RSA Course Online

Tag: Responsible Service of Alcohol

  • New “Booze-Pill” to cut Effects of Alcohol

    Researchers from The University of California claim to have created a pill that can not only reduce the visible effects of intoxication but can actually lower blood alcohol content and therefore reduce liver damage caused by excessive drinking.

    The miracle “booze pill” study was published in the Nature Nanotechnology journal recently and documented how scientists combined 2 enzymes and tested their ability to act as an alcohol prophylactic and antidote.

    The study was conducted on mice that were given a combination of the enzymes. The mice recorded lower blood-alcohol content over time. Although human beings are different to mice, the study has been used to develop the “booze pill” which it is hoped will have similar results on humans.

    Read what this post on Yahoo News reported on the new pill:

    In a study published in the Nature Nanotechnology journal today, scientists combined two enzymes and tested their ability to act as an alcohol prophylactic and antidote. Intoxicated mice given a combination of the enzymes recorded lower blood-alcohol content over time.

    Researchers from the University of California found the blood-alcohol concentration reduced 10.1 per cent 45 minutes after the alcohol intake, by 31.8 per cent at 90 minutes and 36.8 per cent at three hours – compared with smaller reductions when the mice were given alcohol followed by just one of the enzymes.

    To test the pill’s antidote potential, the team injected intoxicated mice with the two enzymes 30 minutes later. The mice were found to have healthier livers and a significant reduction in blood-alcohol concentration, compared with those injected with one enzyme.

    Research author Yunfeng Lu said the work suggested that the artificially produced “nanocomplexes” could provide a method for preventing liver injury arising from the over-consumption of alcohol.

    “Excessive consumption and abuse of alcohol are associated with a range of organ injuries and social problems,” Professor Lu said.

    Source: http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/breaking/16163205/tablet-cuts-effects-of-alcohol/

    But drinkers shouldn’t get too excited about the prospect of drinking to their hearts content without any consequences. According to WA Professor, Mike Daube from the McCusker Centre for Action in Alcohol and Youth, the drug is still a speculative concept and cannot be hailed as the answer to society’s drinking problems. According to the professor the problem of excessive drinking is a theoretical one rather than scientific and mice are very different from human beings so it is not guaranteed that the same results will repeated in people.

    In the immediate future, the Professor suggests in the article that tackling the issues of alcohol pricing and accessibility are more important than addressing long term drinking. He also warned that most experimental pills seldom go beyond the laboratory, so relying on this “booze-pill” is not the answer.

    Fostering a culture of responsible drinking is the only way that we are going to achieve a solution to the alcohol fuelled social problems in Oz. One of the ways to do this is by enforcing responsible service of alcohol laws. Don’t serve alcohol to underage patrons or patrons that are unduly intoxicated. Promote responsible drinking in your bar or pub by encouraging people to drink in moderation and not to drink and drive.

     

  • Drink Drivers Cars to be fitted with Interlock

    All drink driver’s cars will be fitted with interlock devices at their own cost under a new reform of Vic’s road laws.  The crackdown on drink drivers is expected to catch about 17,000 motorists a year who exceed the legal alcohol limit. This is a serious issue in a state where 20 to 30 per cent of road deaths are a result of drunk drivers.

    The interlocks stop the car’s engine from starting if the driver drinks over the legal limit and attempts to drive.

    The Herald Sun newspaper conducted a survey into whether citizens were in favour of the new reforms of not and 83 per cent consented to the increased use of interlocks. The survey convinced the State Government of the public’s support of the interlocks and toughening drink driving laws.

    The interlock costs the driver around $400 to install and $160 a month to maintain and also requires the driver to undertake a re-test while driving, cost and inconvenience that I’m sure everyone wants to avoid. And by forcing users to pay, it was a deterrent to drink driving because nobody wants to part with their own money. Use of the interlock device costs $1049 for six months and over a four year period it would cost the person $6509. If a driver attempts to start the vehicle while drunk and the car doesn’t start, the attempt is still recorded. This is an important deterrent as authorities believe that most drink drivers are repeat offenders of will be. In fact 30 per cent of drink drivers will attempt to drink drive again.

    Read what this post by HeraldSun.com.au had to say about the issue:

    “This will also bring about a strong cultural change and it will save lives,” Mr Ryan told Fairfax Radio today.

    “People get killed on our roads not because of accidents – it happens because people make poor choices and the issue here is do not drink and drive.”

