We have been to quick to ban in devolved Scotland. What ever happened to individual responsibility? Don't blame supermarket promotions for our woes.

I hate this Executive telling me what I can and cannot do. I thought Mr Gorrie was a liberal...surely he has forgotten what his party name means.

I expect socialists telling me what to do because it's in their nature, but have the Liberals joined the Nanny State bandwagon too?

Education is the answer to Scotland's problem with alcohol, not restricting access to it. And Mr McConnell wants to raise the legal age to buy alcohol to 21? Try and get that past the students!

Just because some socially inadequate Scots don't know when to stop should not mean that my enjoyment of alcohol needs to be curbed.

The Executive banned smoking in public (which lead me to take up the habit)...I didn't think it would take long for them to move onto alcohol.

Banning is rife over here too, ban banning!

Liberals ARE Socialists..They approve of everything and then slowly take away your rights..No guns,knives,cig,alcohol,self determination,self defense..However abortion,homosexuality,welfare,minority agendas,failing government schools,crippling unions are paramount in their social engineering scheme..

It is not difficult to sell booze in Scotland. Do they still site the gin beside the cornflakes and the premixes in brightly coloured soft drink cans. Well the premixes will not go away, but there would be nothing to stop the councils legislating that booze and groceries should not be sold in the same area. It must be a successful selling technique since the multi nationals over here are continually pressing to do this, and the councils are continually throwing the idea out.

The state I live in has county option, so happens the county I reside in is a dry county, so its a 60 mile round trip to the next county which is wet, so maybe Asda would open a chain in the US? Cheap booze might take the edge of the cost for my gas to the next county.

Yer rite Andra, ban the banning, an who gives a twit gene, have a beer and relax!

A quote taken from a BBC report today:
"But Professor Danny Dorling, of Sheffield University, said the government should focus on reducing health inequalities instead.

"What you need to begin looking after yourself better is to have self respect.

"And self respect comes from being treated well by society.

"If you have a society that tells increasing numbers of people that they have less and less worth, while others are allowed to become richer and richer and richer, it's very hard to get people to look after themselves enough." "

Now THAT is sense. The high earnings of each privileged member of a society force more and more people into poverty. Our MSP elite attacks the symptom not the cause.

On the day before next years elections can the Scotsman please publish a list of all of the proposals that look to curb our freedom and who suggested them. As well as the one in this story, the following should be included

The smoking ban, only having 3 drinks in a bar, teachers to examine pupils packed lunches, only multi-occupied vehicles allowed to overtake etc etc etc

Simply banning things, whether it be smoking, drinking, owning a 4x4 or whatever, is unimaginative and easy politics. Its easy because you can pick on any number of things to ban and you,ll always be ensured either support or active disinterest from the majority. The problem with this is that its only a matter of time before everyone has been affected. Stat with foxhunting, move on to gun ownership, smoking, then drinking, what next? angling? climbing? sports which can be construed as dangerous?. Multiple vehicle ownership? Owning a "big" car. keeping of pets or size/breed restrictions. Theres an endless choice of things to ban and eventually the people in grey suits will work through them and this will happen because each one affects the minority while the majority eiether dont care or will support it. Its only a matter of time before something that YOU like to do is banned and I would urge anyone to pay attention and to oppose bans on anything which is currently legal. I personally couldnt give a hoot if supermarkets were banned in total from selling booze and if people were forced to go to some special commisary for beer for the barbie, but theres no way I would voice support for a such a ban.

The more things that are banned, the more ways in which the state 'tries to protect the individual' then the individual takes less and less responsibility for their own actions. This leads to a society where "it is everyone elses fault".... the state let me drink therefore they are to blame for my problem.
We need to move away from state dependancy and return to the traditional and wholesome scenario of taking responsibility for ourselves and family.
The state should encourage this by helping and educating people. The S.E. seem to have contracted The Westminster Disease!

Why don't they just go the whole hog and introduce rationing, zero tolerance policing, ban all cars, introduce 100% dictatorship and remove all citizens rights to free speech, free living, and the right to take responsibility for themselves. If dedicated boozers cannot buy cheaply from UK supermarkets, guess what - let's hire a big van, nip over to France, and give them our custom instead - if we could afford the petrol...........

