Too much alcohol can turn a great night into a bad one. You can end up going home early. Getting into trouble. Or getting hurt. All of which could change your life for the worse.
Everyone is being encouraged to cut back on how much they drink at home before going out – so-called ‘pre-loading’ or “prinking” – as well as how much they consume when visiting bars, pubs and clubs.
Plenty of people enjoy going out and having a few drinks, but if you fail to recognise when it’s time to call it a night, a few drinks becomes too many drinks, your judgement can become skewed and you’re more likely to behave badly or get injured.
It’s thought that alcohol consumption among the 18 to 30 age group is pretty high, and that it contributes to a lot of alcohol-related harm in the area.
This could be anything from property damage or drink driving to anti-social behaviour and sexual and violent assaults. For many of us, going out for a drink can be part of the festive season ritual. But getting drunk means you’re much more likely to harm yourself…or others.
What makes a good night out?
Inspector Vic Powell said: “The #DrinkLessEnjoyMore campaign isn’t aimed at those who drink responsibly – it’s there to help identify the minority of people who have had too much alcohol and could end up being a danger either to themselves or others.
“People need to ask themselves whether they want their night to end early because they’ve been refused entry to a bar due to them having consumed too much alcohol too early.
“Drink sensibly and enjoy your night out with friends. Otherwise, you may ruin their night out too if they have to take you home early.”
Save money by knowing the law
The initiative also aims to raise awareness of the 2003 Licensing Act, which states it is illegal to:
– Buy alcohol for someone who is clearly drunk
– For bar staff to serve someone who is clearly drunk .
Both offences are punishable with a fine of up to £1000 and premises found to be serving people who are clearly drunk are also at risk of losing their licence. However, research shows that only half of people are aware of the law.
Drunkenness can have immediate health consequences such as alcohol poisoning, and can contribute to sexual violence, accidents and violent crimes. It places a large burden on health, police and other public services.
Cllr Hugh Jones, Wrexham Council’s lead member for communities, partnerships, public protection and community safety, said: “This is about reducing the strain on public services such as the police, ambulance staff and hospital emergency departments at a time when they are already under massive pressure.
“Alcohol-fuelled anti-social behaviour makes for a poor night-time economy and pub scene. Anything we and our partners can do to look at the causes of it and encourage people to curb it before it becomes a problem is a great help.”
More Information
Anyone who wants more information about the possible harm caused by drinking can visit these websites:
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/alcohol/Pages/Alcoholhome.aspx
https://www.drinkaware.co.uk/
Anybody who is concerned about their drinking can contact the DAN 24/7 Wales Drug & Alcohol Helpline on Freephone 0808 808 2234 or www.dan247.org.uk
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