RSA Course Online

Tag: Alcohol

  • NZ Alcoholic Couple Neglects Children

    The consequences of alcoholism has been highlighted by an incident which happened in New Zealand recently, the incident highlights the importance of Responsible Service of Alcohol because RSA staff play an important role in denying alcohol to people who demonstrate a drinking problem – to avoid incidents such as this one.

    A NZ couple reportedly neglected their 4 children by failing to provide them with food and medical care but rather prioritised alcohol, drugs and parties. Police arrested the parents for their neglect who placed having a good time ahead of taking care of their 4 children.

    The parents were subsequently sentenced to community service and intensive supervision for neglecting their children, all of whom are under five years old.

    This sad and shocking story was reported by News.com.au as follows:

    In January, police found the children, all under five, at a Hutt Valley home, unkempt, hungry and sick with skin sores that required hospitalisation.

    Police were alerted by concerned neighbours who saw children running out on to the street unsupervised during a party.

    On arrival, police found the adults extremely intoxicated and aggressive in a “fairly chaotic scene”.

    “This was not an issue of poverty for this family, these parents simply prioritised alcohol, drugs and parties ahead of the needs of their children,” Hutt Valley Inspector Mike Hill said.

    Both parents pleaded guilty to four charges of neglect, one for each child, in May.

    On Monday, Judge Susan Thomas sentenced the father to six months of community detention, between the hours of 7pm and 6am, along with 80 hours of community work and 18 months of intensive supervision.

    Source: http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/world/parents-neglected-kids-for-alcohol-police/story-e6frfkui-1226672472853

    The mother was arrested and sentenced to 160 hours of community work and 18 hours of intensive supervision. Both mother and father must also undertake intensive drug, alcohol, parenting and budgeting courses.

    The young children, ages 4,3,2 and seven months were extremely neglected and being so young were obviously not able to take care of themselves. Despite the young age of the children, the home contained no baby formula or food for the children, there was also no beds or furniture for them to sleep on.

    Unsurprisingly the kids were removed from their parent’s custody. It is sad that innocent children suffer because of the irresponsibility of parents. But this inability of many adults to control how much they drink is one of the reasons why Responsible Service of Alcohol training is so important.

    Often once people become intoxicated they cannot control themselves, this leads to excessive drinking as well as a plethora of other consequences such as violence, medical conditions and alcoholism as well as the decline of the family unit.

    If staff of licenced venues pay more attention to their patrons and begin enforcing RSA rules more closely, we should see a decline in alcoholism and alcohol misconduct.

    Responsible service of alcohol training teaches workers how to identify intoxicated patrons and how to deal with them. It also teaches RSA staff the consequences they and their employer may face if RSA laws are breached.

     

     

  • Sobering Up Centres opened in Sydney to Crack down on Alcohol-fuelled Violence

    In an attempt to crackdown on alcohol related violence the New South Wales government have opened the first of its “drunk tanks”.

    Police in Sydney’s CBD and Randwick were the first to start operating the tanks last week. But drinkers and visitors to entertainment districts do not need to fear, the centres are reserved exclusively for violent or nuisance drunks, so those who are ‘well behaved’ have no need to worry about being locked up.

    Those who should be concerned are people who are intoxicated in a public place, refuse to move on direction by police and behave in an anti-social manner that may endanger themselves or others. These people will be detained and kept in a drunk tank (or sobering up centre).

    The first night of the sobering up centres resulted in 5 men aged from their late teens to early twenties being locked up and fined $200 each before being released the next morning.

    The tough new conditions were spurred on by the death of a teenager in July last year. Thomas Kelly’s death in Sydney’s Kings Cross District resulted in a range of new regulations including a ban on the sale of shots after midnight. The teenager was hit while walking in the district with his girlfriend last year and died in hospital a few days later.

    In the wake of the new sobering up centres, the State Government also announced further legislation to curb alcohol-related violence, including bans for disorderly behaviour, ID card scanners and greater supervision at high-risk venues.

     

  • Liquor News: Danger of Home-brews

    Calls for a Review of Laws Relating to Home-Distilled Alcohol and Public Health Warning Issued

    A public health warning has been issued about the dangers of drinking home-made spirits, which often contains dangerous amounts of methanol which can prove fatal.

    According to media reports, the Tasmanian Government has said it is considering changes to laws relating to home-brewed alcohol following the death of 2 men in the state.

    These 2 fatalities are the latest in a serious of deaths caused by drinking toxic, home-brewed alcohol. Another 3 men recently died in Victoria after drinking grappa made in their garage.

