Pfizer Australia
HEALTH REPORT
ISSUE #19
ALCOHOL
This expanded edition of the Pfizer Australia
Health Report looks at alcohol, public attitudes
towards it and the part it plays in Australians’
lives.
There’s no doubt many Australians have a
liberal attitude towards alcohol consumption
and almost half the people surveyed for this
Report agree that getting drunk occasionally
is simply part of life.
But that’s only part of the picture.
Three-in-five also say they know a friend or
a family member who has experienced a
problem with alcohol and just over one-in-10
say they have, at some point, been in that
category.
Those in this ‘at risk’ group were also more likely
to have consumed their first full serve of alcohol
at 13 or 14 years of age.
This is alarming when coupled with our finding
that more than a third of Australians feel it’s
appropriate to give children an alcoholic drink
in the home at 15 or 16. It supports something
researchers have been saying for years – that
w w w. h e a l t h r e p o r t . c o m . a u
there is the strong link between early teenage
drinking and alcohol problems in later life.
This Pfizer Australia Health Report has been
produced in partnership with the National
Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC)
and includes information on strategies to cope
with alcohol and where to go for help and
information.
Its findings are based on responses from 1520
Australians aged 13 years and over in March
2005 to questions jointly-developed and put by
independent consultants Stollznow Research.
The Pfizer Australia Health Report is produced
monthly, in collaboration with health consumer
organisations and medical experts, and
provides information and news to help you and
your family to live a healthier, happier lifestyle.
The Pfizer Australia Health Report is always
available free from www.healthreport.com.au
where you can sign-up for e-mail alerts of future
editions. You can also request additional copies
by calling 1800 675 229.
 Pfizer Australia
HEALTH REPORT
www.healthreport.com.au
WHAT IS ALCOHOL?
Alcohol is the most widely used mood-
changing recreational drug in Australia, with
90 percent of the population having drunk it
at some time during their life.
The active drug in all alcoholic drinks is
ethanol. This drug is produced as a result of
the fermentation of grains (beer or whisky),
fruits (wine or cider) and vegetables such as
potatoes (vodka), changing sugars into ethyl
alcohol.
Pure alcohol has no taste and is a colourless
liquid. Alcoholic drinks vary in appearance
and taste due to the other ingredients they
contain and the method by which they are
manufactured.
Alcohol is often mistakenly believed to be
a stimulant. This is because drinking a small
amount of alcohol may initially reduce
tension or inhibitions, making one feel more
relaxed or excited. For this reason, people
often drink alcohol at social occasions.
In fact, alcohol is a depressant drug that
acts to slow down the central nervous system
and inhibits many of the brain’s functions,
Page 2 Issue #19 - Alcohol
ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au
affecting almost all the body’s cells and
systems. Increasing alcohol levels in the
body slows down a person’s reflexes and
rapidly makes judgement, co-ordination and
balance more difficult.
Alcohol only takes a few minutes to reach
the brain. It is absorbed directly into the
bloodstream through the walls of the
stomach and small intestine, and is then
quickly distributed to all parts of the body,
including the brain. Food in the stomach
slows down the rate at which alcohol is
absorbed, but does not prevent intoxication
or drunkenness, as all the alcohol a person
drinks reaches the bloodstream.
Sobering up takes time. The liver is the main
organ of the body responsible for removing
alcohol from the bloodstream. The liver
processes alcohol at a fixed rate, taking
about an hour to break down the alcohol in
a standard drink.
Drinking coffee or other caffeine-containing
drinks, vomiting or having a cold shower will
not influence the rate at which alcohol is
removed from the body.
 Pfizer Australia
HEALTH REPORT
www.healthreport.com.au ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au

Early taste can lead to later problems

National research for this Report shows that
alcohol misuse may be even more rife within the
Australian community than many people think.

