The mortality rate for those aged 65 and over has reached the highest level since the National Records of Scotland began recording the data in 1994.

Alcohol-specific deaths were 4.5 times as high in the most deprived areas of Scotland compared to the least deprived areas in 2023.

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“The rate of alcohol-specific deaths peaked in 2006 and then fell until 2012,” Phillipa Haxton, head of vital events statistics, said.

“Since then it has generally risen.

“Those aged 45-64 and 65-74 continue to have the highest mortality rates. If we look at the average age at death, that has risen over time. The mortality rates for those aged 65 to 74, and 75 and over, were at their highest since we began recording these figures in 1994. As the same time for age 25-44 the mortality rate has been fairly stable over the last decade.”

Men continue to account for around two thirds of the deaths, increasing by 25, while deaths of women decreased by 24.

Louise Stewart, director of service delivery at WithYou, a drug and alcohol support charity, said the Scottish Government needed to pursue alcohol-specific deaths with “much greater urgency”.

Alcohol deaths have risen sharply across Britain post-Covid with figures showing the entire UK recorded its highest number on record in 2022.

Scotland had a slower rise than the UK as a whole but remains the worst-affected country for alcohol-specific deaths.

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“Minimum unit pricing is often held up as an example of forward-thinking policy-making because we were the first country in the world to introduce this measure,” she said.

“But it could and should work much harder. Currently, the funds raised go to retailers and the alcohol industry itself. This revenue could make a real difference if it was instead directed towards improving and increasing the availability of alcohol support services – because these services will ultimately help to save lives.”

Scotland’s public health minister Jenni Minto said the Scottish Government was determined to do all it can to reduce alcohol-related harm – treating it as a public health emergency – the same priority as drugs.

She said the minimum unit pricing policy had “saved hundreds of lives, likely averted hundreds of alcohol-attributable hospital admissions and contributed to tackling health inequalities”.

Minto said the forthcoming price increase to 65p would continue the effectiveness of the policy.

“My sympathy goes out to all those who have lost a loved one through alcohol,” she said.

“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.”