    Police are currently waiting for the toxicology reports to confirm that the 2 men who died were in fact poisoned by home-distilled liquor.

    The latest 2 victims were a 54 year old and a 49 year old man who passed away in the St Helens area, prompting the state government to issue its statement that it would review the current legislation relating to home-made alcohol. The 2 men drank the home distilled alcohol mixed with a soft drink which may have masked it’s poisonous smell and taste.

    The following excerpt from an article posted on Abc.net.au explained further,

    The Tasmanian Attorney General Brian Wightman says while laws relating to moonshine are a federal matter, he would consider working to tighten any potential loopholes.

    “About any legislative amendments that may be required,” he said.

    “We have two people who have lost their lives, it’s an incredibly sad time.”

    While owning a small still in Australia is not illegal, making alcohol with it can attract big fines or a jail term.

    The Federal Attorney General Mark Dreyfus says it is a matter for the Tax Office, which enforces alcohol laws.

    Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-08-30/alcohol-experts-call-for-education-on-home-distilled-alcohol/4924426

    The aim of the public health warning is warn home distillers about the potential risks of making alcohol at home. It is vitally important that people know what they are doing and do their research, which was the warning from experts. People who consume home-made alcohol should be vigilant and report to a hospital if they begin to feel ill after drinking a home brew. It is important that people with alcohol poisoning get early treatment to avoid death.

    The problem with home-made alcohol is Methanol. Methanol needs to be removed, it is a toxic by-product and causes blindness and death in humans with just 100mls of consumption.

    The police are currently investigating the death of the 2 men last week and will determine the alcohol content of the milky white spirit consumed by a number of residents in St Helens. Apparently at least a dozen other people consumed the alcohol in the area and one man was apparently making it and safely consuming it for years.

    The post on Abc.net.au goes on to explain more about the investigation,

    “Our preliminary work has indicated that these two gentlemen did have contact with an address where there was some homemade or some home-brewed spirits and whether they drank those spirits is unconfirmed at this stage but it is forming part of our investigation,” he said.

    One of the men, aged 54, died on Monday, while a second man, aged 49, died on Wednesday.

    One of the men is understood to have collapsed outside a St Helens shopping centre on Wednesday, and the other died at home earlier this week.

    The ABC understands one of the men who died was making the spirits out of potato skins and sharing it with a small group of friends for a couple of years.

    Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-08-30/alcohol-experts-call-for-education-on-home-distilled-alcohol/4924426

     

  • Alcohol Blamed for Baby Bashing Policeman’s Behaviour

    Alcohol has once again been blamed for the bad behaviour of a person who behaved in an unacceptable manner. This time a Chinese man who is actually a policeman, drank alcohol before conducting himself in such bad behaviour that he injured a baby.

    The incident, almost too bizarre to understand took place in China’s Zhengzhou, Henan province. The policeman apparently drank alcohol before throwing a baby to the ground.

    It seems that alcohol is once again being given a bad rap by irresponsible adults who do not know how to conduct themselves, of course alcohol is an easy scapegoat but this incident highlights the importance of being a responsible drinker.

    People cannot continue to blame alcohol for their bad behaviour especially since they are the ones who chose to drink alcohol and probably excessively for it to affect the way they act. That is why it is so important that responsible service of alcohol is enforced in Oz, so that incidents like this one reported on news.xinhuanet.com can be avoided:

    An initial investigation found that on the evening of July 18, GuoZengxi took a 7-month-old baby girl from her parents and hurled her to the ground at the entrance of a karaoke club in Linzhou City after dining and drinking alcohol with friends at a local restaurant.

    Linzhou police said there had been no conflict between Guo and the baby’s parents before he threw the baby to the ground.

    The child was rushed to a local hospital and later transferred to Anyang Regional Hospital for further treatment. She suffered multiple brain injuries, including a bone fracture and bruising, said Li Pengqiang, a doctor with the hospital in Anyang.

    The baby girl was discharged from the hospital on Aug. 5. Though temporarily out of danger, Li said the girl could suffer aftereffects from the trauma.

    “She is very easily startled and clings to me when she hears cars passing by,” said RenWenli, mother of the child.

    “She is now very afraid of strangers and sometimes vomits,” Ren added.

    Source: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2013-08/19/c_132643018.htm

    The article goes on to explain that the police department has covered the baby’s medical bills, but this is little consolation to a mother and family who are uncertain of whether their child sustained any long term damage. Tests are currently being organised for the child in Beijing to try and find out.

