Only 17% of Scots are aware of the recommended alcohol limits – search

Less than a fifth of the Scottish population is aware of the recommended alcohol limits in the country.

This campaign comes as a new campaign is launched to raise public awareness of the directive that men and women should not drink more than 14 units of alcohol per week.

The guidelines were revised in 2016 and suggest that those who regularly drink 14 units a week should spread it over three days or more with a few days without alcohol.

According to Progressive, only 17% of Scots are aware of the changes. They also found that 53% agreed that they did not think about the amount of alcohol they drank.

However, 57% agreed that monitoring of their consumption was important, with more than a quarter (27%) reporting trying to reduce their consumption.

• Six pints of medium strength beer, cider or beer (4% ABV, 568 mL)
• Six medium wine glasses (13% ABV, 175 ml)
• Seven double measures of alcohol (40% ABV, 50 ml)

Dr. Catherine Calderwood, Chief Medical Officer in Scotland, said: "The guidelines are based on scientific evidence regarding the short- and long-term effects of alcohol consumption on health.

"Regularly exceeding the maximum recommended amount can lead to serious problems, including cancer of the mouth, throat and breast.

"If men and women limit their alcohol consumption to 14 units a week, the risk of developing these conditions is low.

"This important campaign was launched not only to educate people about the guidelines, but also to help them understand what 14 units mean in terms of alcohol consumption, so that they can make informed and informed choices. reduce the risk of damage. "

Last year 's figures revealed that the Scots had bought enough alcohol for each adult to drink about 20 units of alcohol per week.

Public Health Minister Joe Fitzpatrick lamented the "difficult relationship between the country and alcohol".

Joe Fitzpatrick spoke of the "difficult relationship between Scotland and alcohol" (Malcolm Cochrane / PA)

He said: "On average, every adult in Scotland drinks 40% more than the lower risk recommendations of 14 units per week.

"Through the measures in the alcohol framework, our goal is to create a cultural shift towards a more balanced relationship with alcohol in our society.

"It must start with people understanding and becoming aware of what they drink each week and the impact it has on their health.

"Following the recommended maximum recommendations and spreading alcohol consumption over three days or more can reduce the risk of harm.

"I hope that because of the increased awareness generated by this campaign, people are beginning to think about how their alcohol consumption adds up."