FACT SHEETS - View PDFs Below

• Fact Sheet - PIR services from 7 November 2023 - 6 November 2023
• Fact Sheet_Public intoxication response -- About the centralised service
• Fact Sheet_Public intoxication response -- About the health-led response -- Oct 2023
• FAQs_Public intoxication response -- About the health-led response -- Nov 2023

The risks and harms associated with drinking alcohol have been systematically evaluated over the years and are well documented. The World Health Organization has now published a statement in The Lancet Public Health: when it comes to alcohol consumption, there is no safe amount that does not affect health.

It is the alcohol that causes harm, not the beverage

Alcohol is a toxic, psychoactive, and dependence-producing substance and has been classified as a Group 1 carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer decades ago – this is the highest risk group, which also includes asbestos, radiation and tobacco. Alcohol causes at least seven types of cancer, including the most common cancer types, such as bowel cancer and female breast cancer. Ethanol (alcohol) causes cancer through biological mechanisms as the compound breaks down in the body, which means that any beverage containing alcohol, regardless of its price and quality, poses a risk of developing cancer.

(Source: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (who.int)

Victoria, thus far, is the only State that has moved to create licenses for the ‘online sales and delivery’ sector, which is essentially unregulated nationally. Liquor Control Victoria have released Responsible Alcohol Advertising and Promotion Guidelines for the alcohol industry in Victoria. This is a start, but much more needs to be done in all states. The need for a federal set of robust and enforced regulations by government is vital. 

Unacceptable Practices.

Principle: “The advertising or promotion of alcohol must not encourage the rapid or excessive consumption of alcohol, nor should it use emotive descriptions, language or imagery likely to encourage irresponsible drinking.” 

Rationale: “This principle aims to prevent promotions that encourage people to drink in excess or faster than they normally would. It covers promotions such as games, competitions or “dares” that encourage excessive alcohol consumption or offer alcohol as a prize. Emotive language or descriptions such as “drink till you drop.” may encourage rapid or excessive alcohol consumption. In the context of packaged alcohol, advertisements or promotions that place emphasis on the alcohol content of a product also have the potential to lead to excessive or irresponsible alcohol consumption.” (page 5) 

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Knowledge, attitudes, and support for change 

NOVEMBER 2023

The harmful use of alcohol worldwide accounted for an estimated 3 million deaths in 2016.¹ The main alcohol-attributed causes of death include liver cirrhosis, cardiovascular disease (CVD), some cancers (eg, mouth and throat, oesophagus, and liver), tuberculosis, pneumonia, alcohol use disorders, and injuries

Higher alcohol intake increased the risks of death overall and from major diseases for men in China. There was no genetic evidence of protection from moderate drinking for all-cause and cause-specific mortality. 

For complete research