    This incident also highlights how the situation can get out of hand when alcohol is abused and it can escalate to involve numerous members of the public. The drunken police officer had to be hospitalised after he was beaten by locals at the scene who witnessed his behaviour. He was also sentenced to 15 days in jail.

    Shockingly this is not the first incident of this nature to have taken place in China recently, although it is not known whether alcohol was a factor in the previous incident,

    Police in Anyang City, which governs Linzhou, opened an investigation into the case following netizens’ anger over the incident. Guo was detained on suspicion of intentional injury Saturday and was transferred to a detention center in Anyang City on Sunday, according to GuoFajie, head of Anyang Public Security Bureau.

    In another July incident, a man killed a toddler in Beijing by lifting her from her carriage and throwing her to the ground after arguing with and physically attacking the baby’s mother.

    Source: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2013-08/19/c_132643018.htm

     

  • Police Investigate Perth Crashes

    A serious road crash in Perth recently has been linked to alcohol according to police.

    According to reports the driver’s vehicle left the road and capsized after he failed to negotiate a roundabout, possibly due to intoxication. He then hit into a parked car, a fence and power pole.

    This article on Yahoo News explains:

    Police are investigating whether alcohol was a factor in crashes in Perth’s east last night.

    About 11.58 pm, police were called to Wanaping Road in Kenwick where a 29-year-old Parkwood man had crashed his vehicle.

    It is believed that the man’s vehicle left the road and overturned after he failed to negotiate a roundabout.

    The man’s car proceeded to strike a parked car, a fence and a power pole.

    Police conducted a breath test on the man but the results are not yet known.

    Source: http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/breaking/17617698/police-probe-alcohol-as-factor-in-crashes/

    A second accident on the same night occurred when a man’s vehicle left the road and crashed into the bushes. Breathalyser tests revealed that the man was intoxicated at the time. He was charged with drink driving.

    The article went on to state:

    In a separate incident in Bayswater, a Hyundai Elantra sedan also left the road and crashed into bushes on Wyatt Road and Higgins Way.

    Police were called to the crash around 4am and breathalysed a 55-year-old man.

    After failing the test, the male was charged with drink driving.

    Source: http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/breaking/17617698/police-probe-alcohol-as-factor-in-crashes/

    One of the greatest road safety issues in Oz at the moment is the number of crashes being caused by drink driving.

    Most people enjoy a little drink from time to time and there is nothing wrong with this in fact even doctors recommend a glass of wine a day for good heart health.

    The problem comes in when people drink and behave irresponsibly, such as drinking and driving (when their blood alcohol level is above 0.05). Most people don’t realise that they are over the legal limit when they get behind the wheel after a drink or two. As a drinker you either need to know how much alcohol is contained in the drinks you consume to ensure you are not exceeding the limit or an even better idea would be to avoid driving altogether.

    People who drink and drive need to remember that alcohol, even in small quantities can have an effect on your driving.

    Alcohol doesn’t get digested like food but rather gets absorbed into the bloodstream from the small intestine as well as the stomach and colon. The blood transports the alcohol to your vital organs including the heart and brain – both of which are vital in the process of driving. These organs coordinate our activities and ability to drive.

    Some of the effects of alcohol on our driving abilities include:

    • Our perception is affected. People who drink are less likely to observe traffic signs, bikers, pedestrians or cars coming from the opposite side;
    • Drinkers have less control over their reactions in traffic situations; your eyes are slower and need to concentrate on the same object for a longer period of time than you would ordinarily.
    • When we drink our space perspective narrows and we tend to focus more to the front of us rather than looking to the left and right
    • Reaction times also increase as our reflexes become slower or diminish depending on how drunk we are. That means in an emergency stop situation or traffic it would take more time to respond fast and adapt accordingly.

    Drivers who drink before driving tend to be overconfident about their abilities and are less capable of good judgement. Often drinking also makes people drowsy which is probably what contributes to so many crashes where the drivers drove off the road and crashed into stationery objects such as fences, streets, poles etc. like in the 2 incidents mentioned earlier.

     

  • NT Government Passes Controversial Alcohol Treatment Law

    The Northern Territory government has just passed the contentious alcohol treatment law which will see people arrested for alcohol fuelled crimes 3 times or more forced into rehab.

    From the outset the law has been a contentious issue amongst the Aboriginal community as well as justice advocacy groups and medical organisations in the country.

