New figures show alcohol-related deaths in Scotland decline overall, but disparities between socioeconomic groups are growing. The Herald Scotland reports alcohol deaths are down 3%, while The Daily Record highlights widening health inequality, linking higher alcohol death rates to more deprived areas.

Both outlets describe the trend as involving differences by wealth and geography. The Daily Record says deaths from alcohol are higher than the national average in several local authority areas, including Glasgow, Inverclyde, North Lanarkshire, West Dunbartonshire, Dundee and Renfrewshire. The Herald Scotland focuses on the same underlying pattern from a national perspective, stating that while the total number of alcohol deaths decreases, the gap between the richest and poorest increases.