    The law will apply to all drink-drivers, unless they are able to convince a court “exceptional circumstances” exist in their case.

    Interlocks protect not only the community and would-be drink-drivers, but the drink-drivers from themselves

    Work has already started on drafting the legislation and the Government will enact it as soon as possible.

    “Some may argue these are harsh penalties for drink-drivers,” Mr Ryan said.

    “But people should remember interlocks aim to stop more families from suffering the pain of losing loved ones. Interlocks protect not only the community and would-be drink-drivers, but the drink-drivers from themselves.”

    Currently, only repeat offenders, drivers who blow more than .15, and those aged under 26 who blow .07 or more have interlocks fitted.

    The duration ranges from six months to four years depending on the blood alcohol reading and on whether the driver is a repeat offender.

    Read the full story at: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/toughest-clamp-on-drink-drivers-since-booze-bus/story-fnat79vb-1226584586165

    592914-interlock-device

    This infographic from HeraldSun.com explains more about the interlock:

    Source: HeraldSun.com

    Recognising the signs that indicate intoxication is vital to people who serve alcohol because as an RSA worker you want to ensure you do not contribute to the problem of drink driving or any other form alcohol fuelled misconduct. The RSA Course is the first step in ensuring your contribution to safer and healthier Australia by helping you recognise your responsibilities and duties according to the law and how to carry them out. If you notice a person is unduly intoxicated or has had a significant amount of alcohol, encourage them to take public transport home or call them a taxi.

     

  • New Website to Educate Teens about Alcohol

    Out tonight? Party Right

    A new website has been launched to hopefully educate teenagers about the dangers of binge drinking. The website launched by the State Government is trying to spike the interest of youngsters in Narromine and Trangie by helping them discover and understand the potential consequences of drinking alcohol. Dubbo MP Troy Grant is alerting senior high school students to the creation of www.partyright.nsw.edu.au

    The program was developed by the Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing and the Department of Education and Communities and is aligned with the NSW school curriculum. The website’s lessons include video games and guide to learning “how to have fun, celebrate safely and stay on the right side of the law”

    Read more about the new program below with an article from www.narrominenewsonline.com.au

    In highlighting the website to the community, Mr Grant said he was not being approached by concerned constituents.

    “However, given my background in policing and my current role as a member of the legislative assembly committee’s public hearings into under-age drinking, I am aware of a growing trend in this issue,” he said.

    “The drinking of alcohol by minors causes serious risk to their brain development and puts their general safety at considerable risk.

    “That is why I support any effort to promote awareness and deter underage drinking wherever possible.”

    Mr Grant said the online program’s lesson topics included binge drinking and partying, sexual activity and alcohol, and drinking and your health.

    NSW minister for hospitality George Souris launched the website this month and committed the government to implementing measures to help reduce high-risk drinking and alcohol-related assaults.

    “Our whole-of-government approach includes strong regulation of licensed venues, including targeting irresponsible venue operators through our Three Strikes disciplinary scheme,” he said.

    Source: http://www.narrominenewsonline.com.au/story/1319578/website-to-focus-on-downside-of-teenage-drinking/?cs=1238

    Statistics show that around 90 per cent of Australian teenagers have tried alcohol at least once. Some of the worst case scenarios that can result from teen drinking is binge drinking, drink driving and unsafe sex which is why abstinence is best for teenagers. Not only are teens at risk of teenage pregnancy, contracting STDs, being involved in drink driving crashes and other violence but they are also damaging their health which could have long term consequences.

    Especially in Australia teenage consumption of alcohol is tolerated as socially acceptable but it should be remembered that it is still a drug. It should be noted that alcohol is responsible for most drug-related deaths in the teenage population in Oz and many other countries.

    Additionally alcohol can be associated with a variety of serious health risks which for a teenagers developing body can be detrimental.  It’s difficult to prevent teenagers from experimenting with alcohol, but parents can encourage sensible drinking habits, especially if they are going provide the alcohol.

    According to the minister educating teenagers about responsible drinking and safe attitudes toward alcohol is important in educating the next generation and safe guarding them against alcohol related harm, that is plaguing this generation. Hopefully initiatives such as these will help teenagers make better decisions when it comes to alcohol and help RSA staff fulfil their responsibilities in not serving alcohol to minors.