    The new law states that alcoholics will be forced into 3 months of alcohol rehabilitation, that includes anyone taken into protective custody for drunkenness three times in a period of two months. Authorities will assess each case and determine the best outcome and whether the person should spend 3 months in alcohol rehabilitation to help them deal with their addiction.

    But alcoholics placed on the program should not think that they can simply leave before their 3 months are up. Patients may face criminal charges if they repeatedly abscond from rehab. However the legislation faces many sceptics who say it will not work to reduce alcohol fuelled problems and is an infringement of people’s rights.

    An excerpt from an article on Abc.net.au explains:

    From the outset the draft legislation was heavily criticised by Indigenous groups, medical bodies and justice advocates who have argued it criminalises drunkenness.

    Key points:

    The contentious legislation comes into effect in Northern Territory on July 1, 2013

    Anyone taken into custody for drunkenness three times in two months to be assessed for the treatment

    Patients could face criminal charges if they abscond from the program

    Means some alcoholics will be forced into three months of rehabilitation

    Treatment to occur at rehabilitation facilities in Darwin, Katherine and Alice Springs

    Draft legislation heavily criticised by Indigenous groups, medical bodies and justice advocates

    Critics argue it criminalises drunkenness

    They also say it will do little to address alcohol problems in the Territory.

    “It represents one of the greatest Australian policy failures since the introduction of cane toads…” Labor’s Michael Gunner said.

    Read more: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-06-28/mandatory-grog-treatment-laws-pass-into-law/4787582

    As of Monday drunk and disorderly alcoholics in the state may be put into rehabilitation facilities in Darwin, Katherine or Alice Springs which are at the moment rushing to prepare for the perceived influx of patients.

    The parliamentary debate apparently lasted around 8 hours before the legislation was passed into law at 2:30am after 43 amendments.

    The article also goes on to explain:

    Meanwhile, proposed restrictions in the South Australian outback town of Coober Pedy would ban people from some communities in the state and the Northern Territory from buying takeaway alcohol.

    After visiting the town at the council’s request, South Australia’s Liquor and Gambling Commissioner has proposed a number of changes.

    These include people from areas such as the APY Lands and Northern Territory dry communities being banned from buying alcohol, shorter opening hours, and a ban on cask wine.

    Mayor Steve Baines says Coober Pedy is the remaining town in the area without any alcohol restrictions, giving it a reputation as “a party town”.

    Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-06-28/mandatory-grog-treatment-laws-pass-into-law/4787582

    The aim is to “dry up” the supply of alcohol to people just passing through the town to change the perception of the town as a “party town”. These changes were apparently demanded by the community who are sick and tired of the alcohol fuelled problems caused by visitors passing through the town.

     

  • WA Parents, beware of Serving alcohol to Minors

    Now more than ever it seems young people in WA are being faced with alcohol related problems stemming from binge drinking. Teenagers are drinking with the intent to get drunk and are starting at an even younger age than ever before. We are living in a society where young people have more freedom than ever before, more money than ever before and more access to alcohol and drugs than ever before which is part of the problem.

    Parents have been identified as one of the key contributors to teenagers drinking behaviour. Children often mimic the behaviour they see in their parents and some parents believe it is better to provide their children and their friends with alcohol rather than have them drinking on the sly.

    But now adults in Western Australia could soon be facing charges for supplying alcohol to minors if a new bill introduced by WA Labour is passed. The bill relates to the supply of alcohol to a minor on unlicensed premises. The law would make it illegal to provide a youth with alcohol without their parent/guardian’s consent. It is different from current law under which it is illegal for young people under 18 years of age to purchase alcohol at licensed premises.

    This post on Bunburymail.com.au explains:

    Collie-Preston MLA Mick Murray said this week that the Opposition introduced the Liquor Control Amendment Bill to protect children from consuming alcohol on unlicensed premises, such as private parties.

    The bill, if passed, would make illegal the supply of alcohol to a juvenile on unlicensed premises.

    The law would also force a person to obtain the juvenile’s parent or guardian’s permission to supply liquor to that juvenile on unlicensed premises.

    “Existing laws make it illegal for anyone under the age of 18 years to purchase alcohol at licensed premises,” Mr Murray said.

    “However, no laws currently exist to prevent a person over the age of 18 from supplying alcohol to a juvenile on unlicensed premises, such as at a house party.

    “We need to close the loopholes that give children access to alcohol, often without their parents’ consent.”

    Mr Murray said the Opposition wanted to make people who supplied alcohol to minors accountable for their actions.

    “They will place the onus on parents and guardians to be responsible, to ensure their children and those children in their care, drink responsibly or not at all.”

