Alcohol Flashcards
Rebuttal
However, many people argue that alcohol consumption may in fact be more significant than smoking in causing health inequalities in Scotland.
Explain
This is because alcohol is also an addiction that’s been linked to multiple health problems such as liver failure, cancer and fertility issues. This means that those who engage in problematic drinking patterns are more likely to suffer from health issues than those who do not.
Example
It can clearly be argued the significance of alcohol on health can be seen by there being 1,276 alcohol specific related deaths in 2023 which is a 3% increase from 2022. This is demonstrated by the fact in 2024, an average of 40 Scots a week die as a result of their alcohol consumption.
Analysis
This shows that alcohol consumption has a significantly negative impact on the health of the Scottish population, even more so when it is considered that alcohol addiction in the most deprived areas in Scotland is 5.6x higher than the average.
Link
Overall, that while alcohol and tobacco are both significant factors in causing ill health. Tobacco is a more serious factor in causing health inequalities as there is no safe level of tobacco that can be consumed however alcohol can be consumed in moderation with 14 pints a week and overall smoking causes more deaths in Scotland compared to alcohol - 9,000 to 1,276, this means that an approximate 7,000 more people die annually in Scotland forom smoking related health issues than they do because of alcohol.
