Special Groups
Pregnancy
- Drinking heavily can affect fertility. In women heavy drinking can affect the ability to conceive as well as disrupting menstrual cycles. In men there is evidence that heavy drinking is associated with a low sperm count.
- During pregnancy, alcohol passes freely across the placenta to the foetus and while there is general agreement that expectant women should not drink excessively, information about how much is safe to drink during pregnancy is not clear, you should seek medical advice.
- The Department of Health advise pregnant women or those trying to conceive to avoid alcohol, and if they choose to drink not to consume more than one to two units of alcohol once or twice a week. This is based on scientific evidence produced by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.
Source: Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.
Alcohol & Crime
The links between alcohol and violence are well established
- In nearly half (45%) of all violent incidents, victims believed offenders to be under the influence of alcohol
- This figure rose to 58% in cases of attacks by people they did not know
- 39% of domestic violence cases involve alcohol
- In nearly a million violent attacks in 2007-08, the aggressors were believed to be drunk
Source: British Crime Survey 2007/08
Young People & Families
Children and young people are particularly vulnerable when they drink. Small amounts of alcohol can get them drunk and impair their judgment so they take risks. The recommended daily benchmarks for alcohol consumption are based on adults drinking. No recommendations exist for children and young people. We do not yet know the long-term consequences of their drinking.
- Over 80% of 11- to 16-year-olds have tried alcohol. For a quarter of those surveyed this means having 'a few sips'.1
- Among young people who drink, the amount consumed has doubled since 1990 to ten units a week. The mean consumption among 15-year-old boys who drink is nearly 12 units a week and nine units for girls.2
- The proportion of 11- to 15-year-olds who drink alcohol at least once a week has risen from 20% in 1988 to 24% in 2000.3
- Fifteen and 16-year-olds in the UK are more likely to get drunk or binge-drink than most of their European counterparts, with almost a third binge-drinking three or more times a month.4
- Youth Justice Board (2001)
- Department of Health (2001)
- Department of Health (2001)
- Hibell (2001)