Minimum unit pricing pg 63

Scotland was one of the first countries in the world to legislate a minimum unit price for alcohol. Following its introduction in 2018, alcohol use in Scotland has fallen. Implementing alcohol minimum unit pricing legislation has also made a positive contribution to tackling deaths, and inequalities in, alcohol-related health harms, although the scale of harm remains high and entirely preventable.

Reduction in smoking prevalence

 Smoking prevalence in Scotland has fallen to its lowest ever level (11% of the adult population). Yet inequalities persist. Just 5% of adults living in the least deprived areas of the country smoke, compared to 24% of those living in our most deprived communities. Scotland has implemented world leading tobacco control legislation for over a decade, including banning smoking in public places, putting tobacco out of sight at point of sale and banning smoking in prisons. As a result, we have seen massive improvements in smoking in pregnancy and large falls in the exposure of children to second hand smoke with consequent positive impacts on infant and child health.

In 2021, the proportion of children exposed to second-hand smoke in their own home was significantly lower than in previous years