The alcohol beverages industry welcomes the positive findings of a new report which shows a significant decrease in the number of treatment episodes due to alcohol.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) report, Alcohol and other drug treatment services in Australia 2015–16, reveals that the percentage of treatment episodes due to alcohol has fallen 14 per cent, from 46% of all drug treatment episodes in 2011-12 to 32% in 2015-16.
“Despite this and other significant improvements in the drinking habits of Australians shown in the latest AIHW National Drug Strategy Household Survey, the alcohol beverages industry acknowledges there is still misuse,” Alcohol Beverages Australia Executive director Fergus Taylor said.
“The industry is committed to working with governments and local communities and funding important educational initiatives like DrinkWise and Red Dust Role Models to target and change the attitudes and behaviours of at-risk groups wherever they exist.
“Importantly, fewer people aged 12–17 years old are drinking alcohol – a consistent trend for more than a decade – and the proportion in this age group abstaining from alcohol has significantly increased from 72 to 82% since 2013.
“People aged 14–24 have continued to delay starting drinking – from 14 years old in 1998 to 16 years in 2016. Young adults are also drinking less, with a significantly lower proportion of 18–24 year olds consuming 5 or more standard drinks on a monthly basis (42% in 2016, down from 47% in 2013).
“Maintaining downward trends such as these is an important national responsibility, requiring a combination of education and strict enforcement on sales, and the alcohol beverages industry is committed to ensuring this continues.”
Alcohol Beverages Australia is the peak industry body created to highlight the positive social, cultural and economic contribution of alcohol beverages in Australia, and promote, explain and defend the legitimate rights of the industry and the 15 million Australians who drink responsibly. devsite.alcoholbeveragesaustralia.org.au
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Media enquiries:
Matt Johnston
Ph: 0432 535 893 or matt@alcoholbeveragesaustralia.org.au