'Disappointing' report finds alcohol poisoning doubled in six years

The findings from the Nuffield Trust may be unexpected - with alcohol consumption falling as a whole by 18% in a decade​. 

But the report also found that all alcohol-related admissions to hospital have risen by 50% in the past nine years – up to 250,000.

Disappointing

CPL Training’s head of compliance Paul Chase said the news is ‘disappointing in the context of a much-improved position on responsible drinking across the UK’.

“The small minority of people that this report points to demonstrates the very need to have a much more targeted approach to alcohol misuse rather than a whole population approach to the issue,” he added.

For all alcohol related admissions the highest rates were among men in deprived areas or north England, and those aged 45-64.

But the highest rate for alcohol poisoning was in young women. The study found men aged 15-19 are half as likely to be admitted to hospital for alcohol poisoning than women for the same age group.

On-trade

The on-trade has been championed by the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers​ in the past as helpful for responsible drinking, due to the regulated environment.

And the Government has taken steps to tackle alcohol abuse by banning lowest price drinks in supermarkets.

Following the report, the British Beer and Pub Association highlighted research indicating drinking to have fallen by 19% since 2004.

Violence falling

A spokesman said: “Primary alcohol-related admissions have risen broadly in line with overall hospital admissions in recent years.

“Indictors of harmful drinking and alcohol related violence are also falling.”

Peak times for admissions were late night and early morning at weekends, with three quarters going by ambulance, according to Nuffield Trust’s data.

Statistics do not include physical injuries while drunk, such as fights or falling, or drinkers admitted to A&E without being treated.

Advice

In response to the report Dr Sarah Jarvis, medical advisor to Drinkaware, said: “Acute alcohol poisoning can be extremely dangerous. Different people process alcohol at different rates, but a very rough average is about one unit of alcohol an hour. Drink a lot in a short space of time and the amount of alcohol in the blood can stop the body from working properly. This is a problem for men as well as women, but women tend to have higher blood alcohol levels after drinking the same amount of alcohol as men so may be even more at risk.

“Alcohol poisoning can lead to nausea, confusion, loss of bladder and bowel control and ‘passing out’. Your blood sugar can drop to very low levels, with the risk of brain damage. Your breathing and swallowing reflexes are affected, so you run the risk of breathing vomit into your lungs. In the most serious cases, alcohol poisoning can cause slowed breathing and result in a coma or even death.

“If you think someone might be experiencing alcohol poisoning, even if you have doubts, call 999 for an ambulance. To find out more about alcohol and how it can affect your body visit http://www.drinkaware.co.uk/check-the-facts/health-effects-of-alcohol/effects-on-the-body/alcohol-poisoning​.”