Problem drinking: what is, and what isn’t, being done to tackle it
Try our quick Count 14 drinks calculator to see how you can fit within recommended guidelines
A public awareness campaign about low-risk drinking has just been rebooted for the summer, one part of a pool of action to reduce the significant health harms caused by alcohol .
Count 14, a Health Improvement Commission initiative, focuses on the recommended guidelines of 14 units of alcohol per week, spread over at least three days, and aims to provide people with the tools and knowledge to make informed decisions about their drinking.
This is the equivalent of around six pints of medium strength beer or six medium glasses of wine.
The Quarry's calculator above was based on the Count 14 guidance.
“The Count 14 campaign isn’t about telling people not to drink; it’s about raising awareness and providing the right information to help people make more informed choices,” said Andrea Nightingale, Substance Use Lead at the Health Improvement Commission.
“Many people don’t realise how many units are in the drinks they enjoy. By launching the campaign during the summer, we’re encouraging islanders to think ahead when attending events and consider how they can enjoy themselves whilst looking after their health.”
What the numbers say
Latest data around drinking in Guernsey and Alderney shows some positive trends, but harmful alcohol consumption among the population remains a significant concern.
The most up to date figures date from the 2023 Wellbeing Survey.
The proportion of people who responded that they never drink has risen from 7% in 2003 to 18% in 2023.
Those drinking less than twice a week has risen by 4% to 39% in that time, while those drinking more than twice a week is down from 58% to 43%.
But 15.8% of respondents are still classified as binge drinking, although this percentage is also falling.
And if you look at the figures based on the count 14 guidelines, 23.7% of respondents drank more than the recommended 14 units in the week before the survey. Exclude those who reported not drinking at all, the proportion of people who drink alcohol who exceeded the 14-unit guideline was 35.2%
Count 14 sits alongside HIC’s Dry January Challenge in attempts to maintain public awareness around alcohol consumption.
Why follow the drinking guidelines?
Drinking up to or less than the guideline states, which is a maximum of 14 units per week, equivalent to around six pints of 4% beer or six 175ml glasses of 12% wine, helps lower the risk of alcohol-related harm, including liver disease, heart problems, and some types of cancer, including breast and bowel cancer.
Spreading units out over a few days also helps to avoid binge drinking and the short-term effects that come with it, such as poor sleep, impaired judgment, increased risk of accidents, and hangxiety.
What remains on the drawing board
In the summer, the States released its Combined Substance Use Strategy Annual Report.
“The Strategy aims to create an environment for health and wellbeing as we look to reduce the proportion of individuals who exceed low-risk alcohol guidelines,” said Dr Nicola Brink in its introduction.
“It is important that alcohol policies aimed at lowering harmful alcohol consumption are considered further to reduce the significant health harms caused by alcohol.”
The strategy runs until 2026, but some of the actions related to alcohol are now unlikely to be progressed in that time.
This includes the introduction of legislation to reduce the permissible blood alcohol concentration level for driving from 80mg per millilitres of blood to a maximum of 50mg and the consideration of the sale of alcohol and tobacco in States- owned properties and airlines.
There has also been political conflict over increases in duty levels.
Last term’s Health & Social Care committee recommended an annual increase to excise duties for alcohol of at least RPI + 5% in 2025, to be in line with the annual recommended increase in tobacco duties and “commensurate with the health harms caused by alcohol consumption”.
But P&R proposed a freeze and this was accepted by the States.
“Guernsey and Alderney have a culture which normalises regular alcohol consumption with many people who have risky drinking behaviours not recognising this as a cause for concern,” the Substance Use Strategy said.
“It is therefore important to create an environment for health and wellbeing through policy and legislation to normalise safer alcohol consumption, as we look to reduce the proportion of individuals with harmful levels of alcohol consumption.
“At population level, levels of alcohol consumption are known to be influenced by changes in alcohol pricing and taxation.”
Other changes in approach to States policies on alcohol are also under consideration.
They include a move from the duty being applied by total product volume for beer, cider and wine, to being applied by litre of pure alcohol as is currently the approach for spirits.
Minimum Unit Price is also being looked at, something that has been touched on in States’ alcohol strategies since at least 2007 but not yet brought to fruition.
Independence is commissioned by the States to provide treatment and support for those affected by drugs, alcohol, or gambling.
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