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  • Alcohol Campaign Warns Youth to Avoid Drinking

    A new alcohol campaign aimed at educating young people about the risks associated with alcohol is gaining momentum since its launch recently.

    The campaign which costs $300,000 was launched by the Mental Health Minister, Helen Morton outside the Royal Perth Hospital emergency department and is also being backed by Dr Fiona Wood, Perth based burns surgeon and former Australian of the Year.

    The backing of Dr. Wood is significant because as a burns surgeon she has seen first-hand how devastating the effects of alcohol can be when it is abused and people make the wrong choices.

    An article on News.com.au quoted Dr. Wood as saying,

    “When I was asked to join and put my shoulder to the wheel for this (campaign) I said I see this, I see young lives changed so often,” she said.

    “I think if only. If only someone has thought, ‘actually do we need to do this?’ If only someone had thought as parents let’s ring each other and stand as a united front. If only someone has thought to stand back from that barbecue. To stand back from that aerosol can.

    “Then those lives that I see changed in an instant would be happy lives without scarring, that would have the opportunity to reach their potential.”

    Source: http://www.news.com.au/national/western-australia/dr-fiona-wood-and-mental-health-minister-helen-morton-launch-new-alcohol-campaign-directed-at-teens-and-parents/story-fnii5thn-1226756788073

    The Australian School Students Alcohol and Drug Survey 2011 indicated that the number of students in Western Australia who are drinking at dangerous levels has risen in every age group.

    The survey also indicated that more than 28 per cent of students were getting alcohol mostly from the parents and 26 per cent were getting from friends.

    One of the reasons why medical professionals such as Dr Wood were so supportive of the campaign was because of the increasing number of young people who were showing up at Princess Margaret Hospital with injuries related to alcohol.

    Dr Wood went on to explain:

    “We see really quite more severe burns often … as a combination of being in a more hazardous environment with your capacity to protect yourself being impaired,” she said.

    “I think young children choosing not to drink is something to be encouraged.

    “And adding that understanding to people that if they do choose to drink it’s not just that drink, that night. It’s the flow on effects from that situation.”

    Source: http://www.news.com.au/national/western-australia/dr-fiona-wood-and-mental-health-minister-helen-morton-launch-new-alcohol-campaign-directed-at-teens-and-parents/story-fnii5thn-1226756788073

    The campaign is not only meant to educate young people, but their parents as well about the impacts of alcohol on these youths. Students and their parents need to understand the importance of making the right decisions when it comes to alcohol.

    Helen Morton went on to explain about the campaign:

    “I’m sure that the police will have their usual road blocks etc but the area that I’m most focused on is making sure that we give parents really good, factual information around the impact of alcohol on young people – young people’s developing brains and young people’s developing bodies,” she said.

    Source: http://www.news.com.au/national/western-australia/dr-fiona-wood-and-mental-health-minister-helen-morton-launch-new-alcohol-campaign-directed-at-teens-and-parents/story-fnii5thn-1226756788073

    As Morton explained, parents that are educated and provided with the necessary information will make better choices which will benefit their children and young people and hopefully reduce much of the harm being done by alcohol among this age group.

     

  • Weekend Violence Fuelled by Alcohol

    According to an article on The Daily Telegraph website, last weekend was one filled with alcohol-fuelled violence in Sydney, describing it as “two nights of alcohol-fuelled stupidity this weekend”. And the violence was not limited to locals alone, tourists and even women were involved in the violence, some even being punched and kicked on the streets of Sydney.

    A number of victims landed in the emergency ward at St. Vincent’s Hospital for a number of injuries ranging from minor to serious injuries.

    Reporters from The Daily Telegraph spent the night shift at the hospital with emergency staff to witness the drama. According to them in the eight hours they spent at the hospital, 34 patients were admitted, 25 of which were victims of assault most likely linked to alcohol – that is 73 per cent of patients admitted.

    This excerpt was taken from the article on www.dailytelegraph.com.au

    At 1am on Saturday Professor Gordian Fulde, the head of the emergency department, said goodnight to staff on the “graveyard shift” and wished them well.

    For the first few hours all was quiet. Nurses and doctors filled in paperwork, checked medical equipment and made small talk and cups of tea.

    At the front counter two triage nurses dealt with a few minor cases.

    Then, at 3.40am a young Irishman walked in bleeding from a cut on the head.

    “This is how it starts,” said one of the nurses.

