Binge Drinking - Busting the myth

The term 'binge drinking' is generally used to refer to heavy drinking undertaken on a single occasion over a short period of time.

The Australian Guidelines to Reduce Health Risks from Drinking Alcohol, published by the National Health and Medical Research Council in 2009, provides advice on lowering the risk of alcohol-related harm.

The recommended guidelines include:

• To reduce the risk of alcohol-related harm over a lifetime, consume 2 or less standard drinks on any one day.
• To reduce the risk of injury on a single occasion of drinking, consume no more than 4 standard drinks on a single occasion.
• For young people under the age of 18, not drinking alcohol is the safest option.
• For women who are planning a pregnancy, pregnant, or breastfeeding, not drinking is the safest option.

Busting the myth facts

• Alcohol is the second largest cause of drug-related deaths and hospitalisations. Tobacco is the largest.
• Harmful alcohol consumption contributes to more than 3,000 Australian deaths every year.
• Steer clear of alcohol if you're pregnant. There is no known safe level of alcohol consumption during pregnancy.
• Alcohol affects your brain, impairing your movement, coordination, judgement and speech, from your very first drink.
• The effects of alcohol differ from person to person.
• Girls are more likely to have a higher blood alcohol concentration than a guy, even when they've had the same amount to drink.
• Alcohol causes around one-third of all road deaths.
• Your liver can only get rid of about one standard drink per hour. Nothing can speed this up - not even black coffee, cold showers, exercise or vomiting.
• You can still be over the legal limit for driving the next morning.

Back to top