Alcohol and you
There is no level of drinking that is completely safe. Alcohol can increase the risk of damage to your body over the short and long term. The National Health and Medical Research Council recommends the following to help you reduce the health risks related to alcohol:
GUIDELINE 1 – have no more than two standard drinks on any day to reduce the risk of alcohol-related harm over a lifetime.
GUIDELINE 2 – have no more than four standard drinks on a single occasion to reduce the risk of injury on a single occasion.
GUIDELINE 3 – for young people under 18 year of age no alcohol is the safest choice.
GUIDELINE 4 – for women who are pregnant, planning a pregnancy or breastfeeding not drinking is the safest option.
To learn more about alcohol, the effects of alcohol and the harms associated with alcohol use, visit the Alcohol.Think Again website. It provides a range of information about alcohol, including:
- Alcohol and your health – short and long term effects of alcohol
- Parents and young people – information for parents, laws about alcohol, alcohol and young people
- Alcohol and your community –information about alcohol use statistics and responsible service of alcohol
- Standard drink tool – to find out what standard drink looks like
- Risk assessment tool – to assess your current level of drinking
- Resources - which can be downloaded or ordered
If you are worried about your alcohol use, visit the Getting help page or call the Alcohol and Drug Support Line and they can help you find the service that is best for you.
Hear from paramedic Jilly Smith (Alcohol. Think Again)
What you can't see (Alcohol. Think Again)
