Melbourne, VIC, 15th April 2011 – UnitingCare Moreland Hall, one of Victoria’s leading alcohol and other drugs agencies, today urged Government, the media and the community at large to consider the findings of the Alcohol Education & Rehabilitation Foundation’s (AER) latest annual national poll on alcohol consumption in Australia (http://bit.ly/aerpollreport).

The report confirms that community attitudes and behaviours relating to alcohol consumption are steadily changing. Findings include:

• Alcohol is consumed by 84% of Australian adults.
• Baby Boomers were more likely than younger generations to consume alcohol on more occasions per week but Generation Y are more likely to drink more in a single sitting;
• 37% of Australians perceive alcohol to be the most harmful drug, compared to tobacco (17%) and illicit substances (43%), up from 31% in 2010;
• Non-drinkers are now more likely to consider alcohol as more harmful than illicit substances. In 2010, all consumption groups perceived illicit substances as the most harmful;
• 80% of people (equally reflected across all age groups) consider that Australians have a problem with excess drinking or alcohol abuse, up from 73% in 2010;
• There has been a significant increase in the proportion of regular drinkers who think that Australians have a problem with alcohol, up to 78% from 59% in 2010;
• In the past year, 32% of Australians had reduced their alcohol intake or given up;
• Over five million have been affected by alcohol-related violence, including 2.6 million who have been direct victims of alcohol-related violence.

Moreland Hall CEO Laurence Alvis said:

It is worth remembering that while it is illicit drugs that tend to grab the headlines, the reality is that alcohol remains the most harmful drug, not just in Australian society, but internationally (http://bit.ly/lancetarticle).

The findings of this report provide some encouragement that the message is finally getting through about alcohol use. There are still enormous challenges to be faced in overcoming alcohol-related harms in our society, but there are signs of positive change. Community members are making changes to their own behaviour, either on their own or with support from the wide variety of treatment options available.

Mr Alvis suggested that anyone seeking assistance with reducing or abstaining from alcohol use should contact Moreland Hall, other providers of alcohol or other drug treatment services in their local area or explore the many online initiatives available. He continued:

There are options for people needing support, either for their own drinking or that of a friend or family member. Programs such as our Catalyst Alcohol Community Rehabilitation Program have demonstrated the enormous impact that treatment for alcohol misuse or dependence can have on people’s physical and mental health, family and social relationships and general quality of life. I can only encourage anyone out there thinking about making changes to their alcohol use to give it a try.

ENDS

For further information or comment please contact CEO Laurence Alvis on 9384 8880

Background about Moreland Hall: UnitingCare Moreland Hall is an Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) treatment and education agency of the Uniting Church in Australia. Moreland Hall has been operating since 1970 and provides a range of treatment and education services to clients in the North West Metropolitan region of Melbourne. These include counselling and support in the community and at Port Phillip prison, adult and youth home-based and residential withdrawal, education and training, drug diversion programs, supported accommodation and youth and family service.