Minimum alcohol pricing ‘could prevent 3 deaths a week’

Minimum unit pricing on alcohol could prevent nearly three deaths a week, bring about a reduction in crime, and reduce hospital admissions by over 4,000 per year, a health body has claimed.

The Institute of Public Health in Ireland (IPH) has said that a provision for Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) within the Public Health (Alcohol) Bill — due before the Seanad this week — “is key to tackling inequalities in alcohol-related harm”.

IPH director of policy Dr Helen McAvoy said evidence shows there could be 139 fewer deaths and over 4,000 fewer hospital admissions annually if MUP was introduced in Ireland.