Study of MUP’s impact on alcohol consumption and health services published

The National Institute for Health Research have published an analysis of the impact of Minimum Unit Pricing reported in emergency departments, sexual health clinics and communities in Scotland.  

Led by researchers from the MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Science Unit at the University of Glasgow, the study assessed MUP’s impact on hazardous and harmful drinking and alcohol-related attendances in emergency departments. It also investigated MUP’s effect on alcohol source and drug use, and explored changes in public attitudes, experiences and norms towards MUP.

Neil Craig, Acting Evaluation Team Head at Public Health Scotland, said:

“This study provides a valuable insight into the consequences of Minimum Unit Pricing in the year following its implementation in Scotland.

“It represents one of a number of robust separately funded studies, which make up an important part of the MUP evaluation.

“The evaluation is designed to consider the impact of MUP on a range of health, social and economic outcomes. Taken together, findings from across the entire portfolio will inform the evaluation’s overall assessment of the impact of MUP”.

Find out about the separately funded studies in the evaluation of MUP.

For more information, read the ‘Intended and unintended consequences of the implementation of minimum unit pricing of alcohol in Scotland: a natural experiment’ paper (external website).