    Source: http://www.bunburymail.com.au/story/1577483/adults-could-face-charges-for-supplying-alcohol-to-minors/?cs=12

    Experts suggest that parents of teenagers abide by a few rules when it comes to alcohol:

    • Talk with teenagers about the family’s history of alcohol or drug use. There’s a genetic component to alcoholism and teens should know if they’re at greater risk of problems.
    • Give your children one-on-one time with the doctor so that they can learn about the physical effect alcohol may be having on their bodies from a professional rather than just from a “nagging” parent.
    • Set a firm policy: No alcohol, drugs, or tobacco until the legal drinking age of 18.
    • Never host a teenage party with drugs or alcohol. The liability is potentially enormous if one of those kids goes out and kills himself or others and who would want that on their conscience, not to mention the effect that would have on your teen.
    • Show your kids how to use alcohol responsibly by example – you can have a beer or two but don’t get drunk.

     

  • Parents Urged To Address Dangerous Drinking Culture among Youth

    A leading health expert has urged parents in Western Australia to communicate with their children better about alcohol. Now more than ever before alcohol problems and binge drinking are an issue plaguing WA youth, they are drinking from a younger age and doing so with the intention of getting drunk. Now health experts are advising parents to talk to their children about alcohol to help alleviate some of these issues.

    Apparently parents that talk to their children about alcohol can positively influence their drinking behaviour and choices, according to Mike Daube, the director of the McCusker Centre for Action on Alcohol and Youth. According to Mike Daube, parents are vitally influential in their children’s lives. Parents who question how much they can really do to help their teenagers when it comes to alcohol problems should be aware that talking to your children about alcohol and drugs actually does have an impact on their behaviour.

    But the Professor warns that it isn’t only what parents say that matters, what they do is just as important. Parents need to understand that they set the most important example. If children see their parents abusing alcohol, they are likely to follow this example.

    This post from WAtoday.com.au explains:

    “There are two things that matters – it’s what parents say and do. If parents keep finding ways to talk with them and show the way by example – children will be much more likely to pay attention.”

    John Rogerson, CEO of the Australian Drug Foundation, said working with parent groups had revealed more information was needed to help parents broach the conversation.

    To mark Drug Action Week on Monday, the ADF released a new website to help parents talk openly with their children about alcohol and drugs.

    “Drugs are often still a taboo subject within families. We want to make it easier for parents to feel comfortable enough to initiate the conversation about alcohol and drugs, and feeling informed is a big part of that,” Mr Rogerson said.

    Professor Daube said WA had one of the worst youth-drinking cultures in the country, which was why it was so important for parents to be involved.

    The tip of the iceberg is that every day in WA, one child under the age of 18 years is so drunk that someone has to call an ambulance,” he said.

    Read more: http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/parents-can-change-was-dangerous-youth-drinking-culture-20130616-2oc97.html#ixzz2WScyYANJ

    The Professor goes on to warn that youths who fell under the most concerning bracket were found to be pre-loading and going out and getting drunk. Pre-loading is a problematic practice whereby people load up on alcohol at home before heading out on the town in an effort to save money and get more drunk.

    The Professor also said that the way alcohol is being advertised is promoting it to youth like never before, which is why parent’s need to take an even more active role in their children’s lives. Professor Daube said WA had a “very significant problem” when it came to underage drinking and parents need to act in order to have a positive effect on their children.

     

  • Parents Beware of Giving Alcohol to your Kids

    Alarmingly research in Australia has revealed that most teenagers who drink aren’t buying their own alcohol but are most often being given alcohol by their parents.

    Parents may believe that giving alcohol to teens is a way of actually keeping them out of trouble by encouraging them to drink in their presence rather than behind their back, parents need to realise the physical effects of alcohol on a developing adolescent.

    The culture of binge drinking has become an extremely problematic one in Oz, with most teenagers drinking to unacceptable levels causing them to engage in dangerous activities which threaten their health and wellbeing, but what is even more concerning is that most of these teen binge drinkers are actually obtaining alcohol from an adult rather than buying it from RSA staff themselves.

    Something parents should remember is that binge drinking may not seem dangerous now but in addition to serious immediate and long term health effects, it can lead to the use of other drugs. It is commonly referred to as a “gateway drug” because it can open the door for other illicit drugs such as marijuana, cocaine and heroin.

    Alcohol is a drug that works directly on the central nervous system. Studies show that alcohol kills more male teenagers and young men than any other drug taken to affect mood and behaviour including heroin, cocaine and marijuana.

