Scots urged not to buy rounds of drinks

Scottish drinkers are being encouraged to duck out of buying rounds in a new campaign to tackle binge drinking.

Experts say that drinking in rounds encourages everyone in the group to drink at the same speed as the fastest drinker and can lead to problems.

Lewis Macdonald, Scotland's deputy health minister, launched the campaign saying everyone must play their part in beating the health and social problems associated with binge drinking.

He said: "Tackling the idea that excessive consumption is socially acceptable requires all of us to take much greater responsibility.​

"The Scottish Executive is responding. At the same time, individuals and society as a whole have to play their part if we are really serious about making a long-term difference."

The executive is also said to be planning future measures which include urging parents not to drink in front of their children.

Dr Jonathan Chick, a consultant psychiatrist at the Lothian Alcohol Problems Service, told the Scotsman certain people, who find it difficult to stop drinking, will certainly benefit from the adverts.

He said: "Round-buying is a nice aspect of Scottish culture, but for people who have a problem stopping, or might drink more than they can handle, it is safer to buy individual drinks."​

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Your Comments​Kevin O'Connor​ via email 14/08/2006"How much longer are we going to allow our industry to be trated like rubbish?

It's time our "leaders" started fighting back and hard.

Have we learnt any lessons from the anti-smoking campaign?

Many of us warned that "nanny" would move on and de-normalize alcohol.

I for one am proud of our pub and the way we run it but these comments make my blood boil."

Robert Feal-Martinez​ via email 15/08/2006"Didn't I warn you. It hasn't taken them long to start the ASH type campaign. Demonise alcohol. Why on earch did the great and good give this lot 12million could they not see what would happen or don't they care. Scotland as we've already seen is embarking on a quota system, sure as eggs is eggs we will follow unless the pubco's/trade bodies stop rolling over and fight for a change. At this rate there won't be any pubs left they will all be soft drink sellin, smoke free veggie restaurants. Mind I suppose we will all be healthy, clinically depressed but healthy."