The survey, conducted on behalf of the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, examines the amount people drink, when, where and what they drink and who they drink with.
It also examines how drinking behaviours vary across different sections of the public, the proportion of people who binge drink, problem drinking, and perceptions of drinking.
Key Findings
The key findings relating to the Adult Drinking Patterns Survey in Northern Ireland 2008 are:
* More than seven in ten (72%) adults drink alcohol.
* A larger proportion of males (74%) than females (70%) drink alcohol.
* Most drinking occurs over the weekend and peaks on Saturdays.
* The most common drink consumed is wine (50%), closely followed by beer (48%).
* Most of those who drank in the week prior to the survey had consumed alcohol at home (64%), and nearly one quarter (24%) had consumed alcohol in a pub.
* More than four in five (81%) respondents had exceeded the recommended daily limits during the week prior to the survey.
* Approximately four in five males (79%) and females (83%) exceed their recommended daily limits during the week prior to the survey.
* Nearly one quarter (24%) of respondents drank above the weekly sensible levels.
* Over one quarter (26%) of male respondents and over one fifth (22%) of female respondents drank above the weekly sensible levels in the week prior to the survey.
* Nearly a third (32%) of those who drank in the week before the survey had engaged in at least one binge drinking session.
* Males (35%) were more likely than females (29%) to binge drink.
* Over half (54%) of drinkers aged 18-29 years engaged in at least one binge drinking session in the week prior to the survey, and they are more likely to binge drink than respondents in the older groups.
* One in 10 respondents (10%) of those who drank in the week prior to the survey are highly likely to have a problem with alcohol, according to the CAGE analysis.
* Over half (56%) of those who consumed alcohol in the week prior to the survey considered themselves to be light drinkers, two in five (40%) considered themselves to be moderate drinkers and 4% considered themselves to be heavy drinkers.
Comparisons between 2005 and 2008 are:
* The proportion of adults who drank above the weekly sensible levels in the week prior to the survey significantly decreased from 29% in 2005 to 24% in 2008.
* The proportion of adults who engaged in at least one binge drinking session in the week prior to the survey significantly decreased from 38% in 2005 to 32% in 2008.
People are drinking more alcohol in many societies than ever before. In the UK, Ireland, Denmark, and increasingly Australia, young people drink more alcohol than those in the USA, France, and other Mediterranean countries. The way in which adolescents drink in different countries also varies. Frequency of drinking, regular drunkenness, binge drinking, and being drunk before the age of 13 years, are all indicators of an unhealthy pattern of alcohol misuse that is becoming more common. So, for example, 27% of UK 15-year-olds admit to drinking at least five drinks in a row in the past 30 days compared with 22% in 1995; in girls, as many as 29% binge drink. In the USA, 19% of 15-year-olds binge drink. Accidental death, self-harm, suicide, injury, violent behaviour, unprotected sex, alcohol dependence, and liver disease can all result. Nearly half of the alcohol drunk by these young people comes from the family home. Supermarkets, local shops, off-licences, pubs, and clubs provide the rest. http://madhavgopalkrish.wordpress.com/2008/03/22/more-young-people-drink-more/?referer=sphere_related_content/
Reality too many of the binge drinkers., if not already are likely to become hard core alcoholics.
CALGARY COPS LEAD THE COUNTRY IN GIVING OUT TRAFFIC TICKETS PER CITIZENS AND YET SPEEDING IS NOT THE MAJOR CAUSE OF DEATHS, BUT DRUNK DRIVERS ARE. AND NOT ENOUGH IS DONE BY THE POLICE IN THIS AREA OF CATCHING DRUNK DRIVERS. BUT IT IS EASIER TO COLLECT REVENUE FROM SPEEDING THAN IT IS TO CATCH A DRUNK DRIVER FOR THE POLICE. SPEEDING TICKETS ARE MORE OF A FINANCIAL GIFTS TO THE COURTS, JUDGES, LAWYERS, INSURANCE FIRMS.
In realities the number of vehicle accidents STILL have been increased, but statistics show also so did the number of drunk, impaired drivers too.
Drunk driving arrests jump. Calgary Herald February 6, 2009 – More than 65 people –three times as many as last year –were arrested in January for drunk driving in red deer as part of a stepped-up check stop program. From Jan. 1 to 31, Red Deer RCMP, along with Alberta sheriffs and the Alberta office of traffic safety, arrested 65 people, compared with 20 people in 2008. Const. Sabrina Grunow says the difference in numbers is due to increased funding for check stops. http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Drunk+driving+arrests+jump/1259164/story.html
It is estimated that 70 percent of adults drink alcohol and at least 15 percent of Canadians are alcoholics. According to the 2004 Canadian Addiction Survey, 79.3% of the Canadian population aged 15 years and older consumed alcohol in the year prior to the survey. Most Canadians drink17% of current drinkers were considered high-risk drinkers. According to the study on the costs of substance abuse in Canada, it is estimated that alcohol abuse accounted for $3.3 billion in direct health care costs in 2002.(18) Hospitalizations and deaths are two key indicators that show the toll of alcohol abuse on Canadian society.http://www.parl.gc.ca/information/library/PRBpubs/prb0620-e.htm#aconsumption
Drunk driving check stops thus should be enforced all year Drunk driving check stops thus should be enforced all year not just during December and January. Increased funding for check stops is not required also, merely reduce the number of speeding/traffic cops and put them mostly rather on drunk driving detail. Since we know that most of accidents are not even caused by speeding now in the first place too. Speeding tickets and related quotas tend to be a false revenue generating items . Installing a 15-hundred-dollar breath-sampling device and ignition interlock on vehicles seems to be not totally effective since it seem many now have learned how to by pass it.. by having someone else breath into it, or ..