     

  • Alcohol Suspected in Car Wreck in which 5 were injured

     

    A woman whose state of mind was impaired by alcohol is alleged to have been the cause of a car crash in which 5 people were injured. The woman crossed the centre line of the road, going over onto oncoming traffic and striking another vehicle. The woman was also travelling over the speed limit and according to police was not wearing her seatbelt. In addition to being injured herself, the driver also caused the injuries of other innocent road users, an example of the real cost of drink driving, in addition to the financial costs of fines and penalties.

    Read about the accident below with a post from www.news-record.com:

    Eden police said they suspect a woman was impaired from drinking alcohol when she crossed the center line and crashed into another vehicle Thursday evening, injuring herself and four other people.

    Eden police said Rhonda Reid Wood, 49, of Eden was driving her Chevy Malibu above the speed limit west in the 100 block of East Aiken Road about 7 p.m. when she crossed the center line and struck a Toyota Camry.

    Wood and the driver of the Camry, a 29-year-old Eden woman, were taken by helicopter to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem. Wood was listed in serious condition Friday morning. The driver of the Camry had been released from the hospital.

    The three passengers in the Camry — a 36-year-old man, a 7-year-old girl and a 12-year-old boy — were taken to Morehead Memorial Hospital in Eden.

    The adult passenger was later released. Information about the children was not immediately available.

    Source: http://www.news-record.com/news/787889-63/number-of-victims-unknown-in

    Although this incident occurred in The USA, similar situations are occurring on a regular basis in Australia and it is a relevant topic because statistics for Oz show that almost all fatal crashes involve drink drivers.

    Responsible service of alcohol employees need to understand the role they play in ensuring patrons do not drink and drive. Not serving too many drinks to the same person and stopping patrons from driving if you are aware that they are intoxicated or over the legal limit are part of a server’s responsibility, whether you are a waiter, bartender or sommelier. Any worker of a licenced venue as well as licensees need to undergo Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) training in order to understand their duties and RSA responsibilities.

    The fact that 30 per cent of all fatal drink drive crashes occur between 9 pm and 3 am on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights indicates that RSA staff need to be extra vigilant at these times, which could be a challenge because bars and pubs are usually most crowded around these times.

    RSA staff should assist patrons that are visibly intoxicated to call for transport home, whether it bea taxi, a friend or family member and encourage them not to drive. If necessary call the transport for them and do your part to keep our roads safe for all Australians.

     

  • Making a Cocktail Dessert

    If there are 2 things that everybody loves its cocktails and dessert. So why not combine the 2 and make something your guests or customers will really enjoy. Jelly shots are basically just vodka and jelly but you could make them with other types of alcohol too. Vodka has a taste that lends itself well to other flavours, so it is most commonly used when making jelly shots.

    Make a lot of different flavours of jelly and they look beautiful with all the colours. Watch this video by a professional mixologist that shows you exactly how to make the perfect jelly shot.

    But be careful when eating them, they are easy to over-do because you feel like you’re having dessert more than drinking, and you could quickly find yourself quite tipsy.

    Link http://youtu.be/obAL3sPcK8E

    Why not prepare your jelly shots in hollowed out fruit skins for a beautiful and professional look. Simply scoop out the flesh from the fruit and pour in the vodka/jelly mixture before freezing in a baking tray so that the fruit stays upright. The result is quite impressive.

    megan_jello_2

    Photo Source: http://kirtsy.com/2011/11/02/fancy-fruit-wedge-jelly-shots-for-grown-ups-how-to/

    megan_jello_3

    Photo Source: http://kirtsy.com/2011/11/02/fancy-fruit-wedge-jelly-shots-for-grown-ups-how-to/

     megan_jello_4

    Photo Source: http://kirtsy.com/2011/11/02/fancy-fruit-wedge-jelly-shots-for-grown-ups-how-to/

     

  • Palm Islanders Launch 580 Separate Appeals in Court against AMPs

    The state government is currently in the midst of reviewing its alcohol management plan (AMP) that will address “sly-grogging” matters as the  AMPsare challenged in the High Court. But Palm islanders are trying beat charges of “sly-grogging” according to an article on TheAustralian.com.au and feel that the alcohol management plans are discriminatory towards them. They have subsequently lodged 580 separate appeals in court in an attempt to avoid fines and jail time.

