Alcohol, Do you know the facts?
Alcohol is widely used by a majority of people for social pleasure without harm to themselves or others, and is an important element in society and the economy. However, for a significant minority of people excess drinking becomes a problem causing harm to themselves, to others including drink driving , domestic violence, and anti social behaviour. One third of victims of physical domestic violence assaults say that their attacker had been drinking.
City centre evening life (the ‘night time economy’) has grown over the last 10 years but can bring with it alcohol-related violence and disorder. Particularly evident – especially among young people – is a culture of going out to get drunk. There is also concern about under age drinking: British teenagers are some of the heaviest drinkers in Europe. Current national safety campaigns are attempting to highlight the part drink plays in risk taking.
The government’s Alcohol
Harm Reduction Strategy for England, published in 2004, sets out four key areas
of focus to reduce alcohol harms:
• Better education and communication
• Improving early identification and treatment
• Combating alcohol-related crime and disorder
• Working with the alcohol industry
Locally, Exeter Community Safety Strategy has alcohol and alcohol related crime as one of its six themes. It addresses three key aspects of alcohol-related crime and disorder in the city, identified through public and stakeholder consultation: city centre disorder, under-age drinking, and street drinkers. It does this through multiagency initiatives involving policing, door staff, transport, youth services and alternative venues for young people, family support and education, and accommodation for street drinkers.
Key Messages
FAQs
Is there such a thing as a healthy amount to drink?
Currently about 30% of men and 15% of women drink more than the recommended
weekly amounts without it causing problems at present. The maximum recommended
alcohol intake is 21 units per week for men and 14 units for women, with drink
free days and a maximum of 3-4 daily units for men and 2-3 for women.
My mate reckons
that he can drink eight pints without having a hangover the next day, is this
possible?
It could be if he is young and in good health, but that won’t last forever.
Or he could be building up tolerance to alcohol because he is drinking regularly.
If you can , try and have a casual chat and see which is the likely reason.
Sometimes I know I do drink too much but not all the time. When do you know
you have a problem, what should I be looking for?
One of the main issues is that the person sees no problem at all with their
drinking, whether at the time they are drinking or not. Another sign that there
probably is something going on is when someone finds it hard not to drink, even
when its not appropriate.
Sources of advice
and information
If you feel you need to cut down your drinking, advice and guidance is available
from your GP or other health professional. A smaller number of people have problems
and/or dependence from excessive drinking. If you feel your drinking is causing
a problem to you or to others, help and counselling/treatment is available,
again through your GP or other health professional. Locally this is provided
by Addaction and ENDAS.
Alcohol Concern: 020 7928 7377 Website www.alcoholconcern.org.uk
Drinkline:
0800 917 8282 Website: www.wrecked.co.uk
National helpline open from 9am to 11pm, Monday to Friday and 6pm to 11pm on
Saturday to Sunday. Website
Alcoholics Anonymous:
0845 7697 555 Website www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk
AA runs self help groups for people who are giving up alcohol because they have
a drink problem.
Al-Anon Family Groups:
020 7403 0888 Website www.al-anonuk.org.uk
Al-Anon provides self help sessions for people whose lives are affected by someone
else’s drinking.
Addaction:
01392 211 912 Website www.addaction.org.uk
Addaction is a leading UK charity working solely in the field of drug and alcohol
treatment.