Alcohol is a drug too

The misuse of alcohol is one of the most significant public health issues facing Australia. At $A15.3 billion per annum, the financial toll on the community is certainly high, but so are the social costs. An increasing number of deaths, mental health issues and diseases are being linked to alcohol. Most frightening of all, says David Templeman, is the blasé attitude people have towards excessive drinking.

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‘Drinking yourself legless’ or ‘going on a blinder’ is considered a rite of passage for young people in Australia, many of whom do not out-grow this phase. Instead, they adopt it as a weekly practice in their adult lives.

The Alcohol and other Drugs Council of Australia (ADCA) is tackling this issue head on, adopting the theme Alcohol is a Drug – Too! highlighting the serious nature of what is a national problem.

This theme hits at the heart of the problem; that many Australians don’t take seriously the harm caused by alcohol.

There was a strong community and industry reaction to the recently released Australian Alcohol Draft Guidelines for Low Risk Drinking 2008. The new standards proposed by the National Health and Medical Research Council set the limit of two standard drinks or less in any one day for men and women as being low-risk in terms of immediate or long-term harm. The same guidelines recommend children under 15 do not drink at all, and that women who are pregnant, planning a pregnancy or breastfeeding also refrain from any alcohol.

These recommendations are based on the most recent scientific research available, giving Australians the evidence they need to make informed choices about drinking and providing information on the risks of alcoholrelated accidents, injury, illnesses and disease.

The recommendations have startled many, who feel the guidelines might be too strict and not a true reflection of safe drinking levels.

But until we start to be shocked about the effect alcohol is having on our communities, we will not make the changes needed to reverse those negative impacts. Each of us has a responsibility to examine our drinking habits. How long is it since you questioned whether you drink too much? We all justify our habits, but here’s a way of putting yourself to the test. Log on and complete the Odyssey House Alcohol Insights survey (www.odysseyhouse.com.au/site/more/alcohol_insights) and let the results speak for themselves. You might be surprised.

If your personal drinking levels are safe, then consider these startling statistics for Australia:

• Nearly 80 percent of all presentations in hospital emergency departments on Friday and Saturday nights involve alcohol as a contributing factor – whether it be assault, domestic violence, road trauma or an accident.

• Annually, some 7.5 million working days are lost due to alcohol – impacting the economy with a $A15.3 billion loss.

• Every year, there are around 3,000 alcohol-related deaths, and 10,000 people require major ongoing treatment for alcohol-related harm.

Earlier this year, ADCA coordinated a week of community activities across Australia to focus on the need for change. In June, Drug Action Week involved some 630 events in every state and territory aimed at changing attitudes towards the consumption of alcohol at a grassroots level.

The community response was strong, and this has been attributed to an awakening to the need to change our national pastime of binge drinking.

The Australian government has also responded to the challenge. This year, it announced a $A53 million dollar National Binge Drinking Strategy and conducted several inquiries into the sale, branding and marketing of alcohol.

ADCA looks forward to a continued strong response from Government and other community groups in order to achieve real long-term change across the generations in Australia.

• David Templeman is Chief Executive of the Alcohol and other Drugs Council of Australia, www.adca.org.au.