    The High Court will soon deliver its decision about a case brought to court and argued by Joan Monica Maloney that Alcohol management plans are discriminatory. Should the court rule in Maloney’s favour and find that AMPs are discriminatory in terms of the Commonwealth Racial Discrimination Act, the police may be liable to pay thousands in compensation for all the alcohol they’ve seized as part of the AMPs.

    The police however have called upon the government to maintain the AMPs which it believes are keeping violence and sexual assault somewhat at bay, especially against women and children. The police say if the court rules in Maloney’s favour, the number of women and children abused as result of alcohol will “skyrocket”.

    According to an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service solicitor quoted in the article, the prohibitions contained in the AMPs would just drive the problems to continue underground. While those that lodged the appeals are not arguing that all AMPs were wrong but that the plans legislated were not discussed with the community.

    Read what he and others had to say about the issue from the post on TheAustralian.com.au:

    “There is a huge amount of organised sly-grogging happening on Palm Island. Just about any type of liquor can easily be bought from the sly-groggers,” he told The Courier-Mail.

    “As an example, one can only buy one six-pack of XXXX Gold beer at a time from the only hotel on Palm Island at a cost of $30 … $120 a carton.

    “Sly-groggers will deliver a carton to your door, chilled, for $110 a carton. Compare this with $37.99 a carton and $12.49 a six-pack in Townsville. Sly-groggers therefore have a (huge) profit margin.”

    Only low-strength beer can be legally bought and consumed on Palm Island.

    The office of the Attorney-General, Jarrod Bleijie, confirmed there had been 580 appeals lodged in Townsville District Court relating to charges of sly-grogging..

    “Irrespective of the current High Court challenge it still remains an offence to possess alcohol in a restricted area.

    “Alcohol management plans were introduced as a special measure to reduce violence and increase social cohesion within communities, and that will continue to be the focus of Newman Government programs and services,” Mr Bleijie’s spokesman said.

    Source: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/binge-on-prohibition-appeals-as-high-court-set-to-deliver-alcohol-management-plan-discrimination-rulling/story-e6frg6n6-1226581452927

    Ian Leavers, the police union president has argued that the people of Palm Island have never enjoyed such safety and anyone who believes that the AMPs are discriminatory are not aware of the just much alcohol has devastated these communities in the past.

     

  • 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.

     

  • RSA Update: Does Liquor Outlet Density Affect Residents Health?

    A question that often faces the community and authorities in charge of issuing liquor licences is whether or not the density of liquor outlets and licenced venues in a neighbourhood has an effect on the health of people in that neighbourhood.

    Many believe that the more licenced venues and outlets an area has, the more difficult it is to enforce responsible service of alcohol laws.

    Now new research by the University of Western Australia has determined that people with more liquor outlets in their neighbourhood do in fact have higher levels of harmful/ binge drinking and also suffer from worse mental health that those who live a further distance away from outlets.

    The study funded by Healthway was published in a prestigious online US journal called PLOS One and is important because most research on alcohol outlet density in the past has focused only on violence, crime, safety and vehicle crashes. The findings of the research are particularly significant because it supports the plan by the WA Health Department to establish a healthier WA,part of the plan is to limit the density of alcohol outlets.

    The research found that the rate of alcohol consumption and harmful alcohol consumption in particular increased as the number of alcohol outlets in the neighbourhood also increased. This also has an effect on the mental health of the neighbourhood as well because the study shows that more people had to be treated for anxiety, depression and stress in areas that were more densely filled with liquor outlets.

    What the research proves is that authorities concerns about alcohol outlet density is valid and limiting the number of outlets in a particular area is warranted.

    Read the post below which elaborates on the research from www.news.uwa.edu.au:

    Co-author Associate Professor Lisa Wood, Deputy Director of UWA’s Centre for the Built Environment and Health, said the study reinforced the WA Health Department’s five-year plan for a healthier WA.

    “One of the suggestions in the five-year plan is limiting the density of alcohol outlets,” she said.

    “We found that the average number of standard drinks per day and the rate of harmful alcohol consumption increased for each additional alcohol outlet in a neighbourhood.”

    The researchers also found that the likelihood of being treated in hospital for anxiety, stress or depression increased as the number of alcohol outlets within walking distance (1600m) of home increased.

    “While the association between alcohol outlet density and injury, crime and violence are well documented, this is one of the first studies internationally to specifically look at how this might impact on mental health disorders,” Associate Professor Wood said. 

    The study was based on Department of Health survey data from nearly 7000 Perth-based adults, and used geographical mapping to link this to the location of all licensed alcohol outlets in Perth.

