A
L
 Today you will learn
 Current laws/recent changes to the law
 Issues
 Proposed changes to the laws

PAIRS:
List all the current alcohol laws you can think of.

C URRENT L AWS

 Set a minimum price per unit of alcohol
 Ban discount deals on drinks in pubs/clubs e.g. Buy one get one free
 Restrict the display of alcohol in shops
 Smaller measures in pubs
 Reduce the drink drive limits

BUT….
The main proposals we will focus on are
To increase the minimum age for buying alcohol from 18 to 21.
To introduce a minimum price for alcohol.
To ban discount deals in pubs and clubs.

To increase the minimum age for buying alcohol from 18 to 21.

TASK:
Join up with a partner…
Together, come up with as many points for…
-
Advantages of increasing the age to 21
-
Disadvantages of increasing the age to 21

FACTS:
 40% of 15 year olds drink on a weekly basis.
 Selling alcohol to under-18s led to a 40% rise in licensing offences in 2007.
- Approx. 25% of 16-24 year olds drink more than the recommended safe limit.
- Liver disease in 20-30 year olds has increased with more deaths.

W ITH THIS NEW INFORMATION
…
Find a new partner…
Together, compare your lists of advantages and disadvantages
-
Borrow any points from each other
-
See if you can come up with any more points

?

TRIAL RUN OF THIS PROPOSED LAW
Off licences in Cupar, Fife signed up to a deal with the police where sales of alcohol to under-21s were banned at the weekend.
GOOD POINTS:
 58% drop in calls to police about young people causing trouble.
 Anti-social behaviour decreased.

BAD POINTS:
 Problem was with under 18s, not 18-21 year olds, who could not buy alcohol even though they were over the legal age limit.

Some felt it ‘demonised’ young people.


Read the arguments for and against a minimum price for alcohol.

Write a paragraph explaining whether you think it should be introduced or not.

Give reasons to support your decision.


Discount deals have already been banned in supermarkets. The act, introduced in October
2011, placed restrictions on how alcohol could be displayed and promoted.

Sales of alcohol have dropped in Scottish supermarkets since the ban, many argue this will improve the health of the Scottish public.

If this ban was introduced in pubs and clubs this may also decrease sales and reduce drunk and disorderly behaviour.

WHY DOES THIS ALL
MATTER?

M ANY C RIMES RELATED TO
ALCOHOL

Drink-driving: estimated 5% of accidents and 15% of deaths related to alcohol (2010)

Drunk and Disorderly: 36,000 notices of drunk and disorderly (2011)

Other Offences: 938,000 offenders estimated to be under the influence when they committed a crime.
The National Probation Service advises that ‘alcohol is a factor related to a lot of crimes including many assaults, murder and rape cases (between 50 and
80%)’ 2009.