A key finding of our polling is just over one-in-

10 Australians has, at some point in their lives,
experienced a problem with alcohol.

This ‘at risk’ group is more likely to have

consumed their first full serve of alcohol at 13
or 14 years of age, suggesting a strong link
between early teenage drinking and alcohol
problems in later life.
A staggering three-in-five Australians say they
know a friend or a family member who has
experienced a problem with alcohol and
17 percent admit to feeling pressure to drink
alcohol in a workplace situation.
The National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre
(NDARC) warns that consuming alcohol from
a young age can increase the likelihood of
developing an alcohol dependency as an
adult.
“Evidence suggests that the younger you
start using alcohol, the longer you will use it,
increasing the chance of developing a range
of problems,” said NDARC Information Manager
Paul Dillon.
“Drinking alcohol to excess during your
formative years can create a cycle of alcohol
problems which continue throughout your adult
years.
• Continued on page 7
“It would be foolish for us to try to ban alcohol
consumption when it plays such a part in our
culture, but it is vital that we try to prevent early
initiation of alcohol use.
“This research demonstrates the need for
innovative strategies dealing with alcohol
consumption.”
According to Mr Dillon, the fact that 17
percent of Australians feel pressure to drink in
work situations reflects the cultural problem
which exists in Australia in relation to alcohol
consumption.
“This social pressure can be particularly
problematic for women. The blood alcohol
concentration in a woman’s body will almost
always be higher than that in a man’s body
after drinking exactly the same amount,” he
said.

This Report has been produced in partnership with the National Drug and
Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC). The NDARC was established at the
University of New South Wales in Sydney in May, 1986. It is funded by
the Australian Government as part of the National Drug Strategy
(formerly, the National Campaign Against Drug Abuse). The Centre is
multidisciplinary and collaborates with medical, psychology, social science and other schools of the University, and
with other institutions, and individuals in Australia and overseas. The NDARC can be contacted on (02) 9385 -0333,
but for urgent information on dealing with alcohol problems call one of the numbers on the back page of this Report.

Page 3 Issue #19 - Alcohol

 Pfizer Australia
HEALTH REPORT
www.healthreport.com.au ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au

WHAT ARE THE SHORT-TERM

EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL?
No one can say exactly how alcohol will
affect an individual or how quickly. The
body’s reaction to alcohol is affected by a
person’s age, weight, sex, body chemistry,
fitness, use of medicines and other drugs, and
whether they have food in their stomach.

For some people, a high blood alcohol level

(i.e. the percentage of alcohol circulating
in the blood stream) will be reached after
drinking only a couple of standard drinks.

It is important to keep this in mind when

considering the following table, which
outlines the short-term effects that may
be experienced when increasing levels of
alcohol are drunk.

2 - 4 standard drinks Feel more relaxed, reduced concentration, Up to 0.05% blood

talking a lot and slower reflexes alcohol concentration
5 – 8 standard drinks Fewer inhibitions, more confidence, reduced 0.05 – 0.08% blood
coordination, judgement and cognition alcohol concentration
impaired, slurred speech
9 – 15 standard drinks Confusion, blurred vision, poor muscle 0.08 – 0.15% blood
control, balance affected, intense moods, alcohol concentration
(for example: angry, sad, happy)
16 – 30 standard Nausea, vomiting, needs help to walk, 0.15% - 0.3% blood
drinks wants to sleep alcohol concentration
30 plus standard ‘Dead drunk’, heavy breathing, stupor, no 0.3 and above blood
drinks bladder control. Possibly coma or death alcohol concentration

How Does Alcohol Affect Driving Ability?
It is safest not to drink alcohol at all if you are
going to drive. Alcohol is involved in about a
third of all serious motor vehicle accidents.
A person who drives after they have had
only one drink is still five times more likely to
have a motor vehicle accident than a
driver who has not drunk any alcohol.
Alcohol affects all drivers, as it stops the
brain from functioning effectively.
Under the influence of alcohol, it takes
longer to receive messages from the eye,
processing information becomes more
difficult, and instructions to the muscles
are delayed.

Page 4 Issue #19 - Alcohol

 Pfizer Australia
HEALTH REPORT
www.healthreport.com.au ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au

What is binge drinking?

Binge drinking occurs when a person drinks
heavily over a short period of time resulting
in immediate and severe intoxication. Binge
drinking is sometimes defined as ‘drinking to
get drunk’.

