A study into minimum pricing claims a rise in the cost of drink is linked to a fall in alcohol-related deaths.
Canadian academic research has been hailed by alcohol awareness campaigners and the SNP, but industry bodies questioned the statistical basis of the research.
The study found that a rise in alcohol prices of 10% led to “immediate, substantial and significant reductions” in alcohol-related deaths of 32%.
The report quotes Dr Tim Stockwell, director of the University of Victoria’s Centre for Addictions Research of British Columbia, and was carried out between 2002 and 2009.
Dr Stockwell said: “This study adds to the scientific evidence that despite popular opinion to the contrary even the heaviest drinkers reduce their consumption when minimum alcohol prices increase.”
The Scottish Parliament last year passed legislation to introduce a minimum price per unit of alcohol of 50p.
Dr Evelyn Gillan, chief executive of Alcohol Focus Scotland, said: “This is important evidence, which shows that minimum pricing is saving lives in Canada and will save lives in Scotland.”
The Scotch Whisky Association said the experience of Canada, where there is no minimum unit pricing, was different to that in Scotland.
“The claims made by the Canadian researchers are not supported by official data from Statistics Canada, which show alcohol-related deaths in British Columbia rising by 9% in the period, not falling as claimed,” it said.
SNP MSP Bob Doris, deputy convener of the health and sport committee, said: “Scotland’s damaging relationship with alcohol costs all of us billions of pounds every year, not least in hospital and policing costs, but also carries a horrendous human cost for the families of everyone who has lost a loved one to an alcohol related death.
“The evidence in favour of this policy simply cannot be ignored when it will save significant numbers of lives and ease the financial pressures on households across the country. We must all put public health before private profit.
“Nobody has ever claimed that minimum pricing is a silver bullet for all of Scotland’s alcohol related woes, but it is an important tool that this country needs and today’s study adds significant weight to the case for introducing it.”