    He and two female friends were attacked on Pitt St by two men.

    “We were just standing there having a joke. Next thing I know they are bashing into me. One even hit my girlfriend. Who hits women for f … . sake?”

    About 40 minutes later the “bat phone” screams out from the centre of the room. It’s amplified and used when a particularly nasty case is on its way and all hands are needed.

    Doctors and nurses run to a counter and the phone connected to ambulance radios is put on loudspeaker. A paramedic details how a 24-year-old man has been a victim of a violent assault in Elizabeth St. “Patient has been punched three times and knocked unconscious, five minutes away.”

    The victim’s 26-year-old brother was in the ambulance behind him having had his nose smashed after the two got involved with a group of men walking down Elizabeth St.

    Read more: http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/sydney-cbds-violent-side-back-on-show-as-brawls-and-alcohol-fuel-the-weekend/story-fni0cx12-1226664681078

    Dr Fulde goes on to explain that after 3am is what doctors call “red line” time because this is the time when licenced premises start to close down and patrons spill out on to the street. 4:30am is when the ward is bustling with hospital staff and patients.

    The article goes on to discuss a number of assault cases one of which involved a 24 year old club goer who was spear tackled by bouncers at a Sydney club, leaving him unconscious and possibly brain damaged.

    Another incident involved a young man who was found wandering the streets in a daze with a wound to the head.

    According to the doctor young people particularly those in their twenties especially men are falling victim (and are becoming perpetrators) of alcohol fuelled assaults every weekend due to violence.

     

  • America Urged to Cut Limit on Alcohol for Drivers

    A debate is raging in The United States about whether or not to lower the legal alcohol limit for drivers following a surge in road deaths caused by drink driving.

    According to an article on The New York Times website, thousands of people are killed on American roads each year by car crashes caused by drivers who have been drinking but have not reached the legal alcohol limit. Therefore these drivers are not actually “drink driving” because they are acting within the law, yet lives are still being lost.

    The National Transportation Safety Board said that it recommended states reduce the allowance blood-alcohol concentration by more than one third. It is currently 0.08 per cent BAC whereas it has been suggested that the USA drop this to 0.05, this is more in line with standards around the world, including in Oz.

    According to the group, the current standard is outdated, it was established over a decade ago and at present around 10,000 fatalities are happening on USA’s roads each year.

    Read what the article on NYTimes.com went on to discuss about the issue:

    “There are at least 10,000 reasons to tackle this issue,” said Deborah A. P. Hersman, the chairwoman of the board. Foreign countries with stricter standards have had substantially more success, according to the board.

    The board voted for a variety of recommendations. Some, like requiring that everyone convicted of drunken driving be required to install a Breathalyzer interlock in their car, which would prevent the vehicle from starting without an alcohol test, were focused on heavy drinkers and repeat offenders.

    Officials said they hoped that a stricter standard would reduce drinking and driving both among social drinkers and among heavy drinkers.

    Blood-alcohol concentration varies by body weight, gender, stomach contents and other factors, but generally speaking, a 180-pound man could consume four beers or glasses of wine in 90 minutes without reaching the current limit. At a limit of 0.05 percent, he could legally consume only three. A 130-pound woman could probably consume three drinks in 90 minutes and be legal under the existing standard; if the limit were lowered, she could consume only two.

    Read more at: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/15/us/legal-limit-drunken-driving-safety-board.html?_r=0

    However not everyone thinks reducing the BAC limit for drivers is such a good idea. Members of the American Beverage Institute have criticised it for failing to address the real problem, drunk drivers not drivers who are responsible by sticking to the limit. The post goes on to explain:

    The blood-alcohol recommendation faces opposition. Sarah Longwell, the managing director at the American Beverage Institute, a restaurant trade association, called the idea “ludicrous.”

    “Moving from 0.08 to 0.05 would criminalize perfectly responsible behavior,” she said. And “further restriction of moderate consumption of alcohol by responsible adults prior to driving does nothing to stop hard-core drunk drivers from getting behind the wheel.”

    Read more at: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/15/us/legal-limit-drunken-driving-safety-board.html?_r=0

    But government statistics have apparently been provided which show that people with a blood-alcohol level of 0.05 percent are 38 percent more likely to be involved in a crash than those who have not been drinking while people with a blood-alcohol level of 0.08 percent are 169 percent more likely.

