Recent estimates of alcohol specific deaths support alcohol minimum unit pricing

Critics of alcohol minimum unit pricing (MUP) emphasise the overall increase in alcohol related deaths in Scotland since the policy was introduced.1The final evaluation report on MUP in Scotland concluded that the policy had a positive effect on population level health outcomes and alcohol related health inequalities.2 The most robust population level evidence, based on data up to the end of 2020 and using England as a geographical control, estimates that approximately 150 alcohol specific deaths were prevented each year owing to MUP.3 The greatest estimated reductions in alcohol specific deaths were found for males (aged 16 and over) and those living in Scotland’s most deprived areas.Relative changes in alcohol specific death rates between Scotland and England can give an indication of how more recent estimates could affect the concluded population health benefits of MUP.45 Before the implementation of MUP in 2018, alcohol specific death rates in both countries were…
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