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Netherlands National Drug Monitor - Research and Documentation ...

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7 Alcohol<br />

Alcohol is made from fermenting grains or fruits. It is drunk in the form of beer, wine or<br />

spirits. One glass of wine, beer or a measure of spirits contains approximately the same<br />

amount of alcohol. This is because the size of the glass used is reduced according as the<br />

alcohol content of the drink is higher.<br />

In social situations, drinkers experience alcohol as relaxing <strong>and</strong> convivial. In less sociable<br />

situations, alcohol can exacerbate an aggressive mood. Excessive use (even where incidental)<br />

can result in accidents – at work, at home <strong>and</strong> in traffic. Alcohol is an addictive<br />

substance. With regular use, habit <strong>and</strong> tolerance are increased. Excessive use of alcohol<br />

can lead to a number of illnesses, particularly diseases of the liver <strong>and</strong> the cardio-vascular<br />

system, cancer, brain damage <strong>and</strong> mental disorders.<br />

7.1 Recent facts <strong>and</strong> trends<br />

The main facts <strong>and</strong> trends concerning alcohol in this chapter are:<br />

• According to sales figures, the consumption of alcohol per head of the population in<br />

the <strong>Netherl<strong>and</strong>s</strong> has remained stable for years (§ 7.2). This also applies to the number<br />

of people who only occasionally drink alcohol (§ 7.2).<br />

• By contrast, the percentage of heavy drinkers aged 12 <strong>and</strong> older declined slightly<br />

between 2001 <strong>and</strong> 2008 (§ 7.4).<br />

• Alcohol use (ever use, current use, binge drinking) among pupils attending mainstream<br />

secondary schools declined between 2003 <strong>and</strong> 2007. This decline was limited<br />

to the younger age groups of 12-14; among 15 to 18 year olds, there was no change<br />

(§ 7.3).<br />

• With regard to ever use <strong>and</strong> current use of alcohol, pupils in special education don’t<br />

differ from their peers in mainstream education; however binge drinking is more<br />

common among the former (§ 7.3).<br />

• By comparison with their European peers, Dutch school-goers in 2007 were still among<br />

the heaviest drinkers, despite a decline in (frequent) alcohol consumption (§ 7.5).<br />

• Despite a statutory ban, juveniles aged under 16 are still easily able to procure alcoholic<br />

beverages; however, the percentage of those who actually ordered or bought<br />

alcohol has declined in recent years (§ 7.8).<br />

• The number of alcohol clients receiving treatment from (outpatient) addiction care<br />

services rose further between 2006 <strong>and</strong> 2008 (§ 7.6).<br />

• The registration data of general hospitals show an increase between 2006 <strong>and</strong> 2007<br />

<strong>and</strong> again between 2007 <strong>and</strong> 2008 in the number of admissions involving an alcoholrelated<br />

condition. The increase in the number of juveniles up to age 16 admitted for<br />

alcohol-related reasons was most marked between 2006 <strong>and</strong> 2007 (§ 7.6).<br />

7 Alcohol<br />

143

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