Responsible Drinking
There are a number of ways you can drink alcohol responsibly and still have fun. The below tips will help you keep in control of your drinking:
- Have a water or soft drink to quench your thirst before you start drinking alcohol.
- Set a limit and count your drinks (it is recommended that you have no more than 4 standard drinks on a single occasion*).
- Eat before and while you are drinking.
- One drink at a time. Avoid drinking in rounds and topping up drinks.
- Pace yourself. Have a non-alcohol drink as a spacer and take sips not gulps.
- Keep active. Dance, play pool etc – you tend to drink less.
- Try low-alcohol alternatives (eg light or mid-strength beer).
- Plan safe transport. Have a designated driver, keep enough money to pay for a taxi or use public transport.
- Never mix alcohol with illicit drugs.
- Always check the effects of prescription drugs are not interfered with by alcohol.
- If friends choose not to drink they should be supported in this decision.
- If someone is drinking and passes out or becomes unable to speak, dial 000 immediately.
For further information, please visit www.alcohol.sa.gov.au or call the Alcohol and Drug Information Service on 1300 13 1340.
* The National Health and Medical Research Council (NH&MRC) recommend that healthy men and women, should consume no more than four standard drinks on a single occasion to reduce the risk of alcohol-related injury arising from that occasion (http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/publications/synopses/ds10syn.htm).