Alcohol self-assessment - Are you drinking too much?

If you're not really sure about the amount you are drinking take this short test.

It'll help you to assess the effects of your drinking and if it suggests you're drinking too much you'll get advice on how to cut down or seek further help.

QUESTIONS

1.How often do you have a drink containing alcohol?

a) Never (0 points)

b) Once a month or less (1 points)

c) 2 to 4 times a month (2 points)

d) 2 to 3 times a week (3 points)

e) 4 or more times a week (4 points)

2.How many units of alcohol do you have on a typical day when you are drinking?

1-2 (0 points)

3-4 (1 point)

 5-6 (2 points)

7-9 (3 points)

10 + (4 points)

What is a unit?

You can't just count each drink as a unit of alcohol. The number of units depends on the different strength and size of each drink, so it can vary a lot.

Here's some examples:

• Pint of beer, 4%, is 2.3 units
• 500ml can of strong lager, 6%, 3 units
• 250ml glass of wine, 11%, 2.8 units
• 330ml can of cider, 5%, 1.7 units
• Single (25ml) measure of spirits (e.g. vodka or gin), 1 unit

3.How often do you have six or more units on one occasion?

a) Never (0 points)

b) Less than monthly (1 points)

c) Monthly (2 points)

d) Weekly (3 points)

e) Daily or almost daily (4 points)

What’s binge drinking?

Binge drinking usually refers to drinking lots of alcohol in a short space of time or drinking to get drunk. 

There is no consistently agreed measure of binge drinking but drinking more than eight units on any day for men, and more than six units for women, is the measure normally used.

The vital thing is to avoid drinking heavily in one session or drinking to intoxication.

Binge drinking is a major factor in accidents, violence and anti-social behaviour.

4. How often during the last year have you failed to do what was normally expected from you because of your drinking?

a) Never (0 points)

b) Less than monthly (1 points)

c) Monthly (2 points)

d) Weekly (3 points)

e) Daily or almost daily (4 points)

5.How often during the last year have you found that you were not able to stop drinking once you had started?

a) Never (0 points)

b) Less than monthly (1 points)

c) Monthly (2 points)

d) Weekly (3 points)

e) Daily or almost daily (4 points)

6. How often during the last year have you needed an alcoholic drink in the morning to get yourself going after a heavy drinking session?

a) Never (0 points)

b) Less than monthly (1 point)

c) Monthly (2 points)

d) Weekly (3 points)

e) Daily or almost daily (4 points)

7.How often during the last year have you had a feeling of guilt or remorse after drinking?

a) Never (0 points)

b) Less than monthly (1 points)

c) Monthly (2 points)

d) Weekly (3 points)

e) Daily or almost daily (4 points)

8.How often during the last year have you been unable to remember what happened the night before because you had been drinking?

a) Never (0 points)

b) Occasionally (1 point)

c) Monthly (2 points)

d) Weekly (3 points)

e) Daily (4 points)

9.Have you or somebody else been injured as a result of your drinking?

a) No, this has never happened (0 points)

b) Yes, but not in the past year (2 points)

c) Yes, during the past year (4 points)

10.Has a relative, friend, doctor or health worker been concerned about your drinking or suggested you cut down?

a) No, never (0 points)

b) Yes, but not in the past year (2 points)

c) Yes, during the past year (4 points)

RESULTS

0-8 points

Based on your answers today you're drinking in a way that is sociable and is unlikely to harm your health.

As long as your drinking does remain within recommended levels, there is only a low risk that the way you drink will contribute to future health problems.

The NHS recommends that women should not regularly drink more than 2-3 units a day and men should not regularly drink more than 3-4 units a day.

Remember, there can be risks from one-off episodes of heavy drinking too.

8-20 points

Based on your answers today your drinking does appear to be putting you at increased risk of developing health problems, so you might want to think about cutting down.

The following can help you cut down:

• Work out a daily limit and stick to it.
• Do more activities that don't involve drinking.
• Eat before and while you're drinking.
• Don't let anyone top up your drinks.
• Tell your friends you're cutting down.
• Count your units.

The NHS recommends that women should not regularly drink more than 2-3 units a day and men should not regularly drink more than 3-4 units a day.

20-100 points

Based on your answers today your drinking is already causing you problems.

The NHS recommends that women should not regularly drink more than 2-3 units a day and men should not regularly drink more than 3-4 units a day.

For more information please visit our website Drug Test Australia.com.au call us on our hotline 1300 660 636 or send an email enquiry

Posted by Drug Test Australia Original at http://www.nhs.uk/Tools/Documents/Alcohol%20self%20assessment.htm

When social drinking becomes a problem

By Melissa HogenboomBBC News

Alcohol-related health issues among baby boomers are on the rise. Daily drinking can start off as a social event but turn into dependency, addiction experts say. So when does social drinking become alcoholism?

