Pharmacies To Promote More Responsible Alcohol Consumption

4 August 2009

Media release

Pharmacies to promote more responsible alcohol consumption addressing a $15.3 billion problem

Community pharmacies across Australia are participating in a new National Alcohol Standard Drink Awareness campaign, incorporating the recently announced Australian Guidelines to Reduce Health Risks from Drinking Alcohol. The campaign aims to increase awareness of the concept of a standard drink and inform people on how to reduce health risks from drinking alcohol.

Each year approximately 3,100 people die as a result of excessive alcohol consumption and around 72,000 people are hospitalised. The cost to the Australian community of alcohol-related social problems was most recently estimated to be $15.3 billion in 2004/05.

Campaign messages have been included on new prescription repeat folders (sample attached), distributed to pharmacies across the country. These messages show pictures of standard drink sizes for a variety of alcoholic beverages, including pre-mix drinks commonly popular with young people.

It also reminds consumers that they need to take care drinking alcohol while taking medication.

Pharmacists will be available to discuss any questions consumers may have about the campaign messages.

"Once again, this activity demonstrates the invaluable professional healthcare role that Pharmacists play in their local community," Kos Sclavos, National President of the Pharmacy Guild of Australia said.

"This campaign is just one example of how community pharmacies provide public health information in a simple and effective way and a community service that could not be provided through supermarkets, who are in fact profiting significantly from the sale of alcohol," Mr Sclavos added.

"I am proud to say that Australia's community pharmacists are taking the lead in promoting the public health message responsible drinking and responsible care when taking medications," Mr Sclavos said. This initiative is funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Health and Ageing.

Media enquiries: For more information contact Rachel Chin, The Pharmacy Guild of Australia 02 6270 1888

SOURCE: The Pharmacy Guild of Australia