Responsible Drinking

Enjoyed responsibly, alcohol encourages social interaction and relaxation. Research has also shown moderate alcohol consumption may confer health benefits for some people, for example protection from cardiovascular heart disease and against certain forms of stroke.

Conversely, misuse of alcohol can damage health in a number of ways, including increased risk of liver disease and heart problems, and may cause domestic and financial problems. For health reasons, some people should not drink at all. In addition, alcohol should be avoided before driving a car or operating machinery.

The benefits of responsible consumption and the dangers of misuse, and the response of regulators to them, are consistent on one point – the product with which we are concerned is alcohol. There is no difference between spirits, wine and beer in this respect. Each may offer benefit arising from moderate responsible consumption and each can be damaging when misused.

Better education

Everyone has a role to play in making responsible drinking choices, and better awareness of what is safe to drink on a daily basis assists consumers to make informed responsible decisions. The SWA believes the best way of preventing misuse of alcohol is by education in sensible and moderate drinking and that this education should start at an early age.

How many units?

In order to inform consumers and to help drinkers make informed choices The SWA encourages the provision of unit information in the UK on labels by use of a standardised unit icon that ties in with the UK's sensible drinking message (up to 2-3 units a day for women, 3-4 units a day for men).

A UK unit is 8g or 10ml of pure alcohol irrespective of the type of alcoholic beverage. A standard 25ml serving of Scotch Whisky contains one UK unit of alcohol.

For more information on responsible drinking, including a real brands unit calculator and other useful hints and tips see www.drinkaware.co.uk.

Attempts to reduce alcohol-related problems by imposing large taxes on drink or introducing restrictions on its sale and availability only penalise the majority which drink sensibly. It does not reach the problem drinker and creates additional problems.

Anyone with questions or concerns about the health implications of consuming alcoholic drinks should contact their doctor.