Tag: Responsible Service of Alcohol

The former licensee of a club in Sydney has been given a lifetime ban from the liquor industry for multiple licence breaches including allowing cocaine use at the venue.

According to The NSW Independent Liquor & Gaming Authority the licensee had exhibited one of the worst records of non-compliance ever. In addition to the ban he also received a $10,000 fine.

He was also banned permanently from entering the venue.

The authority said life bans were for the most serious offenders and that this particular case was an example of a blatant disregard for the law by allowing a culture of indecent conduct and illegal drug use.

Read more at: https://www.theshout.com.au/news/life-ban-for-licensee-over-sex-acts-and-cocaine-use/

A recent report found drug and alcohol deaths in regional Australia has hit an all time high, increasing by 41 per cent in a decade to 2017. This is in contrast to the 16 per cent spike in major cities. Although researchers attribute most of these to opiod overdoses, alcohol is also playing a role.

The report also found a rise in the rate of people seeking help for drugs and alcohol problems in remote communities between 2016 and 2017. These people were likely to travel one hour or more to receive to treatment.

The report also revealed people in remote and regional areas are more likely to smoke, drink heavily, use drugs and avoid exercise.

Source: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-15/report-uncovers-burden-of-drugs-alcohol-regional-australia/10901032

A new study suggests that alcohol consumption for young adults may be more harmful than previously thought.

Although we know that moderate alcohol consumption is actually good for you, those studies proving its usefulness were concentrated on people 50 years and older.

The study published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs found that one third of deaths form alcohol occur among young adults between 20 and 49.

This study only cements the viewpoint that alcohol should always be consumed moderately, especially in young adults who tend to binge drink more than other age groups.

See more at https://www.livescience.com/64896-alcohol-consumption-harmful-age.html

Australian health experts say Australian mums are increasingly seeking help for drinking.

According to the study by Tim Slade from the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, women are drinking alot more than they did in the past and come close to the amount consumed by men.

Read more https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-02/australian-working-mums-ask-for-help-to-cut-back-booze-doctors/10847188

Although some people swear by a hot toddy to cure a cold, experts say the mixture of alcohol and common prescription drugs can be dangerous.

In a Readers Digest article Aaron White, PhD, senior advisor to the director of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) said that the number of Americans ending up in the emergency room each year for alcohol and drug interaction is increasing.

Here are the notable medications that shouldn’t be mixed with alcohol,

• Opioid based painkillers such as oxycodone. Mixing with alcohol has shown a 50% reduction in breathing within the first 30 minutes.
• Sleeping pills. Benzodiazepines such as Valium and Xanax when mixed with alcohol can affect the central nervous system.
• Anti-depressants. When combined with alcohol, a compound found in beer and red wine can create a dangerous spike in your blood pressure.

Other examples include allergy medicine, Acetaminophen, cold medicine, blood pressure medicine and antibiotics.

Read more at https://www.rd.com/health/wellness/medications-never-mix-alcohol/

Concerns are mounting over teenagers ordering alcohol online.

Some of the websites delivering alcohol to homes are Airtasker, Jimmy Brings and Liquoroo which require a credit card and a smart phone.

Although the law requires users to be over the age of 18, some accounts can be made with fake birthdays which don’t require verification and the service requires delivery drivers to check ID upon arrival.

According to a NSW Office of Liquor and Gaming spokesman a range of controls are in place to regulate online liquor sales and sellers must follow a strict set of procedures. The spokesperson reminded businesses that it is an offence for alcohol ordered online to be delivered to a minor.

The office is currently focusing on regulation of online and home delivery alcohol sales.

One solution would be to ensure delivery drivers complete Responsible Service of Alcohol training so they can understand how to sell alcohol in a responsible way and the consequences for not doing so.

Read more http://www.kiis1011.com.au/newsroom/plans-to-crack-down-on-alcohol-delivery-services-selling-booze-to-teens

If your drinking is a little out of control or maybe you’re planning to cut down for health reasons, it’s not easy but there are some things you can do to make it a little simpler,

1. Create a support network around yourself. This can help keep you accountable and help you stay on track.

Locals in Pilbara are angry with alcohol restrictions which they call inconvenient and ineffective, however WA’s liquor chief says he will remain open to modifying tough new laws in the Pilbara region if needed.

Locals took to social media to vent their frustrations at the restrictions to be introduced region-wide from the end of March.

The industry is concerned about the cost of red tape to businesses for them to comply with the new restrictions. There are also fears that it may harm tourism.

Read more at https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-16/pilbara-divided-over-harsh-new-alcohol-curbs/10716626

Experts at VicHealth, Cancer Council Victoria and the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE), say teenagers’ exposure to alcohol advertising encourages them to participate in “risky drinking” behaviour.

Although alcohol advertising on television has shrunk dramatically, a recent study of thousands of Australian high school students over more than 10 years has found that teenagers are still being exposed to about 9 alcohol advertisements a month and that this was encouraging risky drinking.

The research has resulted in renewed calls to ban alcohol advertisements on television during sport, which is only restricted after 6pm on weekends and public holidays, outside these times, alcohol advertising is permitted even during times considered to be “children’s viewing hours”.