Alcohol deaths in Scotland fall but remain 'appallingly high' amid pricing policy debate

Alcohol-specific deaths in Scotland fell to 1,185 in 2024, the lowest level since before the Covid-19 pandemic, according to National Records Scotland. But campaigners warn that the toll remains disproportionately high and that Scotland continues to have the highest rate of alcohol-specific deaths in the United Kingdom. The figures also show a persistent socio-economic divide, with people in the most deprived areas 4.5 times more likely to die from alcohol than those in the most affluent communities.

The total represented a 7% drop from 2023, yielding 92 fewer deaths, and marked the 12th consecutive year with more than 1,000 alcohol-specific deaths. The 2024 rate stood at 20.9 deaths per 100,000 people, down from 22.5 per 100,000 in 2023. Around two-thirds of those who died were male, with 801 men and 384 women losing their lives to alcohol-related causes.

Glasgow City Council recorded the highest alcohol-specific death rate among Scotland’s local authorities, at 32.9 fatalities per 100,000. Other areas with higher-than-average rates included Inverclyde (31.9), West Dunbartonshire (28.7), and Dundee (28.2). National Records Scotland noted that Scotland has held the highest rate of alcohol-specific deaths among UK nations since the series began in 2001, though the gap with other countries has narrowed over time. In 2001, Scotland’s rate was between 2.1 and 2.9 times higher than those in other UK countries; by 2023, the gap had narrowed to between 1.2 and 1.5 times.

Alison Douglas, chief executive of Alcohol Focus Scotland, said the fall in deaths was welcome but warned that the numbers remain “appallingly high” and still more than double the level from 30 years ago. She added that action taken so far has not matched the scale of the crisis and called on the Scottish Government to do more.

Scottish Conservative shadow drugs and alcohol minister Annie Wells MSP pressed the case that minimum unit pricing (MUP), introduced in 2018, is not delivering on its promises. Wells argued that MUP should not be treated as a silver bullet and urged lawmakers to support the Right to Recovery Bill, a proposal designed to enshrine in law a right to treatment, including residential rehabilitation and abstinence programs for those struggling with addiction.

Maree Todd, Scotland’s SNP drug and alcohol policy minister, welcomed the decline in deaths as evidence of progress while stressing there is still “a lot of work to be done” to save and improve lives. She said the government is working closely with local Alcohol and Drugs Partnerships and others to provide targeted, person-centered support, backed by record funding of about £160 million this year. Todd also cited research suggesting that minimum unit pricing has saved lives and potentially reduced alcohol-related hospital admissions, while acknowledging ongoing public health work to reduce harm further.

The 2024 figures underscore alcohol-related harms as a continuing public health priority for Scotland. Campaigners and opposition politicians alike emphasize that while progress is evident, the country’s approach—particularly the use of MUP and related policies—remains under scrutiny as officials seek to curb the long-running crisis and address the stark inequities in who is affected most.