The health risks associated with binge drinking

include the potential to develop toxic
damage to the small bowel (which causes
diarrhoea), depression of the central nervous
system, hangovers, headaches, and stomach
problems resulting in nausea, shakiness and
vomiting. Regular excessive drinking can result
in damage to many body organs, especially
the liver.
from other things e.g. injury due to falls,
Importantly, because intoxication stops risky behaviour or assault. It is for this reason
one thinking clearly and acting sensibly, that alcohol is closely associated with road
binge drinking can also lead a person to accidents, fights and violence, sexual assault
put themselves and others at risk of harm and unprotected sex.

What is blood alcohol concentration?  Women - No more than one standard

Drink driving legislation is based on blood
alcohol concentration (BAC). This is a
measure of the amount of alcohol in the
blood. A BAC of .05 means that in every
100ml of blood there is 0.05 grams of alcohol.
drink in the first hour and no more than
one per hour thereafter
 Men - No more than two standard drinks
in the first hour and no more than one
standard drink per hour thereafter.

In Australia it is illegal to drive with a BAC
over and including 0.05. By law, probationary
drivers (P-platers) and motorcyclists in their
first year of riding must maintain a zero BAC
while on the road. Drivers of heavy trucks,
buses, trains and trams must also maintain
a zero BAC level while on the road in most
of Australia.
The best way for a driver to ensure that
they have a BAC below 0.05, is not to drink
alcohol. However, if a driver chooses to
drink then they are advised to limit their
drinking to:
These are estimates designed to minimise
the risk of exceeding the legal limit to drive.
However, it is important to be aware that
these are guidelines. It is safest not to drink
alcohol at all if you plan to drive.
In addition, as everyone is different some
people would need to drink less to maintain
a BAC level below the legal limit.
As sobering up takes time, it is quite possible
for a person who has drunk a lot at night to
still be well over the legal limit to drive the
next morning.

Page 5 Issue #19 - Alcohol

 Pfizer Australia
HEALTH REPORT
www.healthreport.com.au ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au

WHAT IS ALCOHOL
DEPENDENCE?
While drinking a small amount of alcohol is
generally not harmful for most people, regular
drinking of a lot of alcohol can be a major
cause of physical ill health, emotional and
social problems for a person over the long-
term.

People who drink heavily may become

dependent on alcohol. There are degrees
of dependence, from mild dependency to
compulsive drinking (often referred to as
‘alcoholism’). Alcohol dependence can be a
physical problem, psychological, or both.

For instance, to some degree many of us are

psychologically dependent on alcohol if we
feel that we cannot socialise at a party without
a drink.
In the case of a person who is both physically
and psychologically dependent, alcohol
becomes central to their life.
Such a person would suffer withdrawal
symptoms, (such as, tremor, nausea, anxiety,
depression, sweating, headache and difficulty
sleeping), if they were to try to stop drinking or
to cut down the amount they drink.

What is a Standard Drink?  One 425ml glass (a schooner) of light

In Australia, the use of standard drink sizes
has been designed to help people monitor
their alcohol consumption and exercise
control over the amount they drink. All
alcoholic drinks packaged from December
1995 are labelled with the number of
standard drinks they contain.
Different types of alcoholic drinks contain
different amounts of pure alcohol. A
standard drink is defined as one that
contains 10 grams of pure alcohol.
The following are all equal to approximately
one standard drink:
beer (2.7% alcohol)
 One 285ml glass (a middy) of regular
beer (4.9% alcohol)
 One 100ml glass of wine (12% alcohol)
 One 30ml nip of spirits (40% alcohol)
 One 60ml glass of port or sherry (20%
alcohol)
It is important to remember that the
‘standard’ size of drinks served in some
hotels, or at home, may be bigger than
the standard drinks you are used to. Large
wine glasses can hold two standard drinks
or even more! In addition, cocktails can
contain as many as five or six standard
drinks, depending on the recipe.

