THE number of people dying in West Dunbartonshire from conditions caused by alcohol has risen to its highest figure in more than a decade.

New figures released by the National Records of Scotland revealed that there were 40 alcohol-related deaths in the authority in 2021 the highest since 2008.

The figure nearly doubled compared to the previous year, during which 22 people died of conditions related to alcohol.

It is also considerably higher than the country-wide year-on-year increase of five per cent.

Mags Mackenzie, chief executive of Dumbarton Area Council on Alcohol (DACA), which also serves the Clydebank area, branded the figures “tragic” and called for further investment for community services providing treatment and support.

Ms Mackenzie said: “Every single death from alcohol is a tragic, preventable loss, and it is distressing to see the number of deaths on the rise again.

“At DACA we certainly feel the impact of national funding restrictions. Although we’re a registered charity, we receive funding from government to run our core services in West Dunbartonshire, including specialist alcohol counselling and a groupwork programme.

“But funding cuts over the last decade have meant that we always find ourselves trying to do more with less. After 46 years of supporting the people of West Dunbartonshire, it’s as hard now as it’s ever been for us to meet the needs of our community.”

Ms Mackenzie said DACA support the policies implemented by the Scottish Government to tackle alcohol harms at population level, believing there is a strong will in government to do more.

She added: “However, if we want to meaningfully reduce the impact of alcohol harms in our most disadvantaged communities right now, then there needs to be investment in the lifesaving community services providing direct treatment and support. And it needs to happen now, or else we may find ourselves looking at an even more tragic set of figures this time next year.”

Between 2017 and 2021, 140 people in West Dunbartonshire have died due to alcohol.
Dr Rebecca Lawrence, co-chair of the Addictions Faculty, Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland, said: “These latest statistics are truly alarming and may only be the tip of the iceberg.

“Working on the frontline, we know alcohol-related hospital admissions remain high and the pandemic has only exacerbated the problem.

“It’s key that we give this issue the same focus and importance as the drug deaths crisis.”

Of those who died from alcohol-specific causes in Scotland, two-thirds were male. The average age of deaths of those who died from these causes was 58.7 years for females and 59.7 years for males.

Maree Todd, public health minister, said: “No-one should die as a result of alcohol consumption, and my thoughts go out to all family and loved ones affected.

“These figures show that Scotland continues to have a problematic relationship with alcohol, and we are determined to do all we can to address that.

“The introduction of minimum unit pricing has helped reduce alcohol sales to their lowest on record, but we are determined to do even more tackle the scale of alcohol-specific deaths.”