Tackling the Causes and Effects of Alcohol Misuse
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TACKLING THE CAUSES AND EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL MISUSE Additional resources would enable local TACKLING THE CAUSES councils to respond to the specific health AND EFFECTS OF and social care needs oftheir communities in ALCOHOL MISUSE ways that they know will be effective. By implementing the range of policies ‘Investing in our nation’s outlined in our 100 days document we will save £11 billion on the cost of the public future: The first 100 days of sector and empower local communities to the next government’ was have a real say in their own future. launched last year by the The food and drink manufacturing industry Local Government Association is the single largest manufacturing sector in the UK, with a turnover of £92 billion. (LGA). It set out the challenges The industry employs just under 400,000 any new government will face workers. Alcohol and the wider hospitality in May 2015 and provided a industry make an extremely significant contribution to the national and local local government offer on how economies through bars, pubs, clubs and to help them deal with the restaurants. For many people, moderate most pressing issues. drinking is a way to relax and enjoy their leisure time without causing immediate The transfer of public health responsibilities harm either to themselves or to others. from the NHS to local government and However, there is also a clear body of Public Health England (PHE) represents evidence demonstrating that drinking a unique opportunity to set out a local habits are harming the nation's health approach to tackling alcohol misuse. as well as contributing to problems We are calling on Government to help on the streets of towns and cities. The people live healthier lives and tackle the NHS recommends that men should not harm caused by excessive drinking and regularly drink more than three to four alcohol dependence by: units of alcohol a day and women should • reinvesting a fifth of existing alcohol duty not regularly drink more than two to in preventative measures three units a day. More than nine million people in England drink more than these • giving councils the power to take public recommended limits. This puts their long- health issues into account when making term health at risk as well as making them licensing decisions more likely to be involved in crime, violence • supporting licensing and trading and disruptive behaviour which can standards departments to better tackle threaten the night-time economy in towns the black market in alcohol. and cities, including the livelihood of those involved in the food and drink industry. We believe that health and crime reduction It is the substantial minority who drink to are important issues for the people we serve excess and are dependent on alcohol with and that linking the taxes and duty they pay which local councils are concerned. to spending on these issues will be welcome. 2 The reasons why people misuse and • In England in 2012, 21,485 deaths were become dependent on alcohol are highly determined as being wholly or partially complex – an approach to reducing this due to alcohol consumption7. misuse and mitigating its impact on society • 24 per cent of men and 18 per cent needs to be coordinated across public of women have an estimated weekly health, the NHS, the police, enforcement consumption of more than the agencies and planning, working with the drinks industry. As community leaders, recommended levels, including five per local councils are well placed to lead such cent of men and four per cent of women an approach. whose consumption puts them in the NHS higher risk category.8 The background • Over 17 million working days are lost • Alcohol misuse is estimated to cost £21 each year due to the effects of alcohol.9 billion annually in healthcare, crime and • On a typical day, some 10,000 individuals lost productivity.1 in the UK seek help for their own or • Alcohol is 45 per cent cheaper than it someone else’s drinking problem.10 was in 1980.2 • One per cent of 11-year olds and 25 per • Alcohol consumption in the UK increased cent of 15-year olds have drunk alcohol by nine per cent in the UK between 1980 in the last week.11 and 2009. Across the OECD in the same • Between five and 10 per cent of both boys period, it fell by nine per cent3. and girls aged 14-15 are drinking more • There is increasing evidence of the than the recommended levels for adults.12 damage caused by drinking during pregnancy – foetal alcohol syndrome is a preventable cause of infant mortality and the leading known cause of intellectual disability.4 • Alcohol can harm developing teenage brains and hold back educational attainment. Research shows that the earlier a child starts drinking, the higher their chances of developing alcohol abuse or dependence in their teenage years and adult life – children who drink before the age of 15 are most susceptible to alcohol misuse in later life.5 • Alcohol is the leading risk factor for deaths among men and women aged 35-44 years in the UK.6 3 • People may be drinking less overall than • Older people between the ages of 60 they were five years ago but figures and 74 admitted to hospitals in England are still up from 2000 and there is still a with mental and behavioural disorders trend of heavy episodic drinking among associated with alcohol use has risen younger groups, and over half (52 per by over 50 per cent more than in the cent) of those who say they drink on five 15-59 age group over the past 10 years or more days in the week are aged 45 (a 94 per cent increase in the 15-59 and over.13 age group from 27,477 to 53,258 and a • Sales of illegal alcohol have risen 150 per cent increase in the 60-74 age fivefold since 2009. Counterfeit alcohol group from 3,247 to 8,120).17 now accounts for 73 per cent of all • People with severe and enduring mental investigations by UK trading standards illness are three times more likely to be authorities (up from 51 per cent in alcohol dependent than the rest of the 2009/10). Toxic and industrial solvents population.18 in fake spirits, which are packaged to • More than half (54 per cent) of students resemble well-known brands and sold admit they still consume at least double much more cheaply can cause death the daily unit guidelines when drinking and blindness.14 socially and almost a third (30 per cent) have blacked out or lost their memory Did you know – alcohol due to drinking too much.19 and health? • Children too are impacted by alcohol • Alcohol is a causal factor in more with an estimated 2.6 million living with than 60 medical conditions, including: parents who are drinking hazardously mouth, throat, stomach, liver and breast and 705,000 living with dependent cancers; high blood pressure, cirrhosis drinkers.20 of the liver; and depression. Alcohol dependence and addiction is a serious Did you know – alcohol mental health issue. and crime? • There are an estimated 1.6 million people Alcohol affects not only the health dependent on alcohol in England but and wellbeing of people who misuse only 6.4 per cent of dependent drinkers it and their families. There is a wealth access treatment.15 of information indicating a strong link • In 2011/12 there were 1.2 million alcohol between alcohol use and criminal and disorderly behaviour, including road traffic related hospital admissions, representing injuries and deaths, domestic violence and a 35 per cent increase since 2002/3. Of town centre violence. those admissions 49,456 were for liver disease, which is the only major cause of mortality and morbidity on the increase in England whilst decreasing in other European countries.16 4 This makes it an issue for the whole • Alcohol fraud costs the UK around community, needing a community-wide £1.3 billion a year in lost revenue to the response. Treasury.30 It also impacts adversely on • 9,990 people were casualties of drink- the legitimate drinks industry. driving accidents in the UK in 2011 • For every £1 invested in specialist alcohol including 280 who died and 1,290 who treatment, £5 is saved on health, welfare suffered serious injury.21 and crime costs.31 • 47 per cent of violent crime is alcohol • Misuse and dependence on alcohol related.22 People who ‘pre-load’ with costs England over £21 billion per year in alcohol, drinking before they go out healthcare, crime and lost productivity.32 for the night, are 2.5 times more likely to be involved in violence as a victim This call for action from the LGA has or an offender.23 brilliantly captured the current burden • Offenders were believed by victims of alcohol harm in this country and the opportunity for properly resourced to be under the influence of alcohol local initiatives to reduce it. There in nearly half of all incidents of will always be areas where national domestic violence.24 policies will be most efficient and • Alcohol plays a part in 25-33 per cent effective, such as setting a minimum of known cases of child abuse.25 unit price, and others, such as tackling the local night-time economy, where The cost of alcohol misuse, local government is best placed to act. dependence and harm Let's work together to make sure there • Alcohol-related harm cost the NHS in is coordinated national and local 26 England £3.5 billion in 2011/12.