ENGAGE
Scotland’s culture of heavy drinking could be ruining our fertility - and giving us wrinkles
Hard to swallow
Do you think you can drink heavily and stay healthy? The facts, writes Andrew Burnet, might make you gulp
nless you‘re a saint. you‘re probably familiar with the short-term effects of alcohol: impaired judgement. lowered inhibitions. blurred \‘lsltilt. slurred speech. nausea. possible Vomiting . . .
But while the immediate results of
such drinking are becoming a worryingly common sight on our
streets. we should also be aware of the longer-term health risks of
excessiyc drinking.
Alcohol consumption is on the rise in Scotland especially among women —- according to Dr (‘hris Stewart. an Iidinburgh (il’ who works as an adyiser to the lixecutiye. ‘lt‘s increasing year on year.~ he says. ‘in terms of alcohol consumed. the amount of binge-drinking and the number of presentations to (il’s with alcohol-related symptoms.‘
Stewart says that it is \‘itally important to understand the risks to which excessnc alcohol exposes us. "l'here are general health issues like obesity. increased blixxl-pi‘essure and damage to the li\ er and the pancreas] he explains. ‘But there are also different concerns for men and women. Women are alarmed by long-term effects like declining fertility and premature wrinkling. .-\nd incidence of breast cancer is 2(l‘i higher in women who drink more than recommended amounts.
looking at social factors. about 80‘? of rape Victims haye had significant amounts of alcohol. We're
102 THE LIST :2 Jun—i3 Jt.‘ .‘t‘t‘t;
not talking about blaming the Victim. But if you want to decrease your yulnerability to sexual assault. drink awareness is one way ofdoing that.‘ l"or men. social issues include the tendency of heayy drinking to prompt Violence. cyen among people who are not usually aggressiye. Health effects include muscle wastage due to metabolic disruptions and ~ perhaps most alarming of all for men *— impotcncc. ‘If you drink a lot. you‘re going to feel the effects.~ w'ams Stewart. 'Somc ofthern the next morning: some in five years. But it will happen.‘ lloweyer. he is not adyocating total abstinence. Instead. he says. it‘s a case of using your head. "lheie are three Driiiciples.‘ he explains. ‘l‘iillow maximum recommended leycls: try to lcaye a day or two free eyeiy week: and spread your drinking out through the week ~ don‘t binge it all in one night.' 'lhe oflical recommendatiiins stand at 3| units a week for men and 14 for women. Many people are ha/y about
what that means s not least because of
\';ut:iblcs such as the strength of a draft beer. But Stewart insists it‘s worth figuring it otit. ‘lt‘s not legalistic.~ he says. 'lt‘sjust a guide.
“We're simply saying that it’s better to haye a good night out without drinking excessiye amounts of alcohol.‘
www.downyourdrink.org.uk www.drinkaware.co.uk www.gurney.co.uk/drinksense/ factsheets/effects.htm
How much are yoo real/y drinking?
I 25ml pub measure of vodka, whisky or gin (40% alcohol by volume) 1 unit Digestion time: 1 hour Burn-off time: 1 hour
Total: 2 hours
I Halt bottle of wine
(12% abv) taken With a meal 42 units Digestion time: 2 hours
Burn-off time: 4.2 hours
Total: 6.2 hours
I 125ml glass of wine (12% abv) 1 unit
Digestion time: 1 hour Burn-off time: 1 hour Total: 2 hours
I 175ml glass of wine (12% abv) 1.4 units Digestion time: 1 hour Burn-off time: 1.4 hours Total: 2.4 hours
I 50ml glass of port or sherry
(20% abv) 1 unit Digestion time: 1 hour Burn-off time: 1 hour Total: 2 hours
I Half pint of light beer (3.5% abv) 1 unit
Digestion time: 1 hour Burn-off time: 1 hour
Total: 2 hours
I Pint of real ale or premium lager (5.5% abv) 3.1 units Digestion time: 1 hour Burn-off time: 3 hours Total: 4 hours
I Pint of strong cider (8% abv) 4.5 units Digestion time: 1 hour Burn-oft time: 4.5 hours Total: 5.5 hours
I Home measure of vodka, whisky or gin
(40% abv) 3 units
Digestion time: 1 hour
Burn-off time: 3 hours
Total: 4 hours
I Home measure of cask- strength whisky
(6 % abv) 4.5 units
Digestion time: 1 hour Burn-oft time: 4.5 hours
Total: 5.5 hours
This page lists a selection
of organisation which provide expert health, advice and support in Glasgow and Edinburgh.