    “Our findings underscore the importance of limiting both the number of liquor store licences and the geographic density of outlets as a way to improve mental health and reduce other alcohol-related harm,” Associate Professor Wood said.

    Source: http://www.news.uwa.edu.au/201301235382/research/health-issues-linked-nearby-liquor-outlets

     

  • Best Way to Get Employed in a Night Spot

    Any person wishing to obtain employment in the nightclub industry must first undergo responsible service of alcohol training.

    All bar staff, managers and licensees must be formally trained in responsible service of alcohol in order to keep the laws that govern the sale of alcohol to customers.

    The consequences of serving unduly intoxicated patrons can go beyond fines for licensees and their staff, people can get hurt and lives can be lost if responsible service of alcohol rules are not applied.

    RSA training will enable servers to understand their obligations in serving liquor responsibly and the types of strategies that can be implemented to make a venue more responsible in its supply of alcohol to customers.

    RSA training applies to any worker in a licenced venue including, licensees; approved managers; staff, including promotional staff, involved in the sale, supply and service of alcohol; volunteers, including club directors, who have liquor service responsibilities and security officers with crowd control duties.

    So the best way to get start a new career as a bartender, waitrons, security staff or even bar manager, in fact any employment in a licenced venues, is to undergo your RSA training. This can be done cheaply and conveniently online and upon successful completion of the course you are issued with a photo card which will permit you to work in a licenced venue anywhere in Oz.

    For more information about how to register visit our homepage.

     

  • Pub Staff and Patrons Fight to Keep Pub Open

    Liquor authorities recently suspended the licence of 2 popular Subiaco night spots after police lodged a complaint against the 2 bars which operate under the same licence at the same property. The action has left around 50 staff in limbo as the venues that employ them face an uncertain future, so do they.

    Police requested that authorities take action against the licensee for breaching licence conditions, although they have not made public what these breaches were. The venues were forced to close despite petitions from staff and patrons.

    The staff are the ones suffering the most because most of them depend on their jobs at the nightclubs for financial survival. Employees are concerned that as the venues are closed they will not get paid and will therefore not be able to pay bills and make ends meet. Some staff may have to be laid off.

    Read an excerpt from a post on Au.News.Yahoo.com that details further the predicament staff of the venues find themselves in:

    On Thursday, director of liquor licensing Barry Sargeant issued a Section 91 order, which suspends the venues’ licence. The order means the Gold Bar and Red Sea cannot trade until the suspension is lifted.

    “This is a very serious situation for the licensee of the venues which employs 40 part-time staff and seven full-time staff,” a spokeswoman for the licensee said.

    “For the majority of staff, their position at the nightclubs represents their only source of income.

    “The nightclub owners will have to assess which staff may need to be laid off.”

    The spokeswoman also said the owners were trying to notify patrons of the situation. Functions, including an Australia Day event, birthday parties, hens’ nights and charity events – have been cancelled.

    Gold Bar bar manager Caleb Bloomer works up to four shifts a week at the venue to support himself as he studies commerce at the University of WA.

    He said staff and patrons had been aware of the complaint since last month and had been signing a petition to keep the nightspot open.

    “It’s come as a bit of a blow to me because, financially, I am trying to support myself and not many places are looking for workers at this time of the year,” Mr Bloomer said.

    Source: http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/wa/15957603/liquor-bans-on-subi-nightspots/

    This story is a very harsh reminder of what can happen if staff and licensees do not enforce Responsible service of alcohol laws. Although it is not known what was the cause of this licence being suspended we can only speculate that since the police were involved it was RSA related.

    Other licenced venue owners and staff should learn a lesson from this incident because the excerpt above points out, while patrons may lose their hangout, staff are the ones who really suffer when licences are suspended or revoked.

    This should encourage staff at other venues to do all they can to reduce the alcohol fuelled violence surrounding their venues, by not serving unduly intoxicated patrons, not serving alcohol to minors and limiting the number of drinks they sell to any one patron, as well as enforcing all other responsible serving rules.

    More about how to serve alcohol responsibly and avoid a similar situation at your venue can be obtained by completing your Responsible Service of Alcohol training. Not only is RSA training mandatory for work in a licenced venue but it will ensure that your source of income (the club or venue that employs you) is protected from similar situations and you and your employer do not hold any legal liability for incidents that occur in the area.