Alcohol

Most people enjoy a drink, and one or two units of alcohol a day can have a moderate protective effect against heart disease for men over 40 and post-menopausal women. However alcohol misuse by some people is causing two major, though largely distinct problems. On the one hand there is the crime and anti-social behaviour in town and city centres, and on the other hand the health problems caused by binge- and chronic drinking.

Everyone needs to understand about alcohol, and make their own informed decisions. Currently around a quarter of the UK population drink more than the weekly recommended guidelines, and this can affect their health. There comes a point in most people's lives when they need to take stock of their relationship with alcohol before it affects their life.

So what are the sensible drinking guidelines? The Government's official guidelines have subtly changed over the years from a straight figure of a number of units per week, to a daily guide, as binge drinking was recognised to be an increasing problem.

The old guidelines -

• Up to 21 units a week for men
• Up to 14 units a week for women

The new guidelines -

• Maximum of 3-4 units a day for men
• Maximum of 2-3 units a day for women
• 2 alcohol free days after heavy drinking
• Continued consumption at the upper level is not advised

So what is a unit? Well actually it is 10ml of pure alcohol, but we have to work out for ourselves how much drink this 10ml is hidden in, and here are the usual guidelines -

• 1/2 pint of 3.5% beer, lager or cider
• 1 small (125ml) glass of 9% wine
• 1 (25ml) pub measure of 40% spirit

1 in 5 people who drink will have a major alcohol problem in their life

The trouble is these are old measures of weaker drinks because -

• Many bottled beers are 4-5%, continental lagers are closer to 5%, while extra strong lagers can be up to 9%
• Who uses small wine glasses now? Certainly not pubs, and probably not at home either. Plus most wines are now 11-13%
• Many pubs now serve 35ml measures of spirits as standard, and some pubs serve doubles unless you specially ask for a single measure
• A 330ml bottle of alcopop at 5% is 1.7 units

So we are all drinking more than we think, because we don't convert the old guidelines into the real life drinks we're drinking now.

Alcohol is a drug of addiction that has become a part of modern western society. It is socially acceptable, widely available and cheap.

The fact that 90% of people drink does not make drinking a good idea. If it was discovered today it would be banned as too dangerous and too addictive to use.

Alcohol is the number one cause of unhappiness in our society

More people are drinking now, and each person is drinking more and starting to drink at an earlier age. Excessive drinking is taking its toll on health, and it is now recognised that alcohol is just as big a health problem as either smoking or having high blood pressure.

So 80% of drinkers are normal happy drinkers. Unfortunately alcohol is an addictive drug, and like all drugs of addiction your body gets used to the effect. So gradually, over time, we all tend to drink a bit more. This gradual process can turn any moderate drinker into an alcoholic over time. It is a slippery slope that anyone can slide down without realising it.

Alcohol is involved in the UK in -

• half of all violent crimes
• a third of domestic violence
• up to 22,000 early deaths each year
• at peak times up to 70% of accident & emergency cases
• up to 1,000 suicides
• many accidents
• many family breakups from partners and children

Alcohol is the number one cause of unhappiness in our society, and alcohol misuse has become entrenched in modern day living. Alcohol affects the lives of those who drink, and those around them. For most people this is not a problem, but for one drinker in five, their life reaches rock bottom, hurting them and their family and friends. There are two types of problem drinking, binge-drinking and chronic drinking.

Binge-drinkers tend to be the under 25's who drink to get drunk. They are more likely to be men, but women are catching up rapidly over the last ten years. Binge-drinkers are at particular risk of accidents, alcohol poisoning, violence and sexual assaults. These are the people who make city centres unpleasant places to be on a Saturday night, and often end up in A&E.

Chronic drinkers are more likely to be over 30, and around two thirds are men. These are the daily drinkers and are more likely to suffer from the long term effects of alcohol such as cirrhosis of the liver (which has almost doubled in the last 10 years), cancer, stroke, premature death and suicide. They are also more likely to be involved in domestic violence and drink-driving.

The British are the 'worst drinkers in Europe'. This is not a reputation to envy. But why? Is it a sign of a society that is becoming dysfunctional? The reputation of the British is associated with being Europe's violent drunk, both at home, and especially abroad. This is not a good reputation to have. Drinking on the continent is used to enhance experiences like meals and meeting friends, but in the UK alcohol itself seems to be the centre of attention.

Some people are at special risk, such as pregnant women causing harm to their unborn child, and people doing dangerous jobs, and it is recommended that they do not drink.

Drinkaware web site - http://www.drinkaware.co.uk/