health
by Jason Easter, Health Promotion Officer women consistently drinking three units a day are still in danger of progressive health risk. What on earth are units? A small glass of wine (9% ABV) is equal to 1 unit. A 25 ml pub measure of spirit (40% ABV) is also 1 unit whilst half a pint of ordinary strength lager/beer/cider (3.5% ABV) is 1 unit too. ABV stands for the percentage of Alcohol By Volume. Obviously, in a bar you cannot guarantee the strength or volume of the drink. But by and large, barmen are not inclined to excessive generosity! However, drinks you pour yourself are bigger than pub measures, so keep that in mind. If you really want to know how much alcohol you are drinking you can work it out yourself. Look for the ABV % number on the bottle or can, multiply it by the number of litres you drink (250 cl = 0.25 litre). Easy! An example is: Cider at 7.5% in a 330ml bottle would work out at 7.5 x 330 = 2,475 divide by 1,000 and it’s about 2½ units: the same as a very large double whisky. Surprised? At a bar you will probably be given 9% wine and will get not more than 175ml (0.175 litres) in a glass. This is equal to (9 x 0.125) = 1.1 units. But in your own home, you may drink an 11% wine and pour yourself about 250ml in one glass. Check it out! This is equal to 2.75 units. For a woman, this is already close to the limit. Surprised again!
Most alcopops have 1.3 to 1.5 units in a bottle, so 3 bottles will exceed anyone’s limit. Some alcopops are even stronger. So what’s the right amount for you? There are no 100% hard facts because everyone reacts to alcohol in different ways. You should certainly try to stay within the recommended unit range per week and refrain from those Saturday night binges and getting drunk. Remember – you can’t save your units up for the weekend it doesn’t work like that. So what if you have too much? Many people who have too much to drink behave in a way that gets them into trouble. It could be a fight or trouble with the police, it could be unsafe sex, or they might make themselves ill and get into trouble with their parents. You will also not look your best if you have had too much booze – your breath with stink, your cheeks flushed and you’ll eyes will be blood shot. Not a pretty sight, is it? You need to take charge, and the best advice is not to drink alcohol; you don’t need alcohol to have a great time. If your friends call you a loser then (A) they are not good friends and (B) they are the losers! Use your common-sense and do what you think is best. n If you would like more information on the subject such as how to cut down or further advice, please check the Health Promotion Group website: www. health.gov.gi
Remember, you can’t save your units up for the weekend — it doesn’t work like that
GIBRALTAR MAGAZINE • APRIL 2010
teenage drinking
THE FACTS!
“My boyfriend won’t stop talking when he’s drunk. He says things like; ‘Don’t you love me any more?’ I don’t know what to say, I’m embarrassed. He doesn’t even understand a word I’m saying, he’s totally wasted, I don’t like seeing him like that.” Fact: When you drink so much alcohol, you are not only wasted at the time – you might be the day after too. Not a responsible thing to do especially if you have spmething important to do. Why? Because no matter how fast you drink, your body can only get rid of alcohol at a slow and constant rate. “Last night, a friend of mine drank a whole bottle of Tequila. He wasn’t very well afterwards. He drank it on the beach,his older brother bought it for him.” Fact: A large amount of people aged 15 and under in the UK are taken to hospital with alcohol poisoning each year. Many need intensive care and a few even die. “When girls get drunk they go all giggly and boys think that they have to beat someone up to be all macho. It’s more worrying that some people might have unprotected sex when they are drunk.” Fact: UK surveys reveal that 1 in 4 boys and 1 in 5 girls lose their virginity or have a one night stand they regret when drunk. Do you really want to risk pregnancy or catching something because you were too drunk to be careful? “When people go to parties they like to take the alcopops, you know, like hooch and the breezers, and cider, nothing much stronger than that.” Fact: Some ciders, alcopops and lagers have as much alcohol in a bottle or can as a double whisky. Don’t believe me? Well, a 330 ml bottle of 7.5% cider has more alcohol than a standard double whisky.
59