Scotland’s relationship with alcohol is again under examination after new figures show an unprecedented level of hospital admissions for alcohol-related conditions.

The figures, released by the NHS, reveal a seven per cent rise in the number of people visiting hospital due to problems tied to alcohol over 2007 and 2008. More worryingly for health chiefs and politicians, the latest figures represent a rise of nearly 17 per cent compared with those released in 2002 and 2003.

Of the 42,430 drink-related admissions to general hospitals, 30,092 were for alcohol-related mental and behavioural disorders, 6,817 were for alcoholic liver disease and 4,646 for alcohol poisoning.

Commenting on the latest figures, public health minister, Shona Robinson, said: “They show that there were 116 hospital discharges directly due to alcohol-related problems every day in Scotland. This is putting a huge strain on the health service, but it also hints at a great deal of misery for individuals, families and communities.

"The rise in alcohol-related hospital admissions has coincided with a big fall in the relative price of alcohol, which is now 70 per cent cheaper than in 1980. Recent reports suggest Scottish women are now more likely to die of an alcohol problem than English men and Scotland's high level of consumption would place us in the top 10 worldwide. We also know that alcohol misuse is costing Scotland £2.25 billion per year,” she added.

The NHS figures add weight to the SNP’s recently announced plans to implement tougher policies over the sale of alcohol.

In response to the latest figures and the Scottish Government’s future plans, Chairman of the British Medical Association, Dr Peter Terry, said, “Tough action is needed to tackle alcohol misuse in Scotland. BMA Scotland supports this wide-ranging framework which tackles price and availability, and in particular proposes measures to end the deep discounting of alcohol where it is sold for ridiculously cheap prices."

“Doctors witness first hand how alcohol misuse destroys lives. The facts are simple: voluntary measures supported by the drinks industry have failed to reduce the damage of alcohol misuse in Scotland. It’s time to step up, legislate and take action,” he added.