ALCOHOL advertising in public places should be banned, especially if it appears in areas where it can be seen by children, Labour has claimed.
The party also wants GPs to be notified if any patients are convicted of an offence in which alcohol was a factor; the closure of a loophole on bulk-buying promotions; a large-scale public education programme; and a cap on the level of caffeine in alcoholic drinks such as Buckfast. They are part of 14 aims revealed in a draft bill launched by the party on the eve of today's Scottish Government debate which will lead to the introduction of minimum alcohol pricing.
Labour is the only party not supporting the legislation, but health spokeswoman Jackie Baillie claimed their plans were not an alternative but a "comprehensive set of measures not addressed by the Government bill".
The ban would apply to bill-boards, bus shelters, hoardings and other public areas where advertisements could normally be seen by children. It would also apply to cinemas unless the films were certificate 18. However, it would not extend to other venues where admission is charged, such as football grounds, or to television and radio.
The bill would also give courts the power to ban people drinking in specified places, extend Drug Treatment and Testing Orders to cover offences where alcohol was a factor and introduce a "bottle tagging" scheme to identify where under-age drinkers were buying alcohol.
Labour has brought forward its plans as a members' bill introduced by Dr Richard Simpson, a former GP, and Graeme Pearson, former director of the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency. It needs support from at least one other party at Holyrood if it is to progress.
Dr Simpson said the Govern-ment's minimum pricing plan would hand a "multimillion-pound windfall each year to big retailers and not provide a penny more for police or our NHS".
He added: "We recognise that a much more comprehensive approach is required to bring about the much-needed culture shift we all want to see."
Conservatives, LibDems and Green MSPs are expected to back the Government's plans today.
A Government spokeswoman added: "We want consensus on public health policies particularly when they are as important as tackling Scotland's unhealthy relationship with alcohol."
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