Dear Sir,

Without a doubt something 'really serious' needs to be done in Scotland regarding the devastating, in many ways, alcohol problem.

The fine words coming from the Politicians would be admirable if they were not so hypocritical!

Correct me if I am wrong but do they not get their supplies compliments of the Taxpayer.

Should they not give up this 'perk' if only to show some kind of meaningful and truthful 'support' for their proposals!

If they need 'alcohol' during their working hours, presumably but laughlingly 'to cope', could it be they are in the wrong job, and considering their massive salaries,
and expenses facilities (another little piggy bank of monetary gain for many - as we have seen!) why should the taxpayer have to foot the expense of their alcohol consumption while 'allegedly' working for us?

Many businesses, where important decisions and good working practice is essential, do not permit the consumption of alcohol during 'working hours', so, as we are given the impression that whatever is performed within the bounds of Holyrood is of great importance, surely any ban on alcohol should start here in principle. After all, as is frequently shown, but not usually until the 'Cat is out of the bag' Politicians are not immune from the addiction of an alleged 'quick one' and the danger (mainly to others) this activity can cause can be devastating! ( No names mentioned as I shouldn't think it necessary!)

Presumably, for the self appointed upper echelon in our society 'Practice what you preach' is an outdated style for them - or am I wrong?

You only pass this way once - please let me enjoy it. Once again, the responsible people are to be penalised in a catch all 'solution'. Alcoholism is a real and in many cases devastating problem but the real solutions are education and social improvement. The taxation or marginalisation of people are not responsible ways to cure a problem. Other drugs which aren't even legal continue to blight the lives of many, can we not learn our lesson? And by the way, is it not the case that the supermarket water is too expensive rather than the beer too cheap.

Cheap booze? Thanks for the heads up!

Alcohol is immoral and should not be sold in supermarkets at all

Whatever happened to taxation for disincentive? If the intention is to make alcohol less affordable, then why not ensure that the government benefits from the increase in price rather than the supermarket chains and drink producers?

The extra revenue could be used to subsidise healthier options and fund the NHS until the benefits of healthier lifestyles are evident.

A fast food tax would help too.

Mohammad Aziz#15.
In this country alcohol is not immoral.

Any muppet with half a brain knows that 99% of underage drinkers do not use supermarkets to obtain their booze. It's the licensed corner shops and off-licenses that they use. I don’t see many underage drinkers swanning about with cases of Becks, Bud, Tennants and Stella. No, they are getting rat arsed on cheap, nasty, rot gut cider, Buckfast and other drinks that no one in their right mind would touch. I also doubt that binge drinkers frequent the supermarkets for their alcohol too. They, in my experience, are getting pissed in pubs that sell ridiculously cheap shots\shooters! I had to laugh at this part “Some discount deals in supermarkets for bulk buys of beer reduced the cost of a can to 45p, while the same outlets were selling a litre of water for 54p”. Why are MSP’s not demanding to know why water is so expensive?

Mohammad Aziz "Alcohol is immoral and should not be sold in supermarkets at all" DO NOT EVEN GO THERE!!!!!! You are entitled to your religious beliefs and practices but this is not an Islamic state. Incidently the local shops in my area are run by Muslim families. Perhaps you should ask them to stop selling booze!

Now here we go again Mr Aziz # 15 would like to impose his muslim laws on us in the UK. Alcohol is not illegal HERE. If you have a problem with that go back to your own country. What a cheek!!
I do agree that beer in the supermarkets is a good bargain buy maybe a little too cheap though.

Some interesting postings here!

I agree with Alex (7): Yes, lets all see who supported what just before an election. We deserve to know who stood up for our rights and who wanted to control us.

Victor (12) : Yes, there's no way MSPs should be allowed to drink during their working day! I don't want to be wondering whether the shambolic decisions they make (supposedly on my behalf) are as a result of them being a bit tipsy, rather than my usual assumption that they are simply overpaid and totally inept.

Graham (18) You are absolutely right. The supermarket is totally the wrong target. I work with young people and frequently ask them where they buy their alcohol. They cannot and do not buy it in supermarkets! It is, almost every time without fail, purchased in corner shops or mini markets. The law needs to be severely tightened and the unscrupulous shopkeepers who are happy to ply their trade to underage drinkers should be automatically lose their licence for several years, be heavily fined, and should not be allowed to pass the licence on to family members to flout the loss of their licence, as so often is the case.

