AGAINST
Gavin Hewitt, chief executive, Scotch Whisky Association:
"Alcohol misuse in Scotland must be tackled, but minimum unit pricing (MUP) is not the right route. It will be ineffective, it will be ruled illegal, and it will hurt Scotch whisky exports.
"MUP takes a scattergun approach to a problem that can be solved by targeting those who misuse alcohol: 30% of the population consumes 80% of the alcohol. Rather than penalising the entire population, the Scottish Government should target its resources at the problem drinkers. There is no evidence MUP will reduce the number of harmful and hazardous drinkers.
"It is also baffling why the Scottish Government wants to pursue a measure consistently ruled illegal in Europe for the last 30 years.
"And MUP will hurt the Scotch whisky industry. In Scotland, sales would be hit and 'copycat' measures overseas would be aimed at keeping Scotch out of local markets."
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