Page 6 Issue #19 - Alcohol

 Pfizer Australia
HEALTH REPORT
www.healthreport.com.au ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au

Look for early signs that point

to alcohol-related problems
Some of the early indicators of dangerous
drinking patterns may include:

 Regular consumption of hazardous or harmful

amounts of alcohol. A hazardous level of
drinking for women would involve drinking
between two and four drinks per day, while
for men a hazardous level would involve
drinking between four and six drinks per day.
A harmful level of drinking may occur when
more than this amount is drunk regularly;

 Gulping the first drink;

 Involvement in leisure activities that are

invariably associated with heavy drinking;

 Eating less or missing meals while drinking.

There may be symptoms such as morning • Continued from page 3

nausea, diarrhoea, blackouts and difficulty
sleeping. Frequent accidents or repeated
lateness or absence from work may also be early
warning signs.
A moderate amount of alcohol does not harm
most people, however there is no guaranteed
safe level of drinking.
Remembering that alcohol will affect everyone
differently, the following table presents guidelines
that may be followed to reduce the short-term
and long-term risks of health problems associated
with drinking alcohol.
Despite the associated risks of alcohol
consumption, the survey shows that many
Australians have a liberal attitude towards
alcohol use.
Almost half of those surveyed agree that
getting drunk occasionally is simply part of
the Australian way of life while more than
half state they had their first full serve of
alcohol before 17 years of age.
Mr Dillon says alcohol is often mistakenly
believed to be a stimulant.

Women
Drink an average of no more than 2 standard
drinks a day, and no more than 4 standard
drinks on any one occasional heavy drinking
day.
Have at least two alcohol-free days each
week.
Men
Drink an average of no more than 4 standard
drinks a day, and no more than 6 standard
drinks on any one occasional heavy drinking
day.
Have at least two alcohol-free days each
week.

Page 7 Issue #19 - Alcohol

 Pfizer Australia
HEALTH REPORT
www.healthreport.com.au ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au

YOUR GUIDE TO
CELEBRATING SAFELY
When enjoying a drink while relaxing with
friends or celebrating a special event,
people sometimes drink more than they
intend. Alcohol, used in moderation, can be
part of a healthy lifestyle, but it is important
to stay as safe as possible by taking
precautions and being aware of all the risks
involved with celebrating.

If you are going to drink alcohol when out

with friends, here are some practical tips to
help you slow down your drinking:

 Plan in advance. Think about where you

are going, who you will be with and how
much you are going to drink. What do
you need to do the next day?

 Start with a water, juice or soft drink. You

will drink much faster if you are thirsty, so
have a non-alcoholic drink to quench
your thirst before you start drinking
alcohol.

 Drink slowly. Sip your drink, don’t down it

in gulps! Put your glass down in between
sips.
 Eat before or while you are drinking.
Eating carbohydrate-rich foods following
exercise helps replenish muscle fuel
stores. Furthermore, food in the stomach
slows down the rate at which alcohol
can be absorbed into the bloodstream.
Eating slows down your drinking pace
and fills you up.
 Pace yourself. Space alcoholic drinks
with non-alcoholic drinks.
 Select low-alcoholic drinks. That is, low
alcoholic beers or spirits in large glasses
of juice or soft drink.
 Avoid rounds or ‘shouts’. Drinking in
a ‘shout’ encourages you to drink
at someone else’s pace. If you do
get stuck in this situation, buy a non-
alcoholic drink for yourself when it’s
your turn.
 Drink one drink at a time. Don’t let
people top-up your drink if you haven’t
finished it – it’s a lot harder to keep track
of how much you have drunk. Count
your drinks.
 Keep yourself busy. If you’re occupied
you tend to drink less – have a dance,
play pool – don’t just sit and drink.
• Continued on page 11

Page 8 Issue #19 - Alcohol

 Pfizer Australia
HEALTH REPORT
www.healthreport.com.au ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au