Mohammed (15) In this country, rightly or wrongly, alcohol is an accepted drug of choice for the majority of the population. The main sellers of alcohol are the small grocer/mini market types of shops. Many of these shop owners are from cultures which condemn the use of alcohol, and believe, like you, that it is immoral. But the power of the pound is too strong to bear, so they want to make profit from a substance they see as being immoral. Anything for a buck..... Double standards in the extreme!

What a bunch of hypocrites we are being governed by.

Whats going to be next ?

Lets ban coca cola and irn bru, its bad for kids teeth ?

Or ban chip shops, the fat content is probably the major contributor to the cause of heart disease in the West of Scotland.

ps. Lets ban MSPs, their bizarre legislation proposals are giving me hypertension.

Our MSP's like to talk the talk, but not walk the walk.

This will come to nothing. Especially with elections next year!

Sylvia I think I agree with you. I was a great supporter of Devolution, because I believed the Scots were a sensible people. I hate to be proved wrong. Maybe if we could see a list of those who put forward the restrictive legislation we could reclaim our freedom at the next election by voting for those who respect the voters and personal choice. If not, let's send the MSPs off to reeducation classes and get rid of their totalitarian tendencies.

As Bill Hicks once said:

"Alcohol's a good drug, coincedently a taxed drug, how does this work?"

Hypocrites to the nth degree.

Ban booze? Didn't they do that during the Prohibition in America in the early 20th Century? I believe Speakeasy's sprang up everywhere and drinking was as rife but a lot more fun due to the illicitness of it? It's like having a sneaky fag behind the bike shed when you are a kid....tastes all the more delicious as it's "naughty".

Come on will ye's........................

PS I know how to build a still out of common house hold stuff, youse are all welcome of course.....................

Maybe we should ban the Scottive Executive, do we live in a democracy or have we transported to some bureaucratic state governed by the thought police from Orwells' 1984
This goverment are complete control freaks who have now completely lost the plot.
It is high time the voters got rid of them

MSPs aim to cut Scots' drinking by curbing cheap supermarket offers
HAMISH MACDONELL SCOTTISH POLITICAL EDITOR
CHEAP alcohol promotions by supermarkets are being challenged in the Scottish Parliament over claims that the companies are encouraging under-age and binge-drinking.

Allright if z cheap dringih is gifing you thproblems leet zem have the expensuev drinks hick. Wat is binge drin is my habbit since I was ten now I am elfin yars oldi bu pls do not tuch supermatke that wher I buy the comics bookss also and my teeth brushed and soops.
Thank youu so mush

Dr Firoliza

You are hilarious mate! Come over to Scotland for a dram and a yarn. I'm sure you could entertain us no problem.

I enjoyed this article, and some really good posts too! I think I'm with the clear majority, our politicians are becoming far too nannyish and exceeding what most people probably want them interfering in. Their reflex reaction to everything is banning criminalisation and poor quality blunderbuss legislation. It's really beginning to annoy people, including even thier respective parties traditional supporters. Having said that, there is a clear danger when food prices remain high relative to the incomes of the poorest members of society, whilst alcohol prices come down, as they are. Perhaps the politicians would be better employed trying to find ways of eliminating food poverty, beyond the gimmicks and half-baked nonsense they have so far come up with?

Something needs to be done about attitudes to booze. In the other countries, where alchohol is available at all hours and where the measures are more generous, the only ones stoatin' aboot drunk, bouncin' aff the wa's are the Brits..Embarrassing

Al , you are completely correct.

Unless the whole country is in denial, they will see that scotland has a problem with Booze. From antisocial behaviour to broken families to damaged livers , death , delirium tremens and more.

Amongst the tennagers and twenty year olds its all a big laugh , among those of the older generation who imbibe or who know others that do, it's not so funny.

So, either you accept that there is a problem, or you close your eyes and pretend all the vomiting, pxxxing the bed, violence, dodgy sickies, early deaths, drink driving , selfish alchoholic behaviour, lying and feeling like sxxx in the morning IS NORMAL or you do something about it.

The executive are trying to do something about it , to stop the cycle before todays youngsters end up in the same state. It will take longer than that, a good few generations. If you read the report this is only a start - not the brightest idea as economics dictate that somewhere else will set it cheap if they dont.