    Most American states only switched to a BAC of 0.08 in the year 2000 when Bill Clinton signed a law which withheld highway construction money from states that did not do so but the rest of the world agrees that 0.05 BAC is the acceptable limit and some countries like South Africa are even considering lowering it even further after a number of alcohol induced crashes.

     

  • Push To Tackle Alcohol-Related Violence in Sydney

    According to an article on Abc.net.au Sydney’s late night emergency services personnel have urged authorities to close all pubs and clubs in the state at 3am.

    According to the NSW Police Association president, all current methods of tackling alcohol fuelled violence have failed if the number of emergency call outs and people being arrested are anything to go by. According to the police, it is obvious that Sydney needs stricter rules governing late codes.

    This is what they are suggesting according to the article on Abc.net.au:

    The President of the New South Wales Police Association says it’s time to admit policies to tackle alcohol-fuelled violence have failed.

    Mr Weber says Sydney needs harsher restrictions.

    “We need to reduce trading hours back to 3am, put restrictions in regard to the sale of shots and heavy liquor and also make sure there is lock-outs at 1am,” he said.

    Nurses and health workers have joined the campaign calling for Sydney to follow the example of cities like Newcastle.

    Mr Weber says there’s a 1am lockout and restrictions on the sale of shots in Newcastle and similar rules should be imposed across Sydney.

    “We’ve seen a model up in Newcastle where there’s been a 37 percent reduction in regards to alcohol-related violence.

    “That is across the board. At licensed premises, out on the street and even domestic violence. A 37 percent reduction.

    “If we were talking about a road toll or cancer, it’d be implemented straight away,” he said.

    Read more at:

    http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-12/a-push-for-tougher-rules-to-tackle-alcohol-related-violence/4684216

    Although the NSW government has no current plans to implement heavier restrictions across Sydney’s venues, the Hospitality Minister George Souris says the so-called “Newcastle model” works because it covers a smaller area.

    Especially on the weekends police, ambulance and hospital staff find themselves scrambling to keep up with call outs and emergencies related to alcohol fuelled violence and misconduct, taking time away from other patients with natural diseases and illnesses.

    It is obvious that in NSW Responsible Service of alcohol is not being practiced as strictly as it should be. Anyone serving or selling alcohol has a responsibility to the community to enforce RSA rules when going about their job, to avoid the emergencies that we are seeing each and every weekend across the state.

    If the emergency services staff get their way and venues are forced to close at 3am, staff of licenced venues will suffer a financial knock because their hours of work may be affected which would resulted in fewer tips and less shifts. In order to avoid this staff of licenced venues should ensure that they enforce the RSA rules which they have been trained to do, including not serving alcohol to minors and never serving an unduly intoxicated patron.

    This can be difficult because while most intoxicated patrons show physical signs of being drunk, they may get someone else to purchase the alcohol on their behalf. Never the less look out for the signs – their eyes may become red and blood shot, their speech slurred or may even display signs of forgetfulness. Talking slowly or moving slowly is also a sign.  They also commonly show a lack of coordination, instability resulting in stumbling, swaying, falling down, dropping glasses etc.

    The person may stink of alcohol and sweat more than usual. Observe the early signs and avoid many of the consequences of over intoxication for the customer, yourself, your establishment and society in general.

     

  • Responsible Service of Alcohol News: Man Three Times over the Limit Involved in Crash

    A man more than 3 times over the legal alcohol limit was involved in a crash in Hervey Bay, last week.

    The man crashed his car while driving over the limit on Wednesday night.

    The man was trapped in the car which flipped and landed on its side. The man was treated at Hervey Bay hospital and then taken to a police station for a breathalyser test which returned a reading of over 0.150, the legal limit is 0.05.

    The man will have to appear in court over the incident but is lucky to be alive.

    FraserCoastChronicle.com.au reported this on the story:

    A MAN will have to face court after allegedly returning a blood alcohol reading more than triple the legal limit after crashing his car on Main St at Ghost Hill on Wednesday night.

    A Hervey Bay police spokesman said officers, who went to the crash about 8.30pm, found the driver trapped in the vehicle which was on its side.

    The man was freed from the vehicle and transported to Hervey Bay Hospital for treatment for injuries.

    After this, the man was taken to the police station for a breath test, the spokesman said.

    Even with the amount of time that had passed at the hospital, the man’s alcohol reading was alleged to still be over 0.150, the high alcohol limit.

