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  • Parents Are Still The Main Source of Alcohol to Children

    Alarmingly, despite repeated health warnings parents are still the main source of alcohol for high school students.

    Health warnings about the harmful effects of drinking on children are being ignored by parents who are giving their underaged children alcohol.

    A surprising 43 per cent of children between 12 and 17 years old were given their last alcoholic drink by a parent compared to 17 per cent who said an adult friend provided the alcohol.The revelation was made by the Australian Secondary School Students’ Alcohol and Other Drug Study.

    According to Richard Mattick, a professor at the University of NSW’s National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, there is no rationale for giving alcohol to minors.

    While most parents think they can teach their kids to drink responsibly, there is not a single study throughout the world that shows this to be the case when parents supply alcohol to their underage children but instead studies show this increases their drinking.  See more https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/parents-main-source-of-alcohol-for-children-ignoring-health-warnings-20190412-p51dq1.html

  • Study Links Alcohol and Obesity to Breast Cancer

    According to health experts from the University of NSW, regular consumption of alcohol and excessive weight gain are major factors in the development of breast cancer.

    The scientists predicted that by 2030 excessive alcohol and weight gain will be responsible for about 30,000 cases of breast cancer.

    Researchers found that drinking alcohol will contribute to 13 per cent of breast cancer cases in pre-menopausal women. They also predict obesity will contribute to another 13 per cent of future preventable cases.

    The University of NSW study found that breast cancer risk increased with 1 standard drink per day while there have been other studies that found the risk increases with any amount of alcohol.

    Read more at https://thenewdaily.com.au/life/wellbeing/2019/03/28/breast-cancer-risk-advice/

  • Alcohol Licensee Gets Life Ban

    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/

  • New Report Uncovers Extent of Alcohol Abuse Problem in Regional Australia

    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

  • Alcohol Consumption More Dangerous for Young Adults than Thought

    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

  • Bullied Teens Turn to Alcohol and Drugs to Cope

    A survey conducted by ReachOut found that alcohol was being used to cope with bullying by teenagers and young adults.

    There have been renewed calls for bullying to be recognised as a national health problem after ReachOut found that 16 per cent of people between the ages of 14 and 25 used drugs and alcohol to deal with bullying.

    Ashley de Silva, ReachOut CEO, said the number of young people drinking and taking drugs to self-medicate was really concerning, as it could be a fast track to more serious issues including binge drinking, drink driving and unprotected sex.

    As servers of alcohol it’s important we understand the dangers of serving alcohol to underage patrons. Ask for a photo ID as proof of age, although the legal drinking age is 18, you should check the photo IDs of any young adult. This is a major part of Responsible Service of Alcohol.

    Source: https://probonoaustralia.com.au/news/2019/03/drugs-alcohol-coping-mechanism-bullied-teens/

  • Doctors Say Working Australian Mums Seeking Help for Drinking

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

    Experts say the gap between how much males drink compared with females is narrowing and more and more mothers are asking doctors for help, as they “self-medicate” with alcohol.

    Although more women are seeking help for alcohol problems, they aren’t going to AA Meetings like people did in the past, modern mums tend to favour online forums and private home based detox programs to get their drinking under control.

    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

  • Medications You shouldn’t Mix with Alcohol

    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/

  • Alcohol Delivery for Teenagers A Concern

    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

  • The Damaging Effects of Drinking Everyday for a Month

    Although we’ve heard about the benefits of drinking moderately, research has emerged that shows drinking everyday for a month can have devastating effects on the body.

    The rule of thumb seems to be, to have at least one day a week when you abstain from alcohol completely.

    Here’s what happens to the body when we drink every single day for a month according to Dr Andrew Thornber, chief medical officer at Now Patient.

    1. Your risk of cancer of the liver, mouth, throat, voice box and oesophagus is increased as well as the risk of colon and rectum cancer. In women it increases the risk of breast cancer.
    2. Heavy drinking can cause high blood pressure, irregular heart beat and in the most severe cases it can lead to sudden death from heart failure.
    3. Too much alcohol causes weight gain because as we’ve discussed in the past, alcohol is high in calories. Excess weight increases our high blood pressure risk and can lead to diabetes.
    4. Sexually transmitted diseases is another risk because when we’re drunk we’re more likely to engage in dangerous sexual encounters. Being drunk actually lowers our inhibitions and increases risk taking behaviour.
    5. It causes your kidneys to overwork and produce more urine to get rid of the alcohol.

    Source: https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/1052655/drinking-alcohol-effects-damage-heart-weight-gain-sexual-health