But just how do we tackle it? Well, unfortunately, there is no easy answer, no one solution. It requires a range of measures and, sadly, few seem to be working, judging by the continuing levels of alcoholism and the drink-fuelled incidents that lead to court appearances week in, week out.

The Scottish Government is trying to be radical. It mooted the idea of no-one under the age of 21 being able to buy alcohol in off-licences, but then the Government also wants to lower the voting age to 16, and when young folk can get married at 16 and drive at 17, that seemed plain daft.

Tackling the cheapness of booze such as ciders, wines and lagers, in supermarkets in particular, seems like a more sensible move. That these can be "cheaper than water" does appear a nonsense.

But that such a move could impact on the whisky industry, possible threatening jobs in Moray from a hit on sales at home and abroad, is a cause for concern.

We are concerned about the effects of binge drinking and alcoholism, but we should also be concerned about any risks to jobs in an area where distilling is a vital source of employment and contributes massively to the local economy?

Will minimum pricing really provide the answer? Will it deter people intent of getting boozed up quickly while penalising the people who enjoy a dram at their leisure?

Money is poured into initiatives aimed at "educating" the young on the dangers of drinking to excess, but in many cases the lessons are not being learned. It's not only the young who need educating; we all do.

The best lessons are the behaviours of others, of so-called grown-ups. That is all part of the culture change that Scotland requires to turn around its misuse of alcohol.

This culture change is not achieved easily, as we have seen. The education, of all age groups, must continue, but more has to be done to deal with those who have lost control of themselves to alcohol, who end up in court and in prison, whose relationships have broken down, who have lost their jobs and often their self-respect.

Are we doing enough to try to get people back on the straight and narrow? Are enough resources being put into programmes which work towards this end?

More radical measures are certainly required in that direction.

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