Diolch, Llywydd. I move the amendment tabled in the name of my colleague Darren Millar.

I'm extremely grateful for Plaid Cymru bringing forward this important debate on a pressing issue that we all face here in Wales. The last contribution was very powerful and I thank you for that contribution. This debate on alcohol-related deaths highlights the number of alcohol-related deaths in Wales. It is at its highest level for 20 years, with a 19 per cent increase from 2019 and the pandemic only made things worse. It is simply not good enough. Too many people are losing their lives unnecessarily due to alcohol abuse. 

Cases of alcohol dependency in Wales disproportionately affect those from poorer communities, and the Welsh Government, along with the UK Government, must do more to help those people in our poorer communities, and provide a stronger commitment, enhanced resources and measurable targets to combat alcohol-related harm here in Wales. I'm deeply concerned by the figures from the patient episode database from 2019-20, which showed that there were nearly 14,749 hospital admissions with an alcohol-specific condition. This is an absolutely staggering figure that should shock everybody in this Chamber, and it just shows how much alcohol abuse is putting pressure on our NHS at a time when it can take no more. 

Furthermore, it is estimated that alcohol is a factor in nearly 49 per cent of all violent crimes in Wales, compared with 39 per cent in England, and that 18 per cent of Welsh adults reported drinking over the weekly guidelines. Having a couple of glasses of wine may be okay, but for some people, it's not enough. Some people cannot handle their alcohol, and this feeds into domestic violence cases and extreme violence cases on our streets. If we can get underneath this, we can start to tackle the wider problems in our society.

When we're aware of an issue like this, and we have the tools and the means to address the challenges people face, we have a duty to act wherever possible, and we must work together. I am fully aware of the Welsh Government's substance misuse delivery plan. We've discussed this in this Chamber before, but we must go further on that to really help people who are dependent on alcohol.

I don't wish to add much more because I think the opener of this debate has made such a great contribution. We on the Welsh Conservative benches will be supporting the Plaid Cymru motion this afternoon, because I think a progressive, forward thinking, collaborative approach to addressing substance misuse is needed. People lose too many loved ones far too soon, and I would urge all colleagues right across this Chamber, even Government members, to support this motion today to make sure we don't lose anybody before their time. Diolch, Llywydd.