Alcohol’s impact varies by person or gender

People react in different ways to alcohol
depending on whether they are male or
female, and on their particular weight and
body chemistry.
In addition to this, however, people who
drink heavily usually develop a tolerance to
alcohol, so they need to drink more in order to
experience the same effect.
As a result, some people can drink large
amounts of alcohol without appearing to be
intoxicated. The amount of alcohol consumed,
however, can still damage their health.
So why do women appear to become drunk
quicker than men? Women tend to have
smaller bodies than men, and therefore a
lower volume of blood flowing through their
bodies.
Women also generally have more fatty tissue
in their bodies than men, and alcohol is not
absorbed by fatty tissue.
So if a man and a woman drink the same
amount of alcohol it will become more
concentrated in the woman’s body, as she has
less blood in which to dilute it, and less tissue in
which to absorb it.
A female drinker will, therefore, generally have
a higher blood alcohol level, and feel drunk
quicker.

Is it safe to drink during pregnancy ?

It is not known whether there is any safe level of alcohol consumption during pregnancy.
Nor is there any certainty about whether any particular stage of pregnancy is more
vulnerable to the effects of drinking than others.

Alcohol drunk during pregnancy crosses the placenta to the baby, and can cause problems
such as bleeding, miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth. It can also result in damage to the
unborn child, with symptoms such as low attention span, distractibility and slow reaction times.

Foetal Alcohol Syndrome may occur in the children of heavy and dependent drinkers,
resulting in birth defects such as an abnormally small head, defective development of facial
tissues, outer ear abnormalities, abnormally small eyes, and heart and genital defects. After
birth, these babies can suffer withdrawal symptoms, including tremors, irritability, fits and
bloated abdomen.

It is difficult to identify the exact levels of drinking which may cause harm to the child, and
for this reason, the World Health Organisation suggests that there is no safe level at which
alcohol can be drunk during pregnancy, and that the safest approach for pregnant women
is not to drink any alcohol at all.

It is also recommended that women wanting to become pregnant limit their alcohol
consumption to infrequent, small amounts. If a pregnant woman chooses to drink, however,
then according to Australian guidelines she should have no more than two standard drinks
(spread over at least two hours) on any one day, and have less than seven standard drinks
over a week.

Page 9 Issue #19 - Alcohol

 Pfizer Australia
HEALTH REPORT
www.healthreport.com.au
ANSWERING THE
IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
If I don’t drink during the week, can I drink
more on the weekend?
The recommended safe drinking level for
men is an average of no more than four
standard drinks per day, and for women no
more than two standard drinks per day.
If you don’t drink your average daily
allowance of alcohol this does not mean
that it is then safe for you to make up
for it on the weekend, by drinking all of
your allowance at once! Clearly, severe
intoxication could result, with the potential
for alcohol poisoning.
It is also important to remember that it is
recommended that everybody have at
least two alcohol-free days per week, and
that men should never drink more than six
standard drinks in one session (for women,
it’s four standard drinks).
Page 10 Issue #19 - Alcohol
ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au
How much can I drink if I am taking other
medicines? What medicines should not be
mixed with alcohol?
Alcohol should be avoided altogether
by anyone who is taking other drugs,
including over-the-counter or prescribed
medicines, as the combination of these
substances can be especially dangerous
and unpredictable. One drug can make the
negative effects of the other even worse.
Alcohol can also stop medicines from
working properly.
Mixing alcohol with other drugs that
slow down the body, like sleeping pills or
marijuana, can be fatal, as this can cause
the central nervous system to switch off
brain and heart activity. Alcohol mixed with
methadone or heroin can cause coma.
 Pfizer Australia
HEALTH REPORT
www.healthreport.com.au ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au

Treatment options are available

There are a number of drug treatment
options available in Australia. While stopping
drinking altogether may be a suitable
treatment aim for some people, many
programs recognise that for others this may
not be possible or realistic.

Most programs adopt strategies that have an

overall aim of reducing the harms and risks
related to a person’s drug use.

Some treatment options include counselling,

withdrawal (detoxification) and medication.
Residential and ‘out-patient’ programs are
available.

If you would like help with a drinking problem,

either approach a treatment centre directly,
discuss your problem with your doctor, or
contact the telephone drug information and
referral service in your State.

A list of numbers can be found at the back of

this booklet.

