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Tag: Alcohol Harm

  • Claims Alcohol Warning System Inadequate

    Do you think the warning labels on alcohol bottles are an effective deterrent to young people? Do you even notice these labels?

    Well some arguments have been raised about whether the warning labels are effective at all following a study by researchers at Victoria’s Deakin University.

    A recent article on Smh.com.au discussed the call for changes to alcohol warning systems which findings suggest are currently inadequate.

    According to the Australian study headed by Deakin University’s Professor Peter Miller, warnings on alcoholic drinks do little to alter the behaviour of young drinkers.

    While this is something we may all have assumed in the past, the study proves what some have long thought to be true.

    The findings reveal that the current, optional warning system, overseen by DrinkWise, the industry-funded body was not effective. Professor Miller highlighted that this should not be something overseen by the alcohol industry itself but the government, whose responsibility it is to ensure the rights of the public.

    Professor Miller explained,

    “We need to be sure, as consumers, that our government are the people that are looking after our rights. We can’t trust the alcohol industry to supply us with information about alcohol. It’s as idiotic as doing it with tobacco,”

    Source: http://www.smh.com.au/national/health/study-sparks-call-to-change-alcohol-warning-system-20170903-gy9wx6.html

    Geoff Munro, from the Alcohol and Drug Foundation called for action, saying that something needs to be done to address the societal harm linked to alcohol such as assaults, family violence and drink driving.

    “Alcohol is a major health problem for Australian society. It does enormous damage,” he said. “It is responsible for 5,500 deaths each year and alcohol puts 170,000 Australians into hospital each year for either acute or chronic problems.

     “Australia needs a broad-based campaign to help lower the cost of alcohol and to encourage people to treat alcohol with much more respect than we do.” Mr Munro explained.

    The study involved 40 Deakin University students aged between 18 and 25. Researchers showed them images of the warnings and the alcohol labelling with the warnings present. The students themselves labelled the warnings as “ineffective” and even questioned whether DrinkWise was decreasing the visibility of the labels on purpose.

     

    For more visit http://www.smh.com.au/national/health/study-sparks-call-to-change-alcohol-warning-system-20170903-gy9wx6.html

  • New Strategy to Reduce Alcohol Harm Introduced

    On Monday, the Alcohol Tobacco and Other Drugs Council launched a framework to prevent and intervene on the use of alcohol, tobacco and drugs.

    Entitled “Everybody’s Business’’,  the plan calls for a review of the legal drinking age and the legal blood alcohol level for driving to 0.00. It also calls for restrictions on alcohol at sporting and other family events.

    What do you think about these possible measures?

    Click here to read more.

  • Responsible Service of Alcohol News: Huge Cost of Alcohol Harm

    We often consider the emotional and physical costs of alcohol abuse on the community and individuals in particular when discussing alcohol harm but we seldom consider the huge financial cost alcohol related harm has on the Australian society.

    A recent article on www.caboolturenews.com.au discusses a study which estimates alcohol related harm at more than $14 billion in 2012, which was double the amount of revenue collected in tax and excise.

    The study by researchers at Griffith University undertook the study on behalf of the Australian Institute of Criminology. This huge financial cost of alcohol related harm was the key finding of the report.

    The authors of the study have suggested a substantial amount of the government’s revenue generated from alcohol taxes should go towards diversion and prevention strategies to tackle the issue head-on and at the root rather than having to deal with the consequences.

    Read more about the study below with an excerpt from the post on www.Caboolturenews.com.au :

    The Commonwealth raised $7 billion in total tax revenue in 2010 from alcohol products through excise and GST revenue.

    Matthew Manning, a co-author of The Societal Costs Of Alcohol Misuse In Australia, said the paper built on a series of costings carried out over the past decade by David Collins and Helen Lapsley and showed the extent of damage that alcohol caused to the economy.

    Of the $14.352 billion estimate, $6.046 billion involved costs to Australian productivity, $3.662 billion were costs associated with traffic accidents, $2.9 billion comprised costs to the criminal justice system and $1.686 billion represented costs to the health system.

