UK’s attitude to drinking sobers up

A new survey published by Alcohol Change UK for Alcohol Awareness Week (1-7 July) shows fewer than one in ten UK adults (7%) see alcohol’s role in society in a mainly positive light. The survey found that even those of us drinking above the recommended maximum of 14 units a week regard alcohol’s place in society as more negative than positive on balance. Encouragingly, the survey findings also seem to indicate that many of us are willing to talk about our alcohol use with others.
 

Minimum unit pricing “reduced alcohol sales in Wales” 

New research has found that minimum unit pricing (MUP) can be very effective in reducing demand for cheap high-strength alcohol. The study, led by researchers at Loughborough University, compared sales data in Wales (where MUP was introduced just as lockdown restrictions started in March 2020) with English figures. It found that the introduction of MUP in Wales resulted in a 15% increase in transaction prices and a sharp reduction in the relative amount of alcohol bought, around 20%, with an overall drop in expenditure per customer, compared to England over the same period.  
 

Alcohol-related deaths in England and Wales rise

The mortality rate for alcohol-related and drug-related deaths has continued to increase in England and Wales, according to new figures released by the Office for National Statistics for 2021 and 2022. In England, the annual age-standardised mortality rates (ASMRs) for alcohol-related and drug-related deaths was 25.9 per 100,000 people in 2022, compared with 21.3 in 2019. In Wales, the ASMR for alcohol-related and drug-related deaths was 30.2 per 100,000 people in 2022, compared with 24.2 in 2019.
 

Will you Rise and Raise for Alcohol Awareness Week?

We’re encouraging you to see what you can achieve early in the day from having more energy from not drinking as part of our Rise and Raise campaign. 
 
How you can take part: 

1. Donate. Make a donation to help us create a society that is free from the harm caused by alcohol. Any amount big or small will make a difference! Donate now!
2. Fundraise. Set up a fundraising page and choose an activity to undertake.
3. Buy the ‘Sunrise’ t-shirt, designed by Clean Clothes Inc.