    The man was given a notice to appear in Hervey Bay Magistrates Court, the spokesman said.

    Source: http://www.frasercoastchronicle.com.au/news/man-appear-court-drink-driving-after-car-crash/1870577/

    It is sad to think that people not only have no respect for their own lives but endanger the lives of other road users as well by getting behind the wheel while intoxicated.

    This driver was lucky to escape with his life but he is also extremely lucky to have not involved anyone else in the crash or the consequences could have been much more severe for him and an innocent life (or lives) may have been lost.

    Impaired vision, slowed reaction times, the inability to keep straight on the road or within one’s own lane are just some of the consequences of drink driving, anyone of which or a combination of which can lead to serious and possibly fatal crashes.

    Alcohol also has the ability to make a driver feel relaxed which may cause them to fall asleep at the wheel. A number of people have caused serious crashes in this manner and this may have been what caused this crash in Hervey Bay.

    Alcohol also gives people a false sense of confidence which results in increased risk taking behaviour which while driving can involve speeding, dangerous manoeuvres, running stop signs etc.

    If you are going to go out and drink please do the responsible thing and call a friend or taxi for a lift home.

    Bartenders and anyone serving alcohol should try to stop anyone who is inebriated from driving. Although this may seem like a difficult task to accomplish especially on a busy night in a crowded bar, try to keep somewhat of a record of how many drinks you serve any particular person. Encourage patrons to call for a lift home or do it for them. Also promote responsible drinking by limiting the amount of alcohol you serve to any one patron.

     

  • Responsible Service of Alcohol News: Drunken Women Assaults Police Officer

    An example of the effects of alcohol on some people has been demonstrated by an incident which happened on The Fraser Coast recently.

    A young woman, after taking a cocktail of alcohol and prescription medication became involved in a drunken brawl in a car parking lot in Pialba. The women then proceeded to assault one of the police officers intervening in the fight and had to be arrested.

    According to police who attempted to break up the fight the young woman continued to scream and cause a disturbance after police had broken up the fight. Police then decided to arrest the young woman who resisted, even kicking one officer in the leg. She refused to provide police with her personal details, showing defiance even after being arrested.

    Read what happened according to this post from www.frasercoastchronicle.com.au

    A YOUNG woman who kicked a police officer after a drunken brawl in the McDonald’s Restaurant car park in Pialba has avoided a conviction after pleading guilty in Hervey Bay Magistrates Court.

    Tara Kate Godfrey, 24, had committed the offence after she had mixed prescription medication and alcohol on February 17, the court heard.

    Police prosecutor Senior Constable Jeanette Grigoris said officers were called to attend a fight between a group of people in the carpark.

    They were speaking with a man after breaking up the fight and at that point, Godfrey created another disturbance, screaming abuse at some of the other girls in the car park.

    “I’m going to smash you, you f***ing sluts, f***ing c***s!” Godfrey shouted.

    Her abuse lead to her being arrested and charged with being a public nuisance, Snr Const Grigoris said.

    Godfrey tried to resist arrest, and kicked one of the police officers in the leg.

    She later failed to provide her identifying particulars to the police, the court heard.

    Source: http://www.frasercoastchronicle.com.au/news/young-woman-finds-medication-alcohol-and-police-do/1872783/

    According to the lawyer representing Ms Godfrey, she was a troubled youth battling with depression and anxiety who had simply over medicated herself by mixing alcohol and medication.

    The lawyer explained that she acted out of the ordinary because of her self-medication. This highlights even further the dangers of mixing alcohol with prescription or illicit drugs which can result in people acting in ways they wouldn’t ordinarily especially displaying increased levels of aggression. In her sober state Godfrey was apologetic for her actions and had to pay a $800 fine but managed to escape a criminal conviction.

    The post went on to explain:

    Duty lawyer John Milburn provided material from Fraser Coast Medical Centre, detailing Godfrey’s struggles with depression and anxiety.

    Mr Milburn said Godfrey had been “over medicated” at the time and when this mixed with alcohol the resulting behaviour was out of character.

    Godfrey apologised to the court and police for the way she acted.

    Magistrate Graeme Tatnell accepted this, and warned Godfrey about the dangers of mixing alcohol with medication.

    He said this would be her last chance to avoid having a conviction recorded for this sort of offence.

    Godfrey was fined $800.

