SCOTLAND's chief medical officer has told a conference in Edinburgh that he believes a minimum price for alcohol would help save lives.
Dr Harry Burns told the summit of politicians, retailers and health professionals that he was once "agnostic" but now endorsed the Scottish Government plan.
"It's a no-brainer – one of the ways in which we can control the amount of alcohol being c
onsumed is to tackle price," he said.
"If we do that, people who in the course of the next year are going to die are going to be drawn back from the brink."
A minimum drink price was one of the main elements of Government proposals announced earlier this year to tackle an alcohol problem estimated to cost Scotland more than £2.2 billion a year.
A figure of 40p per unit has been widely speculated, making the minimum price of a 13% bottle of wine £3.90.
And Dr Burns used "shock tactics" at the summit in Edinburgh today, in an attempt to hammer home health warnings about alcohol-related deaths.
Illustrating his speech with stark images of diseased organs, he said: "Am I scaring you? I hope so."
"Alcoholic liver disease is not a pleasant way to go, whether for the patient or the staff looking after you," he added.
Guest speaker Dr Peter Anderson, a consultant to the World Health Organisation, said Scotland should have the "courage" to introduce minimum pricing.
"If you are really serious in wanting to reduce the burden of alcohol to individuals, to families and to communities – including reducing the collateral damage to from alcohol – you have to deal with the price of alcohol," he said.
"You cannot be effective unless you do something about the price of alcohol. But of course, that is not the only solution. It has to be part of a comprehensive solution that deals with the availability and marketing of alcohol."
Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon, who opened the summit, said: "Dealing with the problem of alcohol misuse is perhaps the biggest public health challenge we face. I believe the time has come for action.
"The eyes of the world are on us – we are seen as a world leader and I believe we have an obligation to live up to that."
