> I note this policy is being mooted UK wide - good.

To moot is to argue, but then your next statement seems to suggest you want the policy to be rolled out across the UK? Are you for or against rolling this policy out across the UK?

I currently live in New Zealand where alcohol is relatively expensive and it has a massive drinking problem for young persons. When I go back to the UK, the problem is about the same, but the young people aren't going broke buying alcohol. I don't think it works. Increasing the price of Tobacco didn't do much to stop smoking, but vaping and preventing smoking in public areas did. Changing social attitudes to smoking is fundamentally what reduced it.

Personally, I think it's better to use the carrot and not the stick. It shouldn't be the responsibility of the state to raise people's children correctly.

I think this works in my experience. As a child, my parents would let me have a small drink with a meal. As I grew up I never felt the need to drink to excess, I knew how alcohol worked. My sibling had the same experience and doesn't drink. My younger sibling still, was prevented from drinking anything and then went crazy when they legally could.

"mooted" here means "considered". The authorities are considering extending this policy from Scotland to the whole of the UK. brianmcc is in favour of this.

> Increasing the price of Tobacco didn't do much to stop smoking

This is factually false.

IIRC, it depends on your study period. Increasing the price of tobacco has been found to have diminishing effects. It was very effective when they first started doing it, but now the price is so high in some countries that price-sensitive smokers have already stopped and further increases do little.

Agree with you on using a carrot. Iceland dealt with its youth drinking problem very effectively by building youth centres and sports/activities programs.

Our country has been starved of resources for young people since the short sighted 80s idea to sell off school sports facilities.

By comparison the community facilities in Iceland are wonderful.

I'm surprised that Iceland had a youth drinking problem though. Not that kids everywhere don't find ways to rebel but alcohol seemed very expensive when I was last there. Far in excess of the minimum prices alcohol in Scotland.

I'm meaning "the policy is being considered" as others mention.

Yeah I'm generally for it, but along with the wealth of consultation materials it's recognised as not being a panacea, it's a factor to help a country with a serious recognised problem.

It could be overdone - I'm not in favour of prohibitive pricing across the board - but it feels a sensible pragmatic starting point to me.

I'm going to propose that your having a drink when you were a child and "knowing how alcohol worked" has absolutely nothing to do with your lack of a drinking problem..

mooted also means suggested.