The latest weapon against alcohol - milk cartons with booze safety tips!

London, Oct 19 : Millions of milk cartons are to carry booze safety tips for the first time as part of the fight to cut down Scotland's high level of alcohol intake.

Asda is to print alcohol warnings on more than three million milk cartons in Scotland during the Christmas and Hogmanay party season to get the safety message into homes, schools, offices and other workplaces where it would not normally be seen.

The messages on the milk cartons will urge drinkers to drink alcohol responsibly and know their limit while trying to ensure that nights out in bars and clubs and at parties end safely.

The idea is part of the campaign by supermarkets to show they are acting responsibly in the wake of criticism that they are adding to the country's binge-drinking problem by selling cheap alcohol.

The Scottish Government has put forward proposals for minimum prices, banning under 21s from buying alcohol and setting up alcohol-only check-outs.

However, supermarket bosses have argued that education rather than restrictions is a better way of controlling excessive drinking.

"Our argument is that the vast majority of our customers do act responsibly in terms of alcohol consumption and so why should they pay more and why should they have to queue twice," the Scotsman quoted an Asda spokesman, as saying.

"We think it is better to educate people about responsible drinking. Milk is a great product to get this type of information to people as 99 percent of homes have a carton in their fridge and will be tempted to read it over a bowl of cereal or a cup a tea," he added.

ANI