In the festive season, with office parties, Christmas, and new year, there is opportunity aplenty for yet another tipple.

Since the 1950s, alcohol consumption in the UK has gradually increased. The NHS now spends more on alcohol-related illness among baby boomers than any other age group, with £825m spent on 55 to 74-year-olds in 2010-11 compared to £64m on under-24s.

Estimates also suggest about nine per cent of men and three per cent of women in the UK show signs of alcohol dependence.

But it is the functioning alcoholic that can slip under the radar - before their health issues are severe enough to need treatment.

Straight vodka

Dr John Marsden, an alcohol and drug dependency expert from King's College London, says a typical functioning alcoholic can manage to hold down a job despite having a "very severe drinking problem that they have been incubating over a very long period".

"Alcohol problems are difficult to understand because they do not occur overnight. They are hidden from view which makes functioning alcoholics a group we cannot easily help."

Rob C, who is 61, was one of them. At his worst he was drinking 1.5 litres of straight vodka per day.

"Then I began to suffer blackouts, losing whole days and not remembering anything."

He would be first to arrive at work, which made him able to set out his "drinks for the day with what looked like a bottle of mineral water".

"I would hide bottles around the office. You think nobody else knows, that it doesn't smell, that you're getting away with it. But of course they did notice."

Life saver

For several years, maintaining a full-time finance job, he drank increasingly more during the day.

Continue reading the main story

“Start Quote

There was work, there was money and increasingly the motivation to alter ones mood quickly. Alcohol has been the drug of choice to do that”

Dr John MarsdenAddiction expert

What started as a social pastime nearly cost him his relationship. Now sober for eight years, looking back he says that even if a colleague had said something at the time, he would not have listened.

"I resented the changes at work and told myself I deserved a drink. I would buy wine at lunchtime and drink it from a polystyrene cup."

Wine turned to vodka for a "bigger kick" and lunchtime turned to morning through to night.

Early retirement on medical grounds made his addiction worse. It was only when his partner threatened to kick him out that he sought help with Alcoholics Anonymous, who he says saved his life.

Rob is not alone. In the last decade there has been a 63% increase in prescriptions for the treatment of alcohol dependency in England, as well as a 20% rise in deaths from liver disease.

Prof Sir Ian Gilmore, a liver specialist and chair of the Alcohol Health Alliance, believes the number of people dying from liver disease will keep rising.

Continue reading the main story

A silent killer

• Most cases of liver disease are attributed to alcohol, viral hepatitis or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
• The liver has no pain fibres so there are often no signs that damage is happening
• Doctors recently unveiled a colour-coded blood test which can reveal the damage caused by excess drinking

• Are you drinking too much? Take the NHS test

The majority of people who have alcohol-related health problems are middle-aged, which Sir Ian says is a consequence of chronic alcohol misuse - many years of frequent heavy drinking, rather than binge drinking - a session of drinking large amounts of alcohol in a small space of time.

But he says that though there is a big overlap, it is important to remember not all heavy social drinkers are dependent on alcohol.

"Some people can control their drinking after work, others can't. If people are frequently drinking harmful levels of alcohol - over 50 units a week for men, 35 for women - most will end up suffering some form of physical, mental or social harm."

A lifetime's worth of drinking is catching up with baby boomers, says Emily Robinson from the Alcohol Concern.

The charity hopes that their campaign, Dry January, will help get people thinking about how much they drink, especially at home when units are harder to measure, and crucially, before they reach a stage where drinking is affecting their health.

"The issue of people drinking every day is worrying as it's a way of slipping into dependency, as you need to drink a little more each time to feel the same effects," she says.

Dr Marsden suggests the line between social drinking and dependency is clear. He says the first question that needs to be asked by clinicians or family members is: "Has anyone expressed concern to you about your drinking?"

Continue reading the main story

What's a unit?

• Half a pint of standard strength (4%) beer, cider or lager
• A single pub measure of spirit (25ml)
• Half a standard glass of wine (175ml)

• Alcohol units guide

This question assesses whether a person's behavior has negatively impacted on someone close to them, he adds.

"If your alcohol consumption has caused a problem for someone else - I'm not rushing to label you an alcoholic but suggesting you need to take a closer look at your behaviour."

There is a clear reason the baby boomer generation is now most at risk from alcohol-related problems, argues Dr Marsden.

A hard-working generation led to an appetite for entertainment and relaxation.

"There was work, there was money and increasingly the motivation to alter one's mood quickly. Alcohol has been the drug of choice to do that."

