For people above legal drinking age only
Don’t drink and drive
Don’t drink while pregnantHaving a night out
Drink sensibly and you'll enjoy yourself – and stay safe
summary
Meeting up with friends for a beer is the perfect way to relax and have a great time. But there are just a few things that you should remember.
Be sensible
Drinking too much in one sitting can lead to serious health and social problems. These include:
Be careful not to rationalise excessive drinking. For example, you shouldn't 'save up' your drinks over the course of a week and then have them all in one go.
Add food and water to the mix
Drink slowly and be sure you don’t drink on an empty stomach. You should have plenty of water between drinks to avoid dehydration. These are good ways to slow down the absorption of alcohol.
Don't put yourself at risk
Alcohol is a depressant – it can affect your reason, judgement and coordination, and slows down your reaction time.
This means that if you drink to excess, you're putting yourself at risk. The results could be relatively minor – perhaps you might not realise that your jokes aren't going down too well – or it might lead to serious risky behaviour, such as unprotected sex.
Enjoy
Drinking alcohol is a matter of individual judgement and accountability. It's been a part of social life and celebrations around the world for thousands of years. Drinking sensibly means you can enjoy yourself – and stay safe.
An enjoyable and safe evening out begins with a little forward thinking. Start your evening with some food in your stomach, drink sensibly and plan in advance for a safe way home – never drink and drive.
do:
don't:
Parties are great opportunities to relax and have a great time with friends.
Know your limits and drink responsibly. Plan ahead and be careful to take all precautions, especially those related to your safety, like watching your drink and arranging transport home.
It's fun to meet up with friends for a beer, but drinking to excess may compromise your safety
If you drink to excess on a night out, your judgement may become impaired and you may become less observant and unknowingly put yourself in a position of risk.
'Drink spiking'
Drink spiking is the illegal placement of a substance into a drink with the intention of causing harm to the drinker.
Symptoms of drink spiking depend on the substance added to the drink. Signs that someone's drink has been spiked include disorientation, dizziness, hallucinations, nausea and vomiting. Any drug can be used to spike a drink. One drug that is commonly used is flunitrazepham, also known as Rohypnol or the 'date rape' drug. To protect yourself against drink spiking, drink beer from a bottle or can – it's harder to drop a drug into a bottle or can. Also, never leave your drink unattended nor accept a drink directly from someone you don't know and trust and be cautious with communal, unattended punch bowls. If you begin to experience symptoms of drink spiking, ask a trusted friend or a responsible member of the establishment's management for help and immediately seek medical attention.
Aggression
No one should have to endure unwanted aggression that may lead to abuse or violence. When having a night out, it's important to drink moderately so that you maintain control over yourself and are observant of your surroundings at all times. Heavy drinking increases a woman's risk of becoming a victim of sexual assault or other forms of violence.
a few suggestions
The following are a few suggestions to think about before meeting up with your friends:
The best protection is to make sure you don't drink too much and avoid people you do not want to associate with. If someone is aggressive towards you, reply politely and walk away. When leaving an establishment, do not leave alone. It may be helpful to carry a personal alarm. And of course, never drink and drive – make other arrangements.
Know your limits, drink responsibly and take precautions when having a night out. Keep an eye on your drink at all times, stick with your friends and, of course, don't drink and drive.