A CANCER expert said alcohol labels should carry health warnings like cigarettes packs, as Scotland became the first country in the world to roll out minimum pricing.
Read more: Health campaigners hail 'massive victory' in courtroom battle over minimum pricing
Profess or Linda Bauld urged the Scottish Government to give "serious consideration" to placing health hazard images on bottles of beer, wine and spirits as she pointed to research estimating that alcohol causes around 1,100 cases of cancer every year in Scotland.
- Professor Linda Bauld
Prof Bauld, Cancer Research UK’s cancer prevention expert, who is based at Stirling University, said: "The less alcohol you drink, the lower your risk of cancer.
"A minimum unit price for alcohol is one action among many that will help reduce how much alcohol is consumed in Scotland.
"We now look forward to seeing a broad and far-reaching alcohol strategy from the Scottish Government soon.
"Further measures need to be taken to increase public understanding of the dangers of drinking alcohol.
"Serious consideration should also be given to introducing clear information about the health risks on product labels.”
Read more: Doctor warns minimum pricing could trigger rise in painkiller abuse
Doctors said the 50 pence per unit threshold will save lives and criticised the drinks industry for delaying the policy with a 10-year legal battle led by the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA).
The policy is designed to target excessive consumption of cheaper, high alcohol content drinks which cause the most harm to health.
Retailers have been warned to prepare for unannounced inspections from today by enforcement officers carrying out spot checks to make sure that in-store prices have increased in line with the new laws.
A standard strength bottle of whisky must cost at least £14, a two-litre bottle of normal strength cider £5 and a bottle of wine £4.88.
Read more: Graphic cancer warnings on booze and junk food could curb harm, says Scots WHO advisor
Dr Peter Bennie, chair of BMA Scotland, said: “This is an important milestone for Scotland, and many other parts of the world will now be watching the implementation of minimum unit pricing with great interest.
“Importantly, the determination with which minimum unit pricing has been pursued also shows that the alcohol industry cannot expect to successfully block policies designed to protect the health of the public."
In the first year alone minimum price is expected to save 58 lives, reduce hospital admissions by 1,299 and reduce crimes by 3,500.
Read more: Nicola Sturgeon - 'Scotland will win our battle with alcohol'
Alison Douglas, chief executive of Alcohol Focus Scotland, said: “Already Wales and Ireland are actively legislating for minimum pricing.
"Colleagues from as far afield as France, the US and New Zealand have been in touch to learn more about how we have delivered minimum pricing in Scotland.
"Meanwhile the government of the Northern Territories in Australia has declared its intention to bring it in.
“We should be proud that as a nation we are prepared to take bold steps to improve our health and that of our children."
Roughly 70 per cent of shop-bought alcohol in the UK is priced under 50p a unit and while consumption is likely to dip, drinks companies and retailers are still expected to see increased profits as a result of the price hike.
Scottish Labour has called for a Social Responsibility Levy to claw back the windfall. Health spokesman Anas Sarwar said: "This cash could be reinvested in our NHS and in preventative public health programmes."
A spokesman for the SWA said it promoted responsible drinking.
He added: “We agree with the Scottish Government that there needs to be an objective, independent and robust assessment of the impact of minimum unit pricing. That should include assessing the impact on trade.”
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