Australian Alcohol Guidelines Fact Sheet - Drinking Environments

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Interaction between drinking environments and drinking patterns

There is strong evidence that both licensed and private drinking environments can have a substantial influence on the risk of injury and other forms of short term harm associated with drinking.

The risk of alcohol-related harms will vary depending on:

• Where a person drinks
• How they drink
• The rate of drinking

Licensed drinking environments

Past studies have found that nightclubs, taverns and hotels are high risk for having customers involved in drinking and driving offences, crashes and assaults. Heavy drinkers reported drinking most often in bars.

There is a link between various environmental factors, and aggression and harm in licensed environments. These include overcrowding, a predominantly young male crowd, boring entertainment, loud music, little provision of food, cheap drinks and high levels of intoxication, combined with aggressive bouncers and confrontational staff, low standards of furnishing and upkeep, and poor ventilation.

The safety of the surrounding area, including adequate lighting in the car park and access to public transport, can also affect the likelihood of alcohol-related harm.
In Australia, it is estimated that one third of all alcohol is consumed on licensed premises, and this consumption is associated with approximately two thirds of the problems of intoxication.

Liquor licensing laws

Liquor licensing laws do not allow alcohol to be served to intoxicated people or young people under 18 years.

By law in Australia, the label on any bottle, can or cask that holds an alcoholic drink has to state the number of standard drinks in the container.

Alcohol and the workplace

Alcohol related problems can occur in any workplace. A 2001 national survey in Australia found that 4% of workers went to work while under the influence of alcohol. Alcohol related absence is more likely to occur with employees who get drunk frequently, drink at work, and have reported alcohol-related problems. The impact of alcohol misuse is not limited to the drinker, but can also cause problems for colleagues.

Promotion of safer drinking environments

Effective strategies to reduce harm at a licensed premise or a private drinking environment include:

• providing non-alcoholic drinks
• making food available
• providing safe transport
• staff training and host responsibility programs
• management of the way people leave the premises to avoid sudden crowing on streets

With regard to licensed premises, some of these strategies are legal requirements under State and Territory laws.

For more information contact John Noble, Media Unit on 0413 890 241.

Principal Source: Australian Alcohol Guidelines: Health Risks and Benefits (2001); NHMRC