    Dr Manning made the point the total did not incorporate the negative impacts on others – estimated at more than $6 billion – associated with someone else’s drinking.

    Productivity losses, which accounted for almost half of the total cost, were calculated as the sum of reduced workforce and household labour due to premature death, reduced household labour due to sickness and reduced workforce participation due to absenteeism.

    The criminal justice system costs were made up of police (38% of total), child protection and support services (8%), prisons (21%), plus insurance administration (1%), to courts (3%) and other organisations such as detox, counselling and victims services, associated with addressing violence (29%).

    Source:http://www.caboolturenews.com.au/news/alcohol-harm-cost-us-more-twice-tax-revenue-raised/1817693/

    Servers of alcohol should never underestimate the role they play in keeping this high financial cost to the country down. Employees of the hospitality industry that are involved with the sale of alcohol must ensure that they do not contribute to the alcohol fuelled problems and therefore cost to the economy.

    As an RSA worker, you must constantly ask yourself whether or not you have done all you can reduce the numbers of alcohol fuelled incidents and minimise the huge financial impact on the community and Australian society in general. Have you fulfilled your duties by, not serving minors, not serving intoxicated patrons, recognizing the signs of intoxication and acting accordingly?

     

  • Researchers Concern at Rising Alcohol Harm despite Fall in Consumption

    An informative article I recently read on the website http://theconversation.com discussed how despite falling alcohol numbers, alcohol induced harm is still on the rise. This seems quite paradoxical considering that when the consumption of something decreases, the effects of that substance are also expected to decrease, not so with alcohol it seems.

    Previously we have viewed alcohol induced harm as directly correspondent to level of alcohol consumption in a community but this is not necessarily the case, according to new research by Michael Livingston, post-doctoral research fellow in the Drug Policy Modelling Program at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre and a research fellow in the Centre for Alcohol Policy Research at Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre.

    The research looked into countries drinking habits such as Sweden where per capita alcohol consumption has fallen in the last five years while the rates of harm associated with alcohol has remained fairly consistent.

    A similar phenomenon was experienced in Britain where alcohol consumption has apparently decreased since 2004 yet harm induced by alcohol consumption has remained high and Australia seems to be in the same boat as Sweden and England.

    Read an excerpt from the article below which explains further:

    Over the last decade or so, data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics have shown almost no change in the amount of alcohol consumed per person in Australia. In 2000/01, it was 10.15 litres of pure alcohol, while in 2010/11 (the most recent year for which data are available), it was 9.99 litres. In contrast, rates of alcohol-related harm are increasing.

    Recent studies in Victoria of both adults and young people have found sharp increases in a range of problems from alcohol. This includes rates of alcohol-related hospitalisations, presentations at emergency departments due to intoxication, late-night assaults, domestic violence involving alcohol and alcohol treatment.

    And a national study of alcohol-related harm between 1995 and 2006 found increases in alcohol-related hospitalisations in all states.

    http://theconversation.com/alcohol-fuelled-violence-on-the-rise-despite-falling-consumption-9892

    Recently the issue of hospitalisations due to alcohol induced harm have become a matter of particular concern, costing the economy millions and taking up beds in hospitals that could be occupied by people with serious natural illnesses.

    One thing these findings make very clear, vilifying alcohol is not the answer. Drinking alcohol is not the source of the violence and harm but the few people who are still abusing alcohol are the problem. Alcohol consumed responsibly and moderately is good for you, both in terms of mental and physical wellbeing but abusing alcohol and binge drinking which has become a part of our culture is the real culprit and needs to be tackled.

    Another painfully obvious part of these findings is that people whose responsibility it is under the law to ensure alcohol is sold and served in moderation are not doing so well enough. Responsible Service of Alcohol is a vital part of the plan to tackle alcohol induced harm in Australia and it can only be successful if the staff of every licenced venue across Oz does their part.