A minimum price for alcohol has been proposed by the Scottish Government as part of a range of radical measures to fight the country's binge drinking culture.

Other proposals include raising the minimum age for buying drink in supermarkets and off-licence to 21 and banning cheap alcohol promotions.

Alcohol-only checkouts could also be introduced in larger off-sales premises, to reinforce the view that alcohol, like cigarettes, are a "special case" and a "social responsibility fee" could be charged to some alcohol retailers, to help pay for the consequences of alcohol misuse.

The proposals were set out in a consultation document which aims to tackle a problem estimated to cost Scotland £2.25 billion a year.

Scottish Health secretary Nicola Sturgeon said the Scottish Government was "determined" to tackle alcohol misuse.

The proposals come at the same time as a Home Office launch of a series of binge-drinking ads which show a man deliberately injuring himself and a woman smearing vomit in her hair.

The ads are designed to show the consequences of drinking too much, and ask: "You wouldn't start a night like this, so why end it that way?"

Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said: "I am not prepared to tolerate alcohol-fuelled crime and disorder on our streets and this new campaign will challenge people to think twice about the serious consequences of losing control.

"Binge drinking is not only damaging to health but it makes individuals vulnerable to harm."

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