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Doctors call for urgent action on alcohol abuse
29 September 2011
In response to increasingly high levels of alcohol use doctors are calling for a reduction in the availability of alcohol, increased awareness of alcohol’s harms and improved access to detoxification services.
“Medical practitioners deal with the impacts of excessive alcohol consumption every day,” said AMA Victoria President Dr Harry Hemley. “It’s time for Victorians to reduce how much we are drinking and to find new ways to combat the harms of alcohol consumption.”
In its submission to the whole of government Victorian Alcohol and Drug Strategy, AMA Victoria has called for a multifaceted response to the growing problem of excessive alcohol use.
“A major problem in Victoria is the rising number of liquor outlets which make alcohol increasingly available and cheap,” said Dr Hemley. “A recent study in Melbourne found that levels of harmful alcohol consumption are strongly correlated with the density of alcohol outlets in an area.”
“AMA Victoria has called for community consultation to develop policies to cap the number of liquor outlets within specific areas. AMA Victoria has also called for alcohol license holders to be subject to harsher penalties if they breach the conditions of their license.
“It is essential that Victorian’s are educated about the risks of alcohol consumption. Such education campaigns should include a requirement that prominent warning messages be placed on alcohol labels.
“Victoria urgently needs more detoxification services for those that are trying to overcome alcohol addiction. Patients are currently experiencing wait times of up to two months in order to be assessed and then face a further delay before being admitted into a detoxification facility. Patients who have acknowledged their addiction and their need for treatment should not be forced to wait.
“Excessive alcohol consumption is linked to over 3,000 deaths and 65,000 hospitalisations each year,” said Dr Hemley. “Alcohol has been causally linked to more than 60 different medical conditions. Alcohol is also associated with many negative social outcomes.”
Research has found that many homicides are strongly linked with alcohol and over one third of parents with children entering foster care have alcohol problems.
“Urgent action is required if Victoria wants to slow rapidly increasing rates of alcohol use and its associated harms.”
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