National Drug Strategy 2006-2009 - part 1 - posted 18/08/06 - Alcohol

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Figure 3. Total adult per capita alcohol consumption, selected countries (by rankout of 185) (Countries selected with similar cultural, social and economic profile)(Source: WHO 2005)While estimates of per capita consumption of alcohol in Australia over the past20 years vary depending on the source and basis of analysis used, they do showa similar trend.The available consumption estimates for Australia show:• Per capita alcohol consumption in Australia steadily declined from the late1980s until early 1990s when the consumption began to fluctuate.• Over the past decade there has been a steady increase in the proportion of theAustralian population who drink, reaching 83 percent in 2004 (AIHW 2005).• 1.46 million Australians consume alcohol on a daily basis, 600,000 (41percent) of whom are aged sixty years or older (AIHW 2005).• The real price of alcohol in Australia has remained relatively low, and droppedin some cases. For example, a glass of wine costing $1.00 in 1998-99 hasdropped in real terms, to $0.96 in 2003-04.The availability of reliable data on alcohol consumption in Australia remains acontentious issue. While there are estimates of per capita alcohol consumption inAustralia, there are no longer any accurate records of actual consumption since thecollection of wholesale alcohol sales data ceased in some jurisdictions in 1997.Consequently, there are now at least four different estimates published from fourdifferent sources using four different methodologies (see Figure 4). The mainreasons for differences between estimates relate to the source of the primary dataand assumptions about the drinking population. For instance, while both the WorldAdvertising Research Centre’s (WARC) and Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)estimates are derived using the same source data of total litres of pure alcoholconsumed each year, the WARC estimates are derived using the total population ofAustralia, while the ABS estimates are derived using the population aged 15 yearsand over. The result is that the WARC estimates are likely to be a significant underestimateof per capita alcohol consumption in Australia. However, it must stillbe emphasised that the estimates from the ABS, the National Alcohol IndicatorsProject (NAIP), and the WHO are also likely to contain some inaccuracies.Figure 4. Per capita alcohol consumption in Australia, various sources, 1989 to 2003(Sources: WHO 2005; ABS 2005b; NAIP=Chikritzhs et al 2003; WARC 2005).Figure 5. Prices of alcoholic beverages relative to other consumption (1998/99 =1.0), Australia, 1973-74 to 2003-04 (Source: ADCA 2005)• The price of spirits in Australia, in real terms, has remained almost unchangedover the past decade.• One in five (20.6 percent) Australians drink at levels that are risky or a high riskof harm in the short-term at least once a month. This is particularly evidentamong young adults (AIHW 2005) 1 .• Australians aged 20–29 are the most likely of all age groups to drink at levelsthat are risky or a high risk of harm in the short-term (AIHW 2005).• Between 2001 and 2004, the proportion of Australian women who drank atleast weekly increased from 33 percent to 35 percent (AIHW 2005).• Around one third of males (30.5 percent) and one quarter of females (25percent) aged in their 20s drink at risky or high risk levels for short-term harmat least once per month (AIHW 2005).• In 2001, 85 percent of the total alcohol consumed by 14 -17 year old femaleswas drunk at risky/high risk levels for short-term harm. For males this figurewas 80 percent (Chikritzhs et al 2003).91See Appendix 3 for explanation of low risk, risky, and high risk drinking.
• Between 1990 and 2003, the trend in total alcohol-caused deaths showeda general decline, similar to that for per capita consumption (Chikritzhs et al2003).• Following a period of national decline in youth alcohol-attributable deathsduring the 1990s, in more recent years, several states and territories havebegun to record increases (Chikritzhs & Pascal 2004).• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are less likely to be currentdrinkers compared to the general population, although those who do drink aremore likely to do so at risky levels. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth,compared to their non-Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander counterparts, are2.3 times more likely to die from alcohol-related causes (Chikritzhs & Pascal2004).• There have been significant shifts in the alcoholic product preferences inAustralia, characterised by declines in the consumption of beer and increasesin the consumption of wine and spirits (see Figure 6).Figure 6. Per capita alcohol consumption by product type, Australian populationaged 15+ years, 1989 to 2004 (year ending 30 June) (Source: ABS 2005b)• The increases in consumption of spirits have been driven by increasedconsumption of ‘Ready to Drink’ (RTDs) pre-mixed spirits products (see Figure7).Figure 7. Per capita alcohol consumption by type of spirits, Australian populationaged 15+ years, 2003 to 2004 (year ending 30 June) (Source: ABS 2005b)• Recent research into the alcohol beverage preferences of 15-17 year olds (abouttheir drinking within previous three months) has found that amongst males,there has been a decrease in the proportion who reported consuming fullstrengthbeer, from 46 percent in 2000 to 36 percent in 2004, but an increase inthe proportion who reported consuming pre-mixed spirits, from 14 percent to 36percent over the same period (King et al 2005).• This trend was even more pronounced among females, where there has beena decrease in the proportion who reported consuming full-strength beer,from 15 percent to 8 percent, but an increase in the proportion who reportedconsuming pre-mixed spirits, from 14 percent to 62 percent (King et al2005).In summary, these data show that Australia’s per capita alcohol consumption, as best it can beestimated, remains relatively high in comparison to many other developed countries and hasfluctuated since the mid to late 1990s. A reduction in negative consequences associated withalcohol consumption can be expected if a downward trend in risky and high risk consumptionpatterns occurs. Reductions in harm would also be expected from per capita decline along withtargeted interventions to address some specific sub-populations (youth, including underagedrinkers, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and those drinking to intoxication).3.3 What are the public perceptions about alcohol consumptionand how to respond?There has been a recent increase in public concern about alcohol. Respondents tothe 2004 National Drug Strategy Household Survey (AIHW 2005) were asked: Whenpeople talk about ‘drug problem’, which are the first two drugs you think of? Ten percentof respondents nominated alcohol, compared to 7.8 percent in 2001 (AIHW 2005).When the general population was asked to nominate possible measures to reducealcohol-related harm the following responses were given by more than half ofthose surveyed:• increasing the number of alcohol-free events (63.3 percent);• increasing the number of alcohol-free dry zones (63.3 percent);• Serving only low-alcohol beverages at sporting events (60.6 percent);• limiting TV advertising until after 9.30 pm (71.4 percent);• more severe penalties for drink driving (85.9 percent);• stricter laws against serving drunk customers (83.8 percent);• restricting late-night trading of alcohol (51.9 percent);• strict monitoring of late-night licensed premises (72.1 percent);• increasing the size of standard drink labels on alcohol containers (66.4 percent); and• adding national drinking guidelines to alcohol containers (69.9 percent).One third or more supported reducing pub and club trading hours, banning alcoholsponsorship at sporting events and increasing the tax on alcohol to pay for health,education and treatment of alcohol problems (AIHW 2005).Research that relates to the four priority areas is presented in the nextsections. Key findings from the national consultations are also reportedin these sections. While not from a general population sample, these datado capture frequently expressed views and opinions. A brief outline of theconsultation methodology can be found in Appendix 4.10
Page 1 and 2: Towards Safer Drinking Cultures
Page 3 and 4: This document was endorsed by the M
Page 5 and 6: EXECUTIVE SUMMARYAlcohol plays an i
Page 7 and 8: 1. INTRODUCTION1.1 Why does Austral
Page 9 and 10: 2. STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK2.1 What are
Page 11: 3. CONTEXT OF THE STRATEGY3.1 What

National Drug Strategy 2006-2009 - part 1 - posted 18/08/06 - Alcohol

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