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Binge Drinking

InSITE reporter Shae Courtney reviews recent research into the government's campaign to reduce youth binge drinking (illustration by Sarah Ray www.sarahray.co.uk)

A recent study by the University of Bath states that the government’s campaign against binge drinking, “Know Your Limits”, is completely flawed.

Two weeks ago, Dr. Andrew Bengry-Howell gave a lecture at London’s Institute of Education on his findings about binge drinking. The report’s findings concluded that young people especially, thought that the number of recommended units of alcohol per week were “unrealistically low.” My opinion would be that young people, and to an extent older generations too, know that drinking too much harms the body, but are ultimately powerless to stop it occurring. Why the young and old are powerless to stop themselves from drinking too much depends on a variety of different outside influences.

My opinion would be that young people, and to an extent older generations too, know that drinking too much harms the body

Firstly, I think young people are more informed now than they have ever been in the past. Through education in schools, the youth population of today knows full well that too much alcohol is bad. So why do thousands of young people repeatedly drink over the recommended amount? The answer lies within human nature. A lot of young people drink to excess at parties, in town and with their friends because they like the sensation. Like smoking, silly as it may seem, the sensation that excess alcohol consumption brings is often addictive.

Secondly, older generations – the ones that “should know better” – drink to excess because they don’t know exactly what the government classes as binge drinking. Small as it may seem, the government classes binge drinking as just seven units for women or eleven units for men. In layman terms, this equates to just five medium strength cans of beer, cider or lager for men and for women about five glasses of medium strength wine. Many middle class professionals drink this amount or more in one night and this is nothing new. For the past thirty or forty years, the middle class in particularly has drunk alcohol in these amounts for extended periods of time. Only now are we beginning to see the effects of a lifetime of overindulgence.

Dr. Bengry-Howell likened the current government campaign to the “Just Say No” campaign that was pioneered by First Lady Nancy Reagan in the 1980s and that came to the UK in 1986. Whilst the campaign was seen as a success in the United States, a similar fate was not shared in Britain. Dr. Bengry-Howell would rather like to see a campaign that accepts the existence of binge drinking in British society and advises rather than dictates to would-be “bingers.”

Editors response to Shae Courtney’s article

It is against the law for anyone under 18 to buy alcohol in a pub, off-licence, supermarket or other outlet.

In response to this article I would like to say that I think Shae has taken a very soft approach from the point of view of a binge drinker. To say that “young and old are powerless to stop themselves from drinking too much” is simply not true. Advice and information on alcohol consumption, units and daily limits is readily available on the internet, from doctors surgeries, youth centres and via helplines and we are warned of the dangers of drinking on a daily basis. Provided you are 18 or over drinking alcohol is a matter of choice and how much you consume is entirely up to you.

I don’t think it’s fair to say “The answer lies within human nature”, it’s true that teenagers are much more likely to take risks but we weren’t born with an addiction to alcohol. British consumerist culture plays a large part in normalising our excessive consumption of alcohol, many of us think it is acceptable to overindulge ourselves on a regular basis.

There is a large competitive element within the social drinking scene, particularly amongst young drinkers. People win respect from piers for their ability to ‘handle their drink’ when in reality they are drinking way beyond their limit. I have seen young men being congratulated by their friends for continuing to drink after having already vomited from the effects of binge drinking. Often we find the behaviour of a very drunk person quite humorous. When an intoxicated young woman gets onto a table to dance, flashes her breasts at onlookers and then falls off the table many of us seem to find it funny. By laughing we are effectively condoning this kind of behaviour and making it ever more acceptable to binge on alcohol and lose all self control.

A large part of our social activity revolves around alcohol. It is almost inevitable that the majority of British young people will find themselves in a situation where they feel pressured into drinking excessive amounts of alcohol at some point in their lives. Young people need to be taught how to deal with these situations when they arise.

Ultimately we need to change our attitude towards alcohol and towards ourselves. As a nation we are lacking in confidence and self - control and have very little respect for our bodies. A well known effect of alcohol is a false sense of confidence, our lack of self-control allows us to give in to pressure & temptation and our disrespect for our bodies means we don’t worry about the damage we are doing to ourselves. Alcohol is a drug that alters your state of mind and body, other drugs that have similar effects are illegal or only available by prescription.

To find out more about the effects of alcohol, how units are measured and your daily limit log onto www.nhs.uk/units.

Help:

If you are worried about the effects alcohol may be having on you or someone you know you can get help and advice from Alcoholics Anonymous by logging onto www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk or call their helpline on 0845 769 7555

Other links:

Local Organisations who can help:

  • CAS - Community Alcohol Services 48 Gaol St, Hereford HR1 2HU Tel: 01432 357825
  • Zig Zag - Young Person's Drug Service Tel: 07966890897 or 07773387714
  • Herefordshire Community Safety and Drugs Partnership Tel: 01432 383523
  • Family Drug Support - Herefordshire Based Charity Tel: 01981 251155
  • Herefordshire Stop Smoking Service Tel: 01432 262019
  • CLD Youth Counselling Trust Tel: 01432 269 245 Web: www.cldyct.org
  • Schools Support Officers
  • Herefordshire Division of West Mercia Police Tel: 01432 364556
  • Connexions - advice to young people Tel: 01432 269404 Web: www.connexions-hw.org.uk
  • For further information or advice on available PSHE resources, please contact:
    Healthy Schools
    Sue Hall, Health Information Centre, Herefordshire PCT (Asda Site), Belmont Road, Hereford HR2  7JE  
    Tel: 01432 382190 Web: www.herefordshirehealthyschools.org.uk

Binge Drinking