Recent survey revealed that Scotland has the eighth-highest level of alcohol consumption in the World. Neilsen Company, on the behalf of the Scottish Government conducted a survey on the sales of alcohol.

Survey revealed that Scots consumed equivalent to 11.8 litres per person over 16, in 2007. This amount is two litres more than in England and Wales where the average was 9.9 litres per person.

Survey by the World Health Organisation put Luxembourg with 15.6 litres per person on the first place followed by Ireland with 13.7 litres and Hungary with 13.6 litres. It put England and Wales on 15th rank alongside Lithuania.

Study for BBC Scotland showed that alcohol-related cases had overtaken heart disease as a reason for hospital admissions. It estimated that alcohol was now one of the leading causes of admission to hospital.

Shona Robison, minister for public health said: "There can be little doubt that this is largely a consequence of the big fall in alcohol's relative price, which has dropped 70% since 1980."