Alcohol awareness campaign launched

The East Sussex Safer Communities Partnership campaign is targeting people who often drink alcohol at home in the evening after a days work, but who do not realise that they may be causing long term damage to their health.

Nationally, one in four people drink alcohol at levels that are above safety guidelines.

Councillor Bob Tidy said it's often difficult to know when everyday alcohol use can be damaging to health and suggests keeping a tab on the empties:

"This innovative campaign is being run so that more people will check how much they drink and if they are drinking safely.'New Year, New You' encourages everyone to use the empty bottles they recycle to keep tabs on how much alcohol they drink.

We are good at being kind to the environment, but are we kind enough to ourselves?"

Charles Everett from the NHS Hastings and Rother and the NHS East Sussex Downs and Weald said:

"Sensible drinking is a key part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. This campaign is aimed at prompting people to think about how much alcohol they drink and to understand how many units of alcohol it is safe to consume so that they can make changes to improve their health and well-being."

The UK Government advises that men should not regularly drink more than three to four units a day and women not more than two to three.

Consistently drinking four or more units for men, and three or more for women, isn't advisable because of the progressive health risks it carries.

This campaign supports the recently revised East Sussex Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy 2009-2012 which aims to minimise the health harm, violence, crime and anti-social behaviour associated with alcohol for individuals, families and communities, while ensuring that people are able to enjoy alcohol safely.

To see the strategy visit the website at: www.safeineastsussex.gov.uk.

Take the drink check quiz today at: www.drinkcheck.nhs.uk

To find out more about how many units there are in different drinks visit: www.nhs.uk/units

For anyone with an alcohol problem help is available at: Action for Change - Hastings and Rother (01424) 460066, Eastbourne, Lewes, Wealden (01323) 419696

Drinkline (24 hour national alcohol helpline) '“ 0800 9178282

Parents/carers who are concerned about their children's drinking habits, help and advice is available from the Under 19's Substance Misuse Service - (01323) 841470.