People drink alcohol for various reasons – socially, to relax or sometimes just to get through the day. Problem Drinking explores the issues around alcohol dependency and abuse and considers their implications for health and society.
The information comes from a wide range of sources and includes government reports and statistics, newspaper reports, features, magazine articles and surveys, literature from lobby groups and charitable organisations.
Alcohol Trends
Alcohol, Alcohol myths and facts, Cutting teen drinking, Alcohol use internationally, Factors affecting drink, Clever girls are more likely to binge drink, Drinking, The mid-life bingers, Drinking: adults’ behaviour and knowledge in 2006, Binge drinking addicts, Binge drinking, Young people’s drinking, Does TV encourage teenage drinking?, Children and alcohol, Alcohol and adolescence, How dangerous is alcohol? , Crime and licensing hours, Drink-driving.
Facing Alcohol Abuse
Frequently asked questions about alcohol, Questions and answers on responsible drinking, Tackling underage drinking, Raise drinking age to 21, says think tank, Responsible drinking tips, Wine lovers targeted to cut binge drinking, Alcohol health warnings, Government health warnings for alcoholic drinks, Drinking during pregnancy, Safe drinking confusion, Overcoming a drink problem, Alcohol misuse, The bigger picture, Alcohol misuse – treatment, Battling the booze, AA meetings.
Key Facts
Glossary
Index
Additional Resources
Acknowledgements
Key Facts
• Most wines are produced with an ABV of around 10-13% in a standard 750ml bottle containing 7-10 units of alcohol. Wines from hotter climates such as Italian and Californian wines tend to be stronger at 12 to 13% ABV while those from cooler climates such as Germany are usually 8 to 10%. (page 1)
• The manufacture, sale, distribution and purchase of alcohol is mainly controlled by the 1964 Licensing Act. (page 2)
• There are different licences governing the sale of alcohol. Full ‘on licenses’ are granted to pubs and clubs and mean alcohol can be drunk on the premises. ‘Off licenses’ are granted to off- licenses, shops and supermarkets where alcohol cannot be consumed on the premises. ‘Restaurant licenses’ permit the sale of alcohol and consumption on the premises if accompanied by a meal. Licensing laws also restrict the times at which alcohol can be sold and consumed. (page 2)
• Alcohol is absorbed into the blood-stream and starts to have an effect within 5 to 10 minutes. The effect can last for several hours, depending on the amount consumed. (page 3)
• Teenagers who drink alcohol with their parents are less likely to binge drink, according to a survey of 10,000 children which backs the continental style of introducing teenagers to small amounts of alcohol early. (page 5)
• Globally, alcohol consumption has increased in recent decades, with all or most of that increase in developing countries. (page 6)
• Alcohol is estimated to cause about 20-30% worldwide of oesophageal cancer, liver cancer, cirrhosis of the liver, homicide, epilepsy, and motor vehicle accidents. (page 6)
• The belief that one glass of wine equals one unit is only true when that glass contains 125ml and the wine is around 8 per cent ABV (alcohol by volume). Today, many wines are 12 or 13 per cent ABV, and most standard wine glasses contain 175ml – 2.3 units – and larger wine glasses contain 250ml, which is equal to 3 units. (page 10)
• Fifty eight per cent of those who had drunk beer in the last year knew that a unit of beer is half a pint but one in five (20 per cent) gave an amount that was wrong. (page 11)
• 18.2% of adults binge drink more than double the daily recommended limit at least once a week. (page 13)
• UK teenagers report some of the highest levels of life-time drunkenness – 27% report having been drunk 20 times or more in their life time. In addition 36% report being drunk at age of 13 years. (page 15)
• Young people are thought to be particularly susceptible to drinks advertising. Studies show that the more appreciative they are of advertising, the more likely they are to drink now and in the future. (page 17)
• The amount of alcohol consumed by girls aged between 11-13 has increased by 82.6% between 2000-2006, while for boys the number has gone up by 43.4% during the same period. (page 20)
• 62% of people surveyed by YouGov felt that tobacco and alcohol, even if they remain legal, should be classified according to how much harm they can cause in the same way as illegal drugs. (page 22)
• Serious violence-related injuries fell by 2% in England and Wales last year, despite the change in pub opening hours, according to a new Cardiff University study. (page 23)
• According to a survey of 1,000 drivers by Brake, the road safety charity, half of drivers admit to drink-driving (after drinking any amount of alcohol at least once in the last twelve months), and one in four drivers admit to driving after drinking an amount of alcohol they know is affecting their driving. (page 24)
• Most men are OK drinking 3 to 4 units a day, most women for 2 to 3. But if men consistently drink 4 or more units a day, the health risks start to accumulate. The same goes for women who consistently drink 3 or more units a day. (page 26)
• A woman drinking the same amount as a man of exactly the same size will get intoxicated faster because she has a lower proportion of water in her body weight. (page 27)
• Almost eight out of ten Europeans (77%) agree with putting warnings on alcohol bottles and adverts in order to warn pregnant women and drivers of the dangers of drinking alcohol. (page 31)
• A survey published in the British Medical Journal found that most shoppers don’t know the recommended daily alcohol limit and many don’t use alcohol labelling to help monitor their drinking. (page 34)
Problem Drinking Study Guide
Each book in the Issues series has a study guide. These four-page guides provide a variety of discussion points and other activities to suit a wide range of ability levels and interests.
Publisher: Independence Educational Publishers
Price: £1.50
ISBN: 978 1 86168 428 8
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