Last orders please…

Take a minute to consider this: over the next ten years, 38,000 people in the North West will die from an avoidable alcohol-related disease. Will one of these people be you?

Let's face it, most of us are in complete denial about alcohol, the amount we drink and the harm it does. We drink to celebrate, socialize and unwind. It's normal; everyone enjoys a drink and what's wrong with that?

Well, according to public health experts, if you're drinking more than your recommended maximum weekly alcohol limit (that's 14 units for women and 21 for men*) you are seriously increasing your chances of getting cancer of the breast, throat and mouth, mental health problems, liver cirrhosis, strokes and heart problems.

The NHS cost for treating patients for alcohol misuse is now estimated at over £2billion a year and the overall annual cost to society is thought to be a staggering £20billion!

In part response, the government today announced its decision to appoint a liver disease zsar. Judging by these figures the successful candidate's got a big job on his or her hands, as do the region's social marketing professionals. No doubt there'll be a fresh round of advertising campaigns over the coming months highlighting the dangers of drinking too much. Will we take notice? I doubt it.

One for the road anyone?

* units of alcohol guide
Find out if you're drinking too much… take the drink check test today:
http://www.drinkcheck.nhs.uk/quiz.php

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