Balance responds to the budget
Colin Shevills, Director of Balance, said: “We welcome the Government’s commitment in today’s budget to look at plans to tackle cheap, harmful alcohol. However, the measures announced will not impact on the harm that we’re seeing in families and communities across the North East.
“We continue to urge the Government to introduce a minimum unit price which will save lives, reduce hospital admissions and cut crime. It’s needed and it’s supported by the majority of the public as well those on alcohol’s frontline such as police officers and GPs. We’re seeing more evidence each day that it works, recent research from Canada demonstrates that a 10% increase in price cuts alcohol related deaths by almost a third.”