• Continued from page 8  Always watch out for your friends. If

 Be the designated driver. If you’ve
made the decision not to drink and
are worried that there might be
pressure from your friends to have a
few, let them know that you’re the
designated driver. They’ll respect that
decision and it will save them money
in cab fares!
 Don’t take any substances you’re not
sure of and don’t leave your drinks
unattended. There are increased
reports of ‘drink spiking’ across
Australia so always watch your drink
and don’t accept drinks from strangers.
you got into trouble you would expect
them to watch over you. Don’t be
afraid to let them know that they have
had too much. They may not be too
impressed when you let them know,
but they will most probably thank you
the next day.
 Make sure you rehydrate before you
go to bed. One of the best ways to
prevent a hangover is to make sure
you drink water before you go to sleep.
Drinking water throughout the evening
is also a good option.

Page 11 Issue #19 - Alcohol

 Pfizer Australia
HEALTH REPORT
www.healthreport.com.au ndarc.med.unsw.edu.au

USEFUL CONTACTS
ALCOHOL AND DRUG INFORMATION SERVICES ACROSS AUSTRALIA

NEW SOUTH WALES:

ALCOHOL AND DRUG INFORMATION SERVICE (ADIS): (02) 9361 8000 or 1800 422 599 (toll free)
NSW USERS AND AIDS ASSOCIATION (NUAA): (02) 8354 7300 or 1800 644 413 (toll free)

VICTORIA:
DIRECTLINE: (03) 9416 1818 or 1800 136 385 (toll free)
VICTORIAN DRUG USER GROUP/VIVAIDS: (03) 9419 3633

SOUTH AUSTRALIA:
ALCOHOL AND DRUG INFORMATION SERVICE (ADIS): 1300 13 13 40
SAVIVE: (08) 8362 9299 (direct 9.30 - 5.30 weekdays)
or (08) 8362 1611 (switchboard 9.00 - 5.00 weekdays)

WESTERN AUSTRALIA:
ALCOHOL AND DRUG INFORMATION SERVICE (ADIS): (08) 9442 5000 or 1800 198 024 (toll free)
WA SUBSTANCE USERS ASSOCIATION (WASUA): (08) 9227 7866
PARENT DRUG INFORMATION SERVICE: (08) 9442 5050 or 1800 653 203 (toll free)

QUEENSLAND:
ALCOHOL AND DRUG INFORMATION SERVICE (ADIS): (07) 3236 2414 or 1800 177 833 (toll free)
QUEENSLAND INTRAVENOUS AIDS ASSOCIATION (QUIVAA): (07) 3252 5390 or 1800 172 076 (toll free)

TASMANIA:
ALCOHOL AND DRUG INFORMATION SERVICE (ADIS): (03) 6222 7511 or 1800 811 994 (toll free)
TASMANIA USERS HEALTH & SUPPORT LEAGUE (TUSSEL): (03) 6234 1242

NORTHERN TERRITORY:
ALCOHOL AND OTHER DRUG SERVICE: (08) 8922 8399 or 1800 629 683 (toll free)
NORTHERN TERRITORY AIDS COUNCIL: (08) 8941 1711 or 1800 880 899 (toll free)

ACT:
ALCOHOL AND DRUG INFORMATION SERVICE (ADIS): (02) 6205 4545
c/o AUSTRALIAN IV LEAGUE: (02) 6281 7851

Pfizer Australia © 2005 Pfizer Australia Pty Ltd ABN 50 008 422 348.

HEALTH This Report is copyright. Except as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part of this publication
may be reproduced by any process, without the specific written permission of the copyright

REPORT owner, except that one copy of this Report may be downloaded for free for personal use from
the website www.healthreport.com.au. Inquiries should be directed to media@pfizer.com.au
Views expressed in this Report are not necessarily those of Pfizer Australia and no representation
is made about the accuracy or completeness of any information contained in it. For advice
on any symptoms or conditions referred to in the Report, please contact your health care
professional. Contact us for additional copies at media@pfizer.com.au or on 1800 675 229.
You can also download copies at www.healthreport.com.au

Page 12 Issue #19 - Alcohol