Alcohol Focus Scotland

This article is part of the Spinwatch public health oriented Alcohol Portal project.

Alcohol Focus Scotland is Scotland's national charity for alcohol issues. The organisation's ambitious aim is to improve "the quality of people’s lives by changing Scotland’s drinking culture – promoting responsible drinking behaviour and discouraging drinking to excess...Our work involves providing information and training on alcohol issues, raising awareness of alcohol-related problems, and working to influence national alcohol policy".

ServeWise

ServeWise provides training for the licensed trade on order to set professional, responsible standards for all those involved in the sale of alcoholm in both off and on trade settings. The training of staff who sell alcohol is a prominent part of the new Scottish Licensing act (2005). In particular it is hoped that improved training will assist in reducing problems such as under-age drinking, drink-driving, binge drinking and alcohol-related crime and disorder. Alcohol Focus Scotland won tenders to develop Responsible Service of Alcohol Guides for International Center for Alcohol Policies and the European Forum for Responsible Drinking.

Affiliations

• Scottish Ministerial Advisory Committee on Alcohol Problems
• Scottish Drugs Forum

People

• Jack Law
• Barbara O'Donnell