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STATEMENT: Alcohol Concern welcomes positive progress but warns against complacency

Wednesday 26 May 2010

Alcohol Concern responds to NHS Statistics on Alcohol, England 2010.

In response to the report released today, Don Shenker, Chief Executive of Alcohol Concern said:

“Many of the latest statistics on alcohol released by the NHS today make for positive reading and Alcohol Concern is pleased to note the reported decreases in many areas of alcohol use amongst those surveyed. However, this new survey data leaves no room for complacency.

“Within a historical context, alcohol consumption in the UK remains worryingly high. The continued increases in alcohol-related mortality rates and the greater need for alcohol-related medical intervention point to an ongoing and increasing burden on health services and public finances. The figures also indicate an increase in the average consumption of alcohol amongst underage drinkers, despite a decrease in the numbers of young people drinking.

“In addition, although awareness of the existence of daily drinking limits has increased to 75% of the population, this is not reflected in the proportion of drinkers who understand the unit content of different alcohol products or are able to accurately calculate their own levels of consumption. This data reinforces the need for mandatory health messages on all alcohol labels to enable consumers to make healthier choices and wider government action to address the growing public sector costs of alcohol misuse.”

ENDS

Notes for Editors

• The full report, Statistics on Alcohol, England 2010  is available on the NHS TIC website.
• Alcohol Concern is the national agency on alcohol misuse campaigning for effective alcohol policy and improved services for people whose lives are affected by alcohol-related problems.
• Alcohol Concern is a membership body working at a national level to influence alcohol policy and champion best practice locally. We support professionals and organisations by providing expertise, information and guidance. We are a challenging voice to the drinks industry and promote public awareness of alcohol issues.