Doctors can’t fix the alcohol problem by themselves

A decade ago the jurisdiction of England and Wales was on the brink of introducing a policy that would have led to substantial reductions in the harms done by alcohol (doi:10.1136/bmj.f7646).1 Instead, politicians U turned, ignoring strong health advice in favour of protecting industry interests. Other, braver territories, including Ireland and Australian states, brought in minimum unit pricing, and today the policy saves lives and reduces consumption and hospital admissions (doi:10.1136/bmj-2023-077550).2 After Scotland introduced a minimum unit price, the biggest reduction in alcohol related deaths was seen among the most deprived groups.As evidence mounts for the effect of minimum pricing on reducing alcohol consumption, those countries holding out are basing their reluctance on other factors, such as their cosy relationship with big alcohol. Over and over again we see how the industry is an active participant in policy development (doi:10.1136/bmj.q800).3 The sector still provides masterclasses in spin, most recently in…
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