Alcohol
Contact drugsandstuff.co.uk if you'd like to have alcohol training. We offer various Alcohol training courses, e.g. aimed at managers, parents, carers, social workers, human resources staff. We can devise specific training courses to meet local needs. We can help with your 'Alcohol Ready Reckoner'.
Slang
Booze, sherbets, bevies, wide variety of brand names.
Description
A depressant. Drinks consist of water and ethanol, produced by the fermentation of fruits, vegetables or grains. The strength of alcoholic drinks is shown on the label by a number followed by 'Alcohol % vol', or '% ABV', (Alcohol By Volume). The higher the percentage, the stronger the drink. Units are also used to compare the amount of alcohol in different drinks.
A unit is equivalent to 8 grams or 10 ml of pure alcohol. And one unit is equivalent to half a pint of ordinary beer or lager, a small glass of wine or a single pub measure of spirits (25ml). In moderation, alcohol can be beneficial. For example, after the menopause there is evidence that drinking one or two units a day can protect against the risk of coronary heart disease. And for men aged 40 and over there is evidence that drinking one or two units a day can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
The NHS recommends that men should not regularly drink more than 3-4 units of alcohol daily and women should not regularly drink more than 2-3 units daily.
Possible short-term indicators
- Users can feel more relaxed, cheerful and less anxious.
- Users can become less inhibited, more talkative.
- As more is consumed they lose their self-control and reactions, judgment, co-ordination, and ability to reason are all impaired.
- Speech becomes slurred and vision becomes blurred, and the chance of accidents increases sharply.
- Eventually users can pass out and run the risk of choking if they vomit.
- Users may have the smell of alcohol on the breath.
- During a hangover a user may experience headaches, irritability, tiredness, lethargy. Some people will have more intense hangovers than others.
Possible longer-term indicators
- In large or prolonged use: increased risk of strokes, liver disease, high blood pressure, infertility, diseases of the nervous system.
- Approximately 40,000 UK deaths per year are directly related to alcohol. Many more deaths are associated with alcohol related accidents.
- Moderate drinking (i.e. 2-3 units or so a day) for those over the age of 40 seems to reduce the chance of a heart attack.
For information about family alcohol problems, click here
Harm reduction
- Limit daily intake to 4 units for adult men and 3 units for adult women.
- Don't use alcohol and other drugs together.
- Don't drink excessively at any one time.
- Know your limit and stick to it.
- Don't drink and drive, or use machinery whilst under the influence.
Tot up your units
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Unfortunately you can't just count each drink as a unit of alcohol. The number of units depends on the different strength and size of each drink, so it can vary a lot. The units calculator supplied by the NHS helps you plan a night out, or help you work out how much you drink. It's simple to use: just click on your drink, choose a strength and volume then calculate the units. You can calculate and add up the units of multiple drinks. |
Downloadable alcohol tracker
The alcohol tracker, free from the NHS, will calculate alcohol units, keep a personal drinks diary on your desktop and provide feedback on your drinking over time. nhs.uk
CAGE questionnaire
Alcohol can be a useful form of social lubrication and there is some evidence that a glass of red wine every now and then can help protect against coronary heart disease, but for some people this glass or shot or bottle of beer becomes something that they can't get through the day without. The CAGE questionnaire can help work out if your alcohol use is concerning. If you answer yes to a few of these it might be worth having a chat with a professional, or exploring alcohol concern's website (www.alcoholconcern.org.uk for more information.
C - Have you ever thought you should CUT DOWN on your drinking?
A - Have you ever felt ANNOYED by others' criticism of your drinking?
G - Have you ever felt GUILTY about your drinking?
E - Do you have a morning EYE OPENER?
Consequences of binge drinking video aimed at young people
| A series of adverts warning 18- to 24-year-olds about the consequences of binge-drinking has recently been launched by the Home Office. One shows a young man ripping out his earring, smashing a wardrobe door in his face, urinating on his shoes and pouring a takeaway meal down his shirt while getting ready to go out. Click on the video to play. |
Legal status
Alcohol cannot be sold without a licence. It is against the law:
- to give alcohol to a child under five (except in a medical emergency)
- to be drunk in charge of a child under seven in a public place or on licensed premises
- to sell alcohol to someone under 18, anywhere
- for an adult to buy or attempt to buy alcohol on behalf of someone under 18
- for someone under 18 to buy alcohol, attempt to buy alcohol or to be sold alcohol in any circumstances (unless acting at the request of the police or a weights and measures inspector)
- for someone under 18 to drink alcohol in licensed premises, with one exception – 16 and 17 year olds accompanied by an adult can drink but not buy beer, wine and cider with a table meal
- for an adult to buy alcohol for a person under 18 for consumption on licensed premises, except as above.
A fuller explanation of alcohol and the law can be downloaded from the Institute of Alcohol Studies