    Read more: http://www.frasercoastchronicle.com.au/news/young-woman-finds-medication-alcohol-and-police-do/1872783/

     

  • Alcohol Poisoning Claims another Life in Indonesia

    Yet another tourist has been killed in Indonesia after drinking alcohol which was actually poisoned. The young backpacker (23 year old), Cheznye Emmons from Britain died after drinking alcohol labelled as “gin” bought from a shop in Indonesia, the alcohol turned out to be methanol. The young women and her boyfriend along with another friend had consumed the deadly alcohol while trekking through the jungle. All 3 suffered serious health problems such as loss of sight, kidney failure and seizures, according to media reports.

    Guardian.co.uk reported:

    A British backpacker has died after drinking poisoned alcohol in the Indonesian jungle.

    Cheznye Emmons, 23, had bought a bottle labelled “gin” from a shop, which turned out to be deadly methanol. The beauty therapist from Essex had been trekking with her boyfriend and another man they met while travelling.

    All three suffered health problems after drinking the methanol, which can cause kidney failure, blindness, seizures and death. Emmons lost her sight and was taken through the jungle to the nearest eye clinic. She was referred to hospital where she was placed in an induced coma.

    Her parents flew to Indonesia where they eventually decided to turn off her life support machine.

    Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/may/18/uk-backpacker-dies-poisoned-alcohol-indonesia

    Tourists travelling to Indonesia have been warned to be very cautious about where they buy alcohol because home-brewed spirits are common in the country. It is thought that the country’s high alcohol tax (more than 200 per cent) is the reason why people opt to make their own concoctions at home but methanol produced is a by-product of poor distillation techniques and can be fatal.

    Although the home made method of making alcohol is illegal in Indonesia people often “disguise” the home made brew as regular commercially made alcohol by packaging it in that way.

    Who can forget the case of the Australian teenager who died in January after drinking methanol disguised as alcohol while on holiday in Indonesia. The government began cracking down on this illegal and extremely dangerous trend thereafter however there seems to be some cases that slip through the cracks especially in remote areas such as the Indonesian jungle, a very harsh reminder to anyone wishing to visit the tropical nation.

    The post on Guardian.co.uk went on to quote the following:

    A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We can confirm the death of a British national in Indonesia and we are providing consular assistance to the family at this difficult time.”

    Her brother, Michael Emmons, said: “We’re all just in shock. From what we understand, the shop poured the gin out of the original bottle and then replaced it with methanol. It was in the original bottle with the gin label on it. As far as we’re aware, the shop has been shut and there’s a police investigation.”

    Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/may/18/uk-backpacker-dies-poisoned-alcohol-indonesia

    Advice to tourists visiting Indonesia – while the Indonesian government has taken steps to root out these criminals profiting off other people’s suffering, they still have a long way to go to stamping out this illegal trade completely, so in the meantime if you are visiting Indonesia on holiday, be extremely careful about where you buy your alcoholic drinks and only drink from sealed bottles obtained from reputable and safe establishments such as the restaurant or bar at your hotel.

     

  • RSA Update: Quick Tips for Bartenders on Reducing Alcohol Related Harm

    Bartenders and serving staff of licenced venues have a role to play in reducing alcohol induced violence and harm. This is one of the reasons why authorities made Responsible Service of Alcohol training mandatory for all workers in the alcohol sales and service industry.

    There is no doubt that alcohol fuelled harm in Oz especially in entertainment districts has gotten out of hand, but there are some practical tips that bartenders and other workers in licenced venues can adopt to prevent contributing to alcohol fuelled harm.

    • Do not serve alcohol to minors. They are not responsible enough or physically developed enough to handle their liquor. They also have less self-control and restraint and therefore are more likely to abuse alcohol and binge drink, resulting in harm to themselves and possibly others.
    • Do not serve alcohol to anyone who you suspect is or is displaying signs that they may be unduly intoxicated. This is one of the biggest problems contributing to alcohol problems in Oz at the moment.
    • Do not serve the same person too many drinks, even if they do not display signs of physical intoxication. Keep track of how many drinks you serve each person.
    • Be aware of any new restrictions that may have been implemented in your district and adhere to them. For example Byrons Bay has recently introduced a number of measures to combat alcohol fuelled violence in the district such as a 1.30am lockout, refusal of entry to any person seen drinking within 50 metres of a venue and restrictions on takeaway sales after a set time. Learn the new rules and stick to them.

