Research carried out in several countries has shown that drinking in moderation can be beneficial.
Alcohol can also help relieve stress and promote appetite and sleep, especially among the elderly.
At the same time the Scotch Whisky industry recognises that misuse of alcohol can not only damage health in a number of ways, but may cause domestic and financial problems. The prevalence of alcohol related problems varies from country to country. In Britain the incidence of drunkenness, alcohol related illnesses and drunk driving is amongst the lowest in the world and official figures indicate that less than 2 per cent of those who drink alcoholic beverages have a drinking problem. The Scotch Whisky industry believes that the best way of preventing the misuse of alcohol is by education in sensible and moderate drinking and that this education should start at an early age. Attempts to reduce alcohol related problems by imposing massive taxes on drink or introducing restrictions on its sale and availability only penalise the great majority who drink sensibly, without reaching the problem drinker.