Title:

Responsible Drinking

Publish Date:

September 2010

ISBN:

978 1 86168 555 1

Covering Ages:

16 to 18 years

Issue Description

Many people enjoy an occasional drink with friends, but the excesses of so-called ‘binge drinking’ are often brought to our attention by the media, particularly in connection with young people. And although figures show that the number of young people who do not drink is growing, among those who do drink there has been an increase in consumption. Are young people the only culprits? What are the health risks? This book also covers topics such as the licensing laws, alcohol addiction and alcohol-related crime.

The information comes from a wide range of sources and includes government reports and statistics, newspaper articles, features, magazine articles and surveys, literature from lobby groups and charitable organisations.

Price:

£7.95

Quantity:

Key Facts

• Overall, the proportion of young people who do not drink is increasing. However, among those who do drink, there seems to have been an increase in alcohol consumption. (page 1)
  
  
• In 2008, 42% of pupils had obtained alcohol in the last four weeks, most commonly by being given it by friends (24%) or parents (22%) or asking someone else to buy it (18%). (page 3)
  
  
• Alcohol-related reasons and excuses are responsible for roughly 14 million lost working days in the UK every year. (page 7)
  
  
• For men, the recommended limit of alcohol is 21 units a week (3-4 units a day), and for women the recommended limit is 14 units (2-3 units a day). A unit of alcohol is equal to about half a pint of normal strength lager, a small glass of wine, or a pub measure (25 ml) of spirits. (page 8)
  
  
• More than nine million people in England drink more than the recommended daily amount. More than 9,000 people in the UK die from alcohol-related causes each year. About 20% of these deaths are from cancer, 15% from cardiovascular illnesses, such as heart disease and stroke, and 13% are from liver disease. (page 17)
  
  
• During 2007-08, over 30,000 people in England were admitted to hospital with alcohol poisoning – 500 a week – mostly as a result of binge drinking. (page 22)
  
  
• Out of 1,000 adults, 47 are likely to be dependent on alcohol – double the amount of people who are dependent on illegal drugs. (page 28)
  
  
• Young people are not the worst offenders for excessive drinking, with those aged 35-44 the most likely to drink too much. (page 30)

return to top of page

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Drinking Trends

Young people and alcohol, Your guide to alcohol units and measures, Effects of alcohol on your health, Alcohol facts and trivia, Drink spiking, Being teetotal, Alcohol deaths, Alcohol and sensible drinking, ‘Social drinking’: the hidden risks, Effects of alcohol, Young people and alcohol – what are the risks? The 24-hour drinking laws, Bars with 24-hour drinking face ‘law and order’ levy.

Chapter 2 Problem Drinking

Binge drinking, Affluent teenagers drink more, study shows, Thousands of children drinking seven pints a week, Fewer kids drinking – but don’t hold the front page, Pain and anger are the hidden burden for children with an alcoholic parent, Crime and disorder, Priory research highlights alcohol problem, Drink driving, Half of children see parents drunk, Cutting drink-drive limit could save lives, NICE study finds, GPs to quiz NHS patients over alcohol intake, Knowledge of drinking guidelines does not equal sensible drinking, The real cost of alcohol, NICE recommends action to reduce alcohol-related harm, Alcohol advertising.

Key Facts

Glossary

Index

Additional Resources

Acknowledgements

return to top of page

The Study Guide for: Responsible Drinking - Volume 194

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: £1.95
ISBN: ISBN: 978 1 86168 565 0

return to top of page