    Numerous studies have in the past discovered strong links between drinking early in life (ie. adolescence) and becoming a binge drinker later in life, many of whom progress on to alcohol addictions.

    In teens whose bodies are still developing and do not have any alcohol tolerance the problem of alcohol poisoning is particularly rife and potentially deadly. It is caused by alcohol slowing down the body’s functions such as breathing, heart rate, and gag reflex, thereby potentially leading to choking, coma, stopped breathing, stopped heart, and death.

    Waiters, bartenders, liquor store attendants etc. should ensure that they are not contributing to any of these teenage problems by asking everyone who looks under 23 for their proof of age and denying service to any underage patrons.

    Parents who demonstrate responsible behaviour and drink moderately and responsibly are the best teachers for children to learn good drinking habits, conversely parents who abuse alcohol and get out of hand every time they drink are likely to pass on bad habits to their kids.

    Not convinced? Then consider these damaging effects on youth:

    • Young, under developed organs can literally be poisoned by alcohol.
    • The liver can be damaged irreparably. It takes a few days for it to recover and to get back to normal functioning after a ‘session’ of binge drinking
    • A session of binge drinking can cause the heart beat to be so irregularly that it can stop.
    • The body can drop its temperature and suffer hypothermia. Every year some teens die when they get drunk and pass out in the freezing cold.
    • Too little sugar in the body can cause coma and seizures.
    • Breathing can become so shallow or slow that it can stop.
    • Disturbingly, one of the most common occurrences resulting in teen death from alcohol is when they choke on the own vomit because they are unconscious and breathe in the vomit. The body doesn’t get the oxygen needed resulting in brain damage and death.

     

  • Binge Drinking Death Toll Too High

    I recently came across an article on the British Guardians website which highlighted the extremely high death toll attributed to binge drinking.

    According to the article in 2011-2012 there were over 1.2 million alcohol related hospital admissions in England, which is more than double the admissions a decade ago.

    There has also been a wopping 500 per cent increase in deaths from liver cirrhosis caused by alcohol abuse in the last 4 decades in that country. These problematic drinking trends are largely mimicked in countries such as Australia, where similar binge drinking problems have been identified.

    Alcohol costs the British economy around £25bn each year (more than Aus$39billion) because of the huge impact on health, crime, societal woes, workplace and family problems. It has also been found to further entrench health and social inequalities.

    These are some of the other findings, as reported on www.guardian.co.uk

    The most socially and economically deprived have up to 10 times greater alcohol-related mortality and admissions to hospital. Approximately a third of all A&E attendances are alcohol-related, reaching up to 80% at weekends. Something has to be done.

    Traditionally, we associate alcohol-related harm with the middle-aged, and it is true that this age group, especially men, have the highest rates of liver disease. However, liver specialists are now caring for teenagers with cirrhosis, or life-threatening necrosis of the pancreas, after just five years of sustained, heavy binge drinking.

    Young women are especially vulnerable, since they have less body water than men, resulting in higher blood alcohol concentrations for the same amount of alcohol drunk. I have seen five women in their 20s die from cirrhosis due to alcohol.

    Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jun/03/alcohol-killing-many-minimum-unit-pricing

    The article also describes the risks of heavy drinking on the health of drinkers, which includes high blood pressure, increased risk of strokes and developing cancer. There are extremely high and unacceptable numbers of young people, still in the 30s with permanent alcohol induced brain damage according to the article. These people require long term, supervised care which in addition to be highly expensive, there is a major shortage of.

    Over the last decade an ease of availability of alcohol has led to increased abuse and subsequent social problems. Whereas before people went to a bar or pub to buy alcohol, now they need only venture as far as their local supermarket, where also is also being discounted so that customers are more encouraged to buy. Just like in Oz were a bottle of water can cost more than alcohol, alcohol in Britain is cheaper than bottled water and is almost 45 per cent more affordable now than it was in the early eighties.

    The article goes on to explain:

    The introduction of a 50p minimum unit price in England could bring a nearly 7% reduction in average alcohol consumption and prevent more than 3,000 alcohol-related deaths and 98,000 hospital admissions each year. In addition, it could reduce annual alcohol-related crimes by more than 40,000, including 10,500 violent crimes.

    In British Columbia in Canada, a 10% increase in alcohol prices led to a 32% reduction in alcohol-related deaths and a 22% fall in the consumption of higher strength beers.

    Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jun/03/alcohol-killing-many-minimum-unit-pricing