The effective job creation programs should rather be done through the established job creation progrmas and not by the police for the police..
OPP says highway crash numbers up this winter Sunday, February 8th, 2009 9:25 am ( but they lie as to the reasons) If you have been stuck in more closures on the highways this year because of crashes, you’ve been part of a growing trend. Crashes on OPP highways have been skidding out of control this year, topping last years list. The OPP is reporting an increase in crashes this winter compared to last. OPP Sgt. Dave Woodford says that during the months of December and January the number of collisions has risen. The OPP responded to over 17,000 crashes on OPP patrolled highways in the last two months. Sgt. Woodford ( Falsely) says not to blame the weather for the collisions, but drivers not driving according to road conditions, such as speeding and following too closely. While the number of crashes are up, there has been a slight decline in automobile deaths and serious injuries. 47 deaths occurred on OPP patrolled highways compared to 48 last year and 65 two years ago. Sgt. Woodford says this means most crashes are preventable. While the weather may now be getting warmer, the OPP is telling drivers to pay more attention to the roads. http://www.680news.com/news/more.jsp?content=20090208_091710_46752
Beware. Lying spin doctors at work.. especially by the cops, RCMP too it seems.. Even a chief of police mostly lies about the causes of accidents.. firstly you cannot takes these police facts as reliable statistics even.. they are just one person’ s opinion as to the cause of most of the accidents, they are not the actual facts…. IN FACT POLICE ARE TO LAZY TO COLLECT, COMPILE, ACCURATE DETAILED STATISTICS.. THE CALGARY CHIEF OF POLICE ONLY GETS A COMPUTER PRINTOUT OF HOW MANY MORE TICKETS WERE ISSUED THIS YEAR OVER LAST YEAR PER AREAS.. Accident -Traffic Ticket Facts. Less than 10% of all police officers in Ontario receive specific, detailed accident investigation training. NEVER MIND IN ALBERTA. The failure of others to clear the highways adequately has contributed to the poor driving conditions firstly. Secondly the lack of winter tires does not help. Most of the car accident deaths were likely related to impaired drivers now too. https://thenonconformer.wordpress.com/2009/02/11/the-whole-truth-comes-out/
You also did notice the cops do too often still not practice what they preach to others they themselves still do like to speed, and how many like to drink and drive still too? Drinking and driving continues be a major cause of injury and death even because the number of persons consuming alcohol has been increasing and not decreasing.”There’s 60 different ways in which alcohol can cause premature death and illness,” Paradoxically, despite all the dangers, warnings , most people continue to drink beyond safe levels on a weekly basis that is more than 14 units of alcohol for women and 21 units for men. At the heart of this strange contradiction is a false belief, best encapsulated by the former Prime Minister in his introduction to the first national alcohol strategy. In the document, Tony Blair assured readers that “alcohol misuse by a small minority” was responsible for the rising levels of social and health harm. In short, problem drinkers are “other people”, spoiling it for the rest of us. In reality this is not so.. Drinking alcohol has become too common amongst too many people. It’s also worrying that motorists are continuing to ignore the drink-drive message. “Make a choice and stick to it – drink or drive. “Don’t drink and drive,” If you drive at twice the legal alcohol limit you are at least 30 times more likely to cause a road crash than a driver who hasn’t been drinking. If you plan to drive the only safe option is not to drink. Drivers’ reaction times and motoring skills deteriorate after even a small amount of alcohol – and get worse with increased alcohol consumption. If you are convicted for a drink-driving offence you will have a criminal record, lose your licence for a minimum of one year, may go to prison for up to six months, may have to pay a significant fine and you may have difficulty hiring a car within 10 years of your conviction. If you are convicted of causing death by careless driving while under the influence of drink you face up to 14 years in prison, an unlimited fine and a minimum two-year driving ban. Other consequences include:
-facing exceptionally high insurance costs once you get your licence back.
-loss of a job (15 per cent of those convicted do), legal expenses and loss of personal transport and increased travel expenses.
-living with the knowledge that your irresponsibility has caused death, injury or severe distress to innocent people.
Attitudes To Alcohol Must Change. A health Minister has called for a change in attitudes towards alcohol by both the public and the drinks industry all year now too. Statistics which show an increase of in the number of people binge drinking, getting drunk and that the statistics also show that we still have a long way to deal with this major problem. 81% of people who choose to drink are still exceeding the recommended daily limits. The cost of alcohol misuse to our society is very real. In just over 10 years, there has been a startling 86% increase in the numbers of people dying due to alcohol related harm. “Now, more than ever, we should all be working together to really tackle this issue head on and I believe the drinks industry has a key role to play. Supermarkets in particular sell alcohol far too cheaply. I am extremely disappointed that despite having met with each of the major supermarkets, and received their personal assurances that they take this matter extremely seriously, those words have not as yet translated into meaningful action. “On the contrary, they are flooded with festive drinks promotions that will only encourage people to indulge further in binge drinking. This, in my view, is totally unacceptable. Action speaks louder than words. On this occasion, profit is being put before public health.” “The harsh reality is that although alcohol misuse is known to be damaging and harmful to health and well-being
, many people still drink to excess. This must change, and in this respect we all have a collective responsibility in tackling this issue – individuals, society, government and the drinks industry alike.” http://www.emaxhealth.com/2/63/27952/attitudes-alcohol-must-change.html
(Gal 5:19 KJV) Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Col 3:5 KJV) Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
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