Scotland's new drug and alcohol policy minister, Christina McKelvey, said protecting children will be at the heart of the Scottish Government's proposed changes to the sale of alcohol.
The newly appointed minister gave his first interview in the role to the Herald as part of a new five-day series examining Scotland's relationship with alcohol.
This series examines Scotland's thriving alcohol industry and its value to both the economy and often rural communities as employers and producers of one of its biggest exports.
It will also examine changing attitudes, generational rifts, the impact of alcohol abuse and the proposals being advanced by the Scottish Government and campaigners to tackle alcohol abuse.
Achieving such a breakthrough while protecting Scotland's alcohol industry is proving difficult, with Scotland looking forward to proposals for new marketing laws after the deposit return scheme stalled.
McKelvey told the Herald: “We're not quite ready yet in some of the more detailed areas, but I think the main purpose is going to be to protect children.”
The minister also spoke of progress and “partnerships and collaboration”, and will introduce “more connected ways of working”, building on the practices of his predecessors Angela Constance and Elena Witham. .
“I came to this area with that good foundation,” she said.
“What I want to do with this is obviously make the kind of progress that people want in terms of changing attitudes in Scotland.
“Alcohol abuse tends to be a symptom of other things, such as poverty, inequality and domestic violence.
“We’re breaking that cycle and giving people choices and options to get the support they need, when they need it, and in the way they need it.”
Read the full interview here and follow this week's Herald series 'Scotland and Alcohol'. Additional content, video and data is available online at heraldscotland.com and on our social channels.
