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Tag: Binge Drinking

  • Responsible Service of Alcohol: Operation Rushmore rolled out in Sydney CBD over Weekend

    The weekend is one of the worst times for alcohol fuelled crime and binge drinking in Sydney’s CBD and last weekend was no different. Police in the CBD embarked on “Operation Rushmore 4” the latest round of police inspections aimed at rooting out harmful drinking behaviour leading to violence.

    Each night this weekend police patrolled the entertainment districts and licenced venues. The operations yielded 40 arrests and 54 charges were laid against drunk troublemakers.

    These are the types of operations that patrons and licensees should expect in the future and any venues found guilty of Responsible Service of Alcohol breaches will find themselves on the 3 strikes register.

    Police have run special operations targeting alcohol related violence for a number of years, and police are pleased with this weekend’s success.

    Over 260 police officers were on the street carrying out the operation, roaming the streets in order to deter would-be troublemakers with their presence and to catch people displaying anti-social behaviour related to binge drinking.

    According to police, the aim of the operation is to encourage patrons to drink responsibly. Even though police are pleased with this weekend’s results, 43 arrests were still made, totalling 54 charges. Police searched 91 people with another 176 moved on from trouble spots.

    Officers from the Highway patrol conducted in excess of 1400 random breath tests, with 400 infringement notices being handed out

    Read more about the operation with this post from TheShout.com.au:

    Over 260 police officers were deployed each night of the weekend in the latest round of Operation Rushmore, the NSW Police initiative to target alcohol-related violence in Sydney’s CBD.

    From Friday to Sunday nights police inspected licensed premises and patrolled key areas, arresting 40 people and laying 54 charges “against a number of people who, as a result of the excessive consumption of alcohol, caused trouble and committed a number of violent offences” said acting superintendent Tony Bell in a statement yesterday.

    The activity concentrated on the entertainment precincts at The Rocks, George St, Oxford St and Kings Cross and is the fourth round of Operation Rushmore.

    Previous operations have also resulted in multiple venues being added to the NSW ‘3-Strikes’ register.

    Source: http://www.theshout.com.au/2013/02/18/article/Police-swarm-Sydney-in-latest-crackdown/IPXDYWUDBV.html

    Although pleased with the outcome of the operation, police are still concerned about the number of young people roaming the streets, “looking for trouble”. This is even more worrying than the adults that were found because it indicates that young people are starting at an even earlier age to abuse alcohol and cause trouble.  Police found a number of these young people roaming the streets. 11 young persons were detained and assisted home, the youngest one of them being only 13 years old.

    Police are expected to continue these types of operations with the support and backing of the government and the public who are sick and tired of the alcohol fuelled violence in the entertainment districts. Police are confident that with continued operations they will be able to positively impact the safety in these districts and make them safer for all patrons, with licensees and their staff also playing an vital role in controlling binge drinking by monitoring how much alcohol patrons are served.

     

  • Drinking Mirror shows People the Ugly Effects of Drinking

    In an attempt to use vanity to deter people from drinking too much, the Scottish government is using what they call a drinking mirror to show people the effects of binge drinking on their looks. The mirror is an excellent way to show what alcohol is doing to you on the outside because most people ignore the effects of excessive drinking on their inside.

    The mirror takes a before picture of the person as they look now and then shows the gradual physical effects on their face caused by excessive alcohol consumption. The campaign launched by the Scottish government advocates that people abstain from alcohol at least 2 days a week.

    Read what the post on NYDailyNews.com had to say:

    A public campaign called Healthier Scotland has unveiled a photo tool that simulates the aging effects of drinking on a person’s face over 10 years.

    The so-called “drinking mirror,” which is available as a web or smart phone app, allows a user to upload a current photo and then plug in their weekly alcohol intake. The photo calculates what that person’s face would like 10 years later if they are heavy drinkers or teetotalers.

    Heavy drinkers see “deeper wrinkles, red cheeks and weight gain,” the sight explains. Those who stay clear of alcohol see far fewer changes in their face over time, the simulation tool suggests.

    The campaign urges people to “drop a glass size” or cut back on their drinking.

    U.S. health officials have recommended that women have no more than one drink daily and men should have only two.

    The “Healthier Scotland” campaign also suggests that people abstain from alcohol completely at least two days a week.

    The dramatic visuals of the “drinking mirror” didn’t convince everyone.

    “I just don’t take it seriously,” a woman out drinking with friends told NBC’s Today show.. “How can it take into effect your genes, other things that you do in life, how much you work out, how much you don’t work out?”

    Read more or follow the link to watch a video demonstration of how the mirror works:

    http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/drinking-mirror-shows-users-effects-drinking-10-years-article-1.1238779#ixzz2HxFLU7124

    Drinking in moderation is really the only way to ensure that your looks, as well as your health aren’t negatively affected by alcohol. Drinking in itself is not bad, in fact studies have shown that drinking in moderation is actually good for your health.

    Wine in particular when consumed in moderation had been shown to reduce the risk of a heart attack. Evidence collected by The Harvard School for Public Health suggests that moderate wine drinkers suffering from high blood pressure are 30 per cent less likely to have a heart attack than non-wine drinkers. Wine has been proven to promote longevity and be good for women as well in preventing osteoporosis.

    Anything consumed in excess is bad for you, whether it be alcohol or your favourite junk food, the key to long life and health is to consume in moderation.

     

  • Binge Drinking Linked to Alcohol Abuse

    It is no surprise that binge-drinking can lead to alcohol addiction but now there is a study that proves binge drinking may reduce the ability to control alcohol intake.

     

    Researchers at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) conducted the experiment with rats but could have implications for better treatment of alcoholism in human beings. It may also help scientists understand addictive behaviour in humans.

     

    Scientists believe that this early adaptation of the brain to intermittent alcohol use facilitates the move from social drinker to alcohol addict.

     

    Basically alcohol dependence causes changes in the brains such as overactivity of stress-related circuits and a weakening of the prefrontal executive control circuits that normally act as a brake on emotional reactions and impulsive behaviour.

     

    The research confirmed that the rats with intermittent access to alcohol drank drastically more alcohol than those with continuous access after only six weeks.

     

    Binge drinking in the rats showed lowered memory which is an element of executive control and showed withdrawal symptoms which can be likened to cravings in humans.

     

    What can be deduced by this study is that binge drinking is more dangerous to human health than moderate regularly drinking.

     

  • RSA Update: Beware of Binge Drinking

    Responsible Servers know that serving alcohol to an already intoxicated person is a recipe for disaster however not many understand the dangers that binge drinking can have on a person, both immediate and long term.

    One night of binge drinking has the potential to change a person’s life for ever so drinkers need to be aware of the dangers beforehand in order to overcome them. The problem of drinking too much on a single occasion not only increases the person’s risk of contracting alcohol relating sickness but can also result in a number of serious consequences for the person and possibly those around them.

    It is recommended by experts that adults drink no more than 4 standard drinks in any single occasion however most people rarely stop at 4. Alcohol is not the enemy, but people need to consume it responsibly.

    Drinkers that indulge in binge drinking can not only develop negative side effects on their health but can cause injury to others. Some of the health effects that binge drinkers can expect to experience are hangovers, nausea, vomiting, memory loss, physical injury to yourself or others, alcohol poisoning. Young people and teenagers are particularly at risk of these side effects if they binge drink because alcohol lowers their inhibitions resulting in generally riskier behaviour. Some have even been known to indulge in criminal activities while drunk which they ordinarily would never involve themselves in.