Most Australians Support Tough Measures to Reduce Alcohol Consumption

Most Australians support tough measures to reduce alcohol consumption, says a report released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

A majority of Australians support policies aimed at reducing alcohol, tobacco and illicit drug use, according to a report released today by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).

They also make strenuous efforts to kick their drug habits, according says the findings of the 2007 National Drug Strategy Household Survey conducted by the institute.

Alcohol Use Disorder | Alcoholism
Alcohol use disorder or alcoholism is an inability to control drinking. It can cause short term and long term physical, as well as psychological effects on the patient.

Besides there is very little support for the legalisation of illicit drugs such as marijuana, cocaine and ecstasy.

Alcohol was the drug considered to be of most serious concern to the community, while heroin remained the drug most associated with a 'drug problem' in Australia.

“There is evidence that Australians are modifying their behaviours in line with their attitudes,” said Dr Paul Meyer from the AIHW's Drug Surveys and Services Unit.

“While 1 in 5 people consumed alcohol once a month or more at levels that put them at risk of harm in the short term, half of all recent drinkers had undertaken at least some alcohol moderation behaviour, mostly for health reasons.”

“And while daily smoking rates fell from 1 in 4 people in 1993 to 1 in 6 in 2007, our new report shows that even among those still smoking in 2007, nearly one-third had reduced their consumption.”

Australian Government Says It is Determined to Put Down Binge Drinking
The Kevin Rudd government in Australia has declared it is determined to curb binge drinking. It is to issue new guidelines, revising downward the upper limit.

“Reductions are also the name of the game when it comes to recent use of marijuana - down to 9.1 per cent from around 13 per cent in most previous surveys. And meth/amphetamine use, including 'ice', has also come down - to 2.3 per cent in 2007 from 3.2 per cent in 2004,” Mr Meyer said.

Cocaine and non-medical uses of tranquillisers and sleeping pills were the only two drugs for which statistically significant increases in use were recorded since the previous survey.

The AIHW report shows an association between higher rates of drug use and self-reported poor health.

It also shows that recent drinkers or illicit drug users are more likely than non-users or non-drinkers to be the victims of drug-related incidents, even though most victims had not been drinking alcohol or taking illicit drugs when the incident occurred.

The 2007 National Drug Strategy Household Survey was conducted between July and November 2007, and included over 23,000 Australians aged 12 years or older. The Detailed findings report follows the First results report and State and Territory comparisons tables released earlier this year.

Source-Medindia
GPL/L