States may raise prices to tackle 'drinking culture'

Alcohol was the third highest cause of death in Guernsey and Alderney according to a new report

The States of Guernsey could raise alcohol prices to tackle the Bailiwick's drinking culture, according to a new report.

The report, from Public Health Services (PHS), said Guernsey and Alderney's culture "normalises" regular drinking, with a "substantial number of adults consuming alcohol at levels which put their health at risk".

Dr Nicola Brink MBE, the States' Director of Public Health, said alcohol-related deaths were Guernsey's third highest cause of death, with 173 people dying a year.

Dr Brink said PHS would look at price controls as an option to tackle the problem including "minimum unit pricing and excise duties".

The second annual report on the Combined Substance Use Strategy looked at how various controlled substances were used on the islands including drugs, alcohol and tobacco.

Harmful use of alcohol was "far more common than that of drugs and tobacco" according to the report, which was published in partnership with the Health Improvement Commission (HIC).

'Encouraged'

The report charted progress against the strategy's three areas of focus: Promoting health and wellbeing, minimising harm, and putting evidence-based policies and laws into action.

Dr Brink said: "I am encouraged that since last year's report progress has been seen across all three operational themes of the strategy."

Since last year's report PHS said it had seen progress on all three themes, with two thirds of the overall strategy completed.

PHS said it had introduced new measures to the "living document" in response to concerns around young people using e-cigarettes.

Andrea Nightingale, Substance Use Lead for HIC said the "health-led approach" the strategy had taken focussed on "prevention, treatment and recovery".