     

  • Alcohol Servers, Be Prepared for Christmas Rush

    Be Prepared for Christmas Rush

     

    Christmas is around the corner and according to marketing research liquor buying will increase by about 10 per cent this year. This growth can be attributed to Australians growing thirst for premium drinking options. In fact after online sales, liquor sales are expected to top the growth charts this year, according to marketing research company,IBISWorld.

     

    Although liquor sales are always good at this time of the year, the growing popularity of premium liquor brands signals an above average increase this year according to researchers. Aussies preferences in premium wines, cocktails, craft beers and cider are strongly influencing revenue growth in the industry.

     

    Over the next year it has been forecasted that Australians will spend about $33 billion on alcohol and most of that will be in the form of premium drinks rather than traditional beer. And over the next 5 years $39.9 billion in alcohol spending is expected regardless of the increase in alcohol costs.

     

    So for alcohol industry stakeholders the focus should be on cocktail and other premium alcoholic drinks which should in turn correspond with an increase in alcohol revenue.

     

    The researchers also found that over the next year around $15.9 billion of the expected $33.1 billion revenue is to be spent in bar and pubs, good news for licenced venue owners. Liquor retailers can look forward to a $17.2 billion rise in alcohol income, for this reason the entire industry can expect growth and good festive season profits.

     

  • Hidden Camera Reveals Underage Drinking

    I recently found an interesting story that parallels the situation we are currently faced with in O, regarding underage drinking. A hidden camera investigation was carried out in a Canadian restaurant which revealed that underage drinking is a problem in that country as well. Australia is not the only country battling to come to a solution to the woes that result from teenage drinking and more specifically the serving of alcohol to minors.

     

    The hidden cameras revealed that a number of establishments are selling alcohol to minors and perhaps a similar approach can be implemented in problem areas in Oz to root out the guilty parties.

     

    This post on Cbc.ca explains in more detail

     

    In the investigation, a group composed of three 18-year-olds and one 17-year-old was sent to four establishments. The CBC asked the three males and one female to order alcohol, but not to drink it if they were served. Provincial laws prohibit anyone under 19 years old from being served or sold liquor.

     

    All four teens went together to Ebisu restaurant on Robson Street in Vancouver where they ordered a pitcher of beer and were served within minutes of sitting down.

     

    The same night, the Keg Steakhouse & Bar on Still Creek Avenue in Burnaby served red wine to two of the 18-year-olds, who went in as a couple. Another Keg waitress served beer to the two other teens who were sitting in the bar area.All four left their drinks untouched and later left.

     

    Outside the restaurant afterwards, the teens offered their own theories about why they were served.

     

    “It was just really casual,” said Jack Hu, 17. “I guess [the server] just thought we were older.”

     

    Aidan Ponton, 18, said he suspected the waitress sympathized with them.

     

    “I guess she just saw us, just some younger kids and she knew what it was like, she’d been in that position before and she didn’t hesitate,” Ponton said.

     

    These four teens checked out four restaurants in a CBC investigation. (CBC)

     

    Ben Roberts, 18, saw a monetary motive.”They are making money off of it, a lot of money and I don’t think that’s their main priority to obey the law.”

     

    “[If] your employer’s not forcing you to ID then you’re not going to,” said 18-year-old Katherine Gillard.

     

    When later confronted with the results of the CBC News investigation, the management at Ebisu said they were shocked and embarrassed and promised to be more vigilant in checking identification.

     

    A Keg spokesperson admitted its servers did not follow procedures and the restaurant chain will now redouble its training.

     

    http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2012/11/15/bc-hidden-camera-underage-drinking.html

     

    In Canada similar to Oz, there are hefty fines for selling alcohol to minors which doesn’t seem to be enough of a deterrent to sellers. In Canada the penalty for a first offence ranges from $7,500 to $10,000 (Canadian) or a 10-to-15- day licence suspension. Licensees can either accept the penalty or request an enforcement hearing.

     

    The incident in Canada has resulted in the restaurant assuring that it will increase the training of its staff. However in Australian responsible service of alcohol training is mandatory for every person serving or selling alcohol.

     

    One of the biggest benefits of RSA training is that it teaches you to serve alcohol in a manner that maintains the good reputation of the establishment. Ensuring that you do not suffer the consequences that come from serving alcohol to unduly intoxicated patrons or minors means that you will enjoy a pleasant working environment and be confident that each time you go to work you will be safe rather than being exposed to alcohol fuelled violence.