Alcohol Focus Scotland

We're delighted that First Minister @JohnSwinney has pledged his support to our Alcohol-Free Childhood campaign ✍️ The campaign aims to ensure that children and young people grow up free from the harmful effects of #AlcoholMarketing Read more 🔽 alcohol-focus-scotland.org.uk/news/news/alco…

@jamiegreeneUK Thanks Jamie for highlighting alcohol harm - notably having picked up some of our messaging on alcohol related suicides and asking questions in Parliament.

A week since dust settles on the election result, I’d like to thank the many people, in and out of politics, who have messaged me kind words. It is genuinely appreciated. I also wanted to post some thank yous and some advice to the new MSPs👇 Onwards and upwards as they say.

“He would still be here if it wasn’t for the apps.” A powerful and tragic story highlighting how rapid alcohol delivery can fuel harm. Families are left powerless while orders can be placed every 90 minutes. The Home Office says it's now "looking... bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…

This week is #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek Alcohol can worsen existing #MentalHealth issues and even cause new ones Download our #AlcoholAwareness posters for display in your workplace or service 🔽 alcohol-focus-scotland.org.uk/resources/?cat…

Absolutely spot on 👇 Strategies to improve #MentalHealth must work in tandem with strategies to reduce alcohol harm #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek

A timely webinar given the ongoing push to further expand the availability of alcohol in sport - and ongoing industry efforts to weld their products in our collective consciousness to sport - notably increasing around the #WorldCup eventbrite.co.uk/e/branding-the… @MareeToddMSP

❗New evidence published in the journal Addiction adds to what we know about alcohol and health: reducing or stopping alcohol consumption can improve health outcomes and lower risks, even after years of drinking alcohol. @AddictionJrnl @CAMHnews Read it: bit.ly/3R9ifq0

An essential induction for policymakers on commercial influence on health policy! @MareeToddMSP @jackiebmsp @AnnieWells2026 @StephenFlynnSNP @Gillian_Mackay1 @agcolehamilton

What does a former Minister for Drugs and Alcohol think about commercial influence on health policy? New Money Power Health episode with @spidermaani & Elena Whitham, former MSP and Minister. Essential listening for new & returning #MSPs open.spotify.com/episode/5t7IqI…

Happy International Nurses Day to all the amazing liver nurses and liver cancer nurses. Thank you for the amazing work that you do! #internationalnursesday

Talking about suicide is hard – you don’t have to do it alone. The Enabling Conversations toolkit helps young people talk safely about difficult feelings. Toolkit: ow.ly/abuN50YYa2n Local support: ow.ly/5LRK50YYa2m #SuicidePrevention #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek

The latest UK alcohol death stats are out - but it’s easy to get lost in the year-to-year changes. To really understand what’s going on, we need to zoom out. Fair warning: lots of charts ahead 📊🧵 This first chart shows how many people have died from alcohol-specific...

– it is cause for redoubling efforts.” And Dr Richard Piper is clear: the figures are “way too high” and “still the biggest we’ve seen in decades.” In fact, it is still the third highest number of deaths since recording began in 2001. Time for action, not complacency.

Alcohol deaths in the UK have fallen for the first time since Covid - but at 9,809 deaths, the picture is still stark. Dr Katherine Severi warns: “Alcohol deaths remain at a deeply unacceptable level… a modest reduction is not cause for complacency... bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…

The @ONS has today published the latest alcohol specific deaths figures for the UK In 2024, there were 9,809 deaths caused solely by alcohol across the UK Read our response 🔽 alcohol-focus-scotland.org.uk/news/news/afs-…

UK alcohol deaths fall in 2024 but remain well above pre-pandemic levels. "Given that alcohol harm is one of the largest drivers of health inequality, continued inaction [by the UK Government] on proven measures is increasingly difficult to justify." - Dr Katherine Severi

“The alcohol industry is the main villain… amassing profit at the expense of the health of the people.” Experts in our film describe how companies influence policy, shape regulation, and expand into new markets. Watch the full story: youtu.be/gEs1IW58bd0

From tobacco to sugar to alcohol, industries have long shaped debate by manufacturing doubt. Terence Cosgrave argues alcohol is now the next test: the cancer evidence is clear, but public understanding and political will still lags behind. @IMT_latest imt.ie/opinion/its-th…

A new @SARG_SCHARR paper on the views of people with alcohol dependence on pricing policies Useful insights for policymakers - including a desire to see additional revenues generated by retailers from #MUP invested in treatment and support

...doesn't look like a sector on it knees. It looks like a highly profitable industry that successfully lobbied for deregulation - at public expense. Alcohol-specific deaths in England reached 8,274 in 2023, up nearly 64% since 2006. Licensing exists to protect the public. It..

Greene King has just reported a 9.8% rise in operating profit and £2.5bn in revenue. Good news for them. But it's worth remembering that in 2025, Greene King's CEO Nick Mackenzie co-chaired the government's Licensing Taskforce - which public health... morningadvertiser.co.uk/Article/2026/0…