Scots class alcohol as more dangerous than heroin

Published: 04 August, 2008

A poll carried out by the Scottish Social Attitudes Survey 2007 found over half (51%) of respondents said alcohol caused the most harm to society, compared to only 22% naming heroin and 9% tobacco.

A poll carried out by the Scottish Social Attitudes Survey 2007 found over half (51%) of respondents said alcohol caused the most harm to society, compared to only 22% naming heroin and 9% tobacco.

However, the poll showed two-thirds of people (67%) thought alcohol was a "major part of Scottish life," but nearly half (48%) think the amount the Scots drink is something "of which everyone should be ashamed".

Other findings from the independent survey, run by the Scottish Centre for Social Research, included 47% of people thought those with serious drink problems "have only themselves to blame", while only 31% disagree.

But around half of respondents can correctly identify the number of units in a pint of beer or a measure of spirits yet only 15% know a bottle of wine contains 8-10 units.

Around 41% can also correctly identify the recommended daily limit for women as two to three units, while only 34% know that men are advised to drink no more than three to four units.

And 89% of women and 80% of men do recognise that hazardous drinking (drinking more than the weekly guidelines of 21 units for men and 14 for women on a regular basis) is "very" or "fairly likely" to damage health if continued long-term.

Public health minister Shona Robison said: "These results highlight the complex relationship Scotland has with alcohol.

"While most people agree that drinking alcohol is part of Scottish culture, many of us are worried about how much we're drinking and the consequences for our health and wider society."

"The results appear to show many people still don't know how many units of alcohol their pint of beer or glass of wine contains - meaning they could well be drinking above recommended limits."

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