But fact is Scotland (and not scotland alone) has an alcohol problem , a huge one which affects every aspect of our lives and it has to change. It might not affect you personally but i'm sure it affects almost someone in each of your circle of friends or family.

Dear all,

If I was you lot in Scotland I would get every body together and ignor this smoking ban.

You might be very interested in this the below, and would love you to print it; As it's the same as saying I hate heroin, and think it should be outlawed, but then I go and buy into it, it is a total disgrace, what a asshole, and he and the rest should be made to resign,

MINISTERS responsible for introducing Scotland’s smoking ban have been accused of hypocrisy after it emerged they are paying into a pension firm that has £126m invested in the world’s biggest cigarette company.
Jack McConnell, the first minister, and Andy Kerr, the health minister, can expect a lucrative payout from investment firm Baillie Gifford, which owns 3m shares in US-based Altria, makers of Marlboro cigarettes.
The value of Altria shares has risen by 230% in the past five years. Parliament officials believe the £10m pension fund the firm runs for all Scottish ministers and MSPs is directly invested in tobacco firms.
McConnell is also expected to benefit from a Labour party pension from his time as Scottish general secretary.
The Sunday Times has learnt that the £31m pension scheme for party officials is run by UBS Global Asset Management, which has a £281m shareholding in Altria, which produces more than 25 brands of cigarettes.
Since 1997, when Labour came to power, UBS has invested fundholders’ money in five of the world’s biggest tobacco firms, including BAT, Imperial Tobacco and Seita.
Three months ago, the company sponsored a conference run by Imperial Tobacco, the makers of Embassy cigarettes which claimed the Scottish smoking ban was unnecessary and that most people would prefer limited restrictions.

[2] (http://www.nuclearspin.org/index.php/Scottish_Parliament#...)

Wayne

I've just moved to Spain and am delighted to see that I can buy a cheap bottle of Scots whisky for €3.59 - I reckon that's about £2.50 maximum. I know Broxburn isn't the whisky producing centre of Scotland but look at the price! How on earth do they do that? I'm sure it's not great stuff but, hey, at £2.50 who cares?
I personally don't give a flying f**k what people drink. As many have already commented: leave us alone and let us worry about our personal responsibilities. I don't see a major problem here in Spain with alcoholism despite the prices or special offers.

Why doesn't the Scottish government, or Executive as they prefer to be called so as not to upset their masters, not deal with the real issues in Scotland? What about street violence, sectarianism and social exclusion?
As Roosevelt said in 1933: 'It's a good time to have a beer.' Does Jack the lad want prohibition? God help the poor guy in the USA that has a 60 mile round trip to get a drink!
By the way, have we now completely done away with the apostrophe?

ba ,ban ban,support the new labour party ,lets ban everthing,if youse dont agree ,ban it

This Edinburgh government is reactionary, no question. Banning is a poor way of attempting to address a problem. But here's something to chew on while you swig your cheap plonk and cut-price Tennant's:

When licensing reform came into effect in (1978-80), it was with a promise that extended pub hours would change the culture of gulping and binging, and create a more civilized tone similar to that found in parts of contienental Europe. Scots would, in turn, saunter unhurried to the pub or bistro at 10pm, have a nightcap of Guinness or Laphroaig, engage in some interesting social interaction with their friends and neighbors and walk home by midnight.
Didnae happen. Instead, the extended hours and increased availability of booze in supermarkets, corner shops etc has simply meant people are using the increased availability to get skelped more often. The culture of drinking - and, let's face it, the middle classes are as guilty here as the under-aged boozers and the building-site labourers - has simply permeated the whole culture. If, after 30 years the Scots have not matured in their attitude to alcohol, it's time to change something: make it less easy to buy, reduce the ability of supermarkets to promote sales, cut-back on licensing hours. These all seem to be reasonable approaches to addressing the problem. But first, the country - and that means you, too - has to admit that the experiment in liberal licensing has not worked, that there is a genuine problem and that reasonable people can come up with solutions to it. Prohibition didn't work in the US and neither has licensing reform in Scotland. It's time for the politicians to look at new reforms.

Neal #34
It's probably not whisky & probably came from China. Put a bottle in the freezer and watch it turn to ice.