THE number of alcohol-related deaths in West Dunbartonshire has fallen to its lowest level since 1998 – but campaigners say they’re finding it hard to reconcile statistics with the day-to-day reality.

Research by the National Records of Scotland showed that 18 people in the area died from alcohol-specific incidents in 2019, compared to 34 in 2018.

The study also revealed that nation-wide, alcohol-specific deaths have decreased by 10 per cent, from 1,136 in 2018 to 1,020 in 2019.

Mags MacKenzie, chief executive of Dumbarton Area Council on Alcohol (DACA), said: “It is always reassuring to see any reduction in alcohol related mortality statistics, and I hope the Scottish Government policies such as minimum unit pricing will help support an ongoing downward trend.

“However, there’s no room for complacency. Alcohol still remains a significant risk factor in many life-limiting health conditions, such as cancers, heart disease and liver disease.

“At DACA, we see the harms of alcohol first-hand every day, not in the form of statistics on a spreadsheet but in the lives of the people we support.

“And this has been a particularly hard year for many. We’ve been busier than ever, and sadly we have lost some members of our community to premature death.

“So it’s hard to reconcile the statistics published with the reality that people experience on a day-to-day basis. And whilst mortality in an important indicator in understanding the impact of alcohol on our communities, it’s not the only thing we should pay note to.

“Chronic ill health and morbidity rates are often connected to alcohol use, and too many people are living with a raft of disabilities and incapacities at least in part because of drinking.”

There was also an 8.5 per cent increase in accidental deaths in 2019, with 2,726 being recorded – most of them due to accidental poisoning or falls.

Additionally, the death rate for individuals living in Scotland’s most deprived areas is 1.9 times higher than that of those who live in the least deprived areas.

Pete Whitehouse, director of statistical services at the NRS, said: “Since our records began in 1979, there have only been three other occasions where we have seen a reduction in the number of alcohol-specific deaths of around 10 per cent or more in a single year.

“However, although an annual decrease of this magnitude is notable, further data will be required to see if this reduction continues and whether we will see a sustained shift in alcohol-specific deaths in Scotland.”