' lcohol & Narcotics
Glasgow & Strathclyde Alcoholics Anonymous ‘11 \\elii:t~.".o:‘ Street. :3“ .‘3l1 \loi‘. l ll
h" “‘ 1. o floursl (coop support '1
".izii ‘l‘lll, 1'\ 1‘
help tat kle .iltoliol piol‘Eeirts
www .llei‘lli'lle\ .iiioiixrtro..s 1.l\ Drug Problem Service \\.u~ris:.ie Health (critic. “.111 Street, (il.:s.'o.\., "i 11
“I H.791
Dumbarton Area Council on Alcohol \3 lliirxihaitoii l\|t‘.l\i.( l‘.\l\"‘.ll.l. "<3 lli\\l Hl ;\" ill 1V1 (it‘llt‘lA.T lllltllllldlli‘ll.lllildtl'xlet'lllgllltllll1'i‘llt’ 'o one \t‘llll\\‘lllll'.' loi \orrir:' people
w w w .ileolio} for l‘.\ \xt‘lldllll off.“ it's
East Addiction Service \ ‘1 Springfield ls’oarl ( il.is:'ow Hl ll ‘h‘ (ijiiii
East Dunbartonshire Addiction Service l llll .‘o. I i.r/.-i lli‘llM‘ Kllhlllllllfkll. lll ll ‘\\ ‘l 1‘
Glasgow City Council Addiction Partnership \ t iiy w rile l.tli‘.'t‘ or sei\rtcs. int liitlrng spet rlit support for young people iir\ol\etl iii illlli' .iiitl .iltolio’ rise \\ w w ;'l.l\“_fii\\ :‘o‘. ilk
Glasgow Council on Alcohol ‘ih l'loor. \ewtoir House. 1"“ Saul lrieli.ill Street. 5* lbllll lrilorrri.itioii. .itl\ite .llltl torrrisclling for those .rlletteil by .iltoliol w w w .ileoliol lot iis \\f‘ll.lll\l or;' ill. Glasgow Drugs Crisis Centre I ,‘ l \\it'\l \llt't'l. ~13” fi‘lfi‘l llt'lp. .til\l\t relral‘. ilelo\ .llltl needle enhance
w w w tiiiiiiiigpiiiiitseotlaiiil torn lnverclyde Counselling Service, 2A Newton Street, Greenock. Helpline 0845 230 0038. \ilyite iriforriratioii and support on .iltolrol .llltl .iltoliol related issues w w w renlrew
corineilonalctiliol org iik
RCA Trust .\liireri lloirse. li.itk Srierlrloii Slit‘t'l. l).ll\lt'_\_ Nb" llbbll llt‘lpllllr' ll\ 1‘
3 ill llflib \tl\rec. iirlorrriatiori .llltl support on alcohol and related issues
w w w ierifiew eoiirieiloiialtoliol org iik
Edinburgh & Lothian
Alcoholics Anonymous is (1 it kiiiriii Street. “I il 33% NW” Itall loi local meeting times; (1M; "(N "*4; ill lliilll\| (ir’oup support to help Litkle .llt oliol problems
w w w .ileoholrt s .inoiiyriioiis org ill.
The Chrysalis Project ‘) l‘itllr'sl lx’oiii. fll il 331154.“. .‘\lltlll\lllll of luriiiiiz' l’ornl (sec lielow i. olferrrrg' help .lllfl support loi drug users
Crew 2000 i3 ('otkliiiiri Street. .73.” i4il-1.\lon Sat l 5pm. 'I liii 4 Spin Information .llltl friendly .ltl‘- :te on drugs and se\u.il llcalllt. from trained workers
w w wcicw 31le l to rik
Edinburgh 8. Lothian Council on Alcohol (1 ( 'litioii 'lei'iriee. H" .s' i \S lrifor'rri.itioii. .itl\ice and support on .iltoliol lL'ldlL‘tl |\\llk'\
w w walcoliol focus stotlaiiil org iil. Turning Point 44 ll.lllti\t'l Sheet. 3% (mill. iSirirth‘s l’latc. 5‘4 “Slo .\loii l ii ‘) iflarri 3 illprii (lire to one \flllllst'lllll'.‘ for addicts and support for their l.lllllllt'\
w w w turnirigpointsci>tl.iritl Ullll
West Lothian Drug and Alcohol Service 4“ .'\tlt‘lilltlt' Street. ('l.tl‘_'slllll. l,l\ riigston. illfitio 4 iii 33‘ ('ounselliirg. help in dealing with family issues .llltl help in working towards eiiiploj.irienl opportunities ww westlotlimir you ‘ll.
Naflonal
Alcohol Focus Scotland W» itirthaiiaii Street. (ilasgow (114] 5‘2 (Foo \ir c\ccllcnt source of infoiirration for people \'-Hl'l'lctl about lllctl’ own (it sorricoric L'l\k'-\ drinking. It can also pioy rde tlL'l.tlls of Alcohol Agencies in your local area
w w w .alci ihi ll » fi icirs-scotl.irid_t il‘.‘ iik Narcotics Anonymous Scotland (151171 24x 7]”. w w wiiascotland org ul. NHS Health Scotland (it it < 1i» ;500. Helpline (Will 224 4%: wwwhealthscritlarrd.coiii