For more information on Drug and Alcohol Testing visit Drug Test Australia or call 1300 660 636 or send an email inquiry to sales@drugtestaustralia.com.au

Posted by Drug Test AustraliaOriginal http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-20498044

Kiwi Kronic 'king' facing drug charges in Australia

New Zealand's "king" of legal cannabis faces trafficking charges in Australia after allegedly being found with a "commercial quantity" of drugs.

Matthew Wielenga was arrested about 8pm on Friday in the Melbourne suburb of Southbank. The 30-year-old is facing charges of trafficking a commercial quantity of synthetic cannabinoids and two counts of possessing a drug of dependence.

The Melbourne Magistrates Court yesterday heard he was found with more than 100kg of Kronic, a synthetic marijuana product, and 1kg of white powder said to be a synthetic cocaine sold as Diablo.

The alleged drugs are yet to be analysed and Wielenga had made no admissions, the court heard.

Defence lawyer Greg Barns said the elements of Kronic kept changing and might not fall within the substances banned by Victorian law.

Wielenga was granted bail on a A$100,000 surety and is to reappear in court on March 18.

Dressed in jeans and a dark T-shirt, he appeared to be listening intently throughout the court hearing.

The New Zealander must stay at an address in the suburb of Richmond, report to local police daily and surrender his passport.

Wielenga is a director of Lightyears Ahead, the company responsible for bringing Kronic to New Zealand. Kronic is laced with chemicals mimicking cannabis and is often much stronger than the real thing. It was banned in New Zealand in August.

Wielenga, who ran his lucrative Kronic empire from Albany on Auckland's North Shore, is understood to have travelled to Australia with about nine of his employees last week. The group were in Australia for a music festival, a source said.

Nisha Din, described as the general manager of Lightyears Ahead, said the firm strongly denied any illegal activity.

She referred the Herald to Wellington law firm Chen Palmer.

Partner Mai Chen did not return calls last night.

Wielenga describes his party pill business on his Facebook page: "I run my own company that provides products to get people high. They are sold all over the world, which gives me a great excuse to travel."

- Anna Leask, NZ Herald

APNZ

original; http://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/238659/kiwi-kronic-king-facing-drug-charges-australia

For more information on Synthetic Cannabis Testing Devices visit Drug Test Australia online or;

Phone: 1300 660 636

Email enquiries to; sales@drugtestaustralia.com.au

Kronic Test: Available from Drug Test Australia

Drug Test Australia now stocks testing kits for Synthetic Marijuana (Kronic).

This drug is widely used now in Australia by employees from all industries and sectors, with reports of growing popularity in the mining and fabrication sectors.

Employees use this drug in place of marijuana because it is widely believed to be 'non-detectable' in drug tests. Urine or Saliva.

This was true, until now.

Introducing the K2 Spice Test, a single dip cassette test, for use in urine testing that will detect synthetic Cannabinoids in human urine. These tests can be used on their own, or in conjunction with conventional urine test to effectively screen your workforce!

For more information, please contact us;
Website: www.drugtestaustralia.com.au
Phone: 1300 660 636
Email: sales@drugtestaustralia.com.au

Rise of Synthetic Drugs in Australia; Implications

Posted by Drug Test Australia

 

There has been recent media and government attention paid to the rise in the prevalence of use, sales and manufacture of Synthetic Drugs, such as Synthetic Marijuana (‘Kronic’ and like products) and Synthetic Stimulants (i.e. Synthetic Cocaine, Synthetic Amphetamines and Synthetic MDMA [Ecstasy]) among other harmful substances.

Of particular concern to employers in Australia, is that these types of drugs cannot be screened for in traditional drug tests; only by drug tests that specifically test for these substances.

European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, has released a report raising concerns over the great quantity of these substances available; with a total of 49 new psychoactive substances officially notified for the first time in 2011. Preliminary data shows over 50 new substances already detected for 2012. This is of concern to the Australian market, as these items can easily be purchased online and sent to Australia, from retailers residing overseas.

http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/news/2012/10

Queensland Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Jarrod Bleijie has proposed changes to the Drugs Misuse Act, that would include a plethora of synthetic drugs, with similar effects to presently illegal drugs to be made illegal.

http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2012/11/18/government-clamps-down-on-synthetic-drugs

The main issue faced is that drug ‘manufacturers’ aim to stay one step ahead of legislation and are constantly changing and developing the contents and make-up of these substances.

We must be vigilant and stay on top of this phenomenon, as impairment from these substances poses a significant safety risk in workplaces; effective testing is the only way to limit risk.

For more information, please see our blog articles below, or contact us about our synthetic marijuana testing kits.

http://drugtestaustraliablog.blogspot.com.au/2012/11/new-type-of-synthetic-cannabis-new-type.html

http://drugtestaustraliablog.blogspot.com.au/2012/10/synthetic-cannabis-frequently-asked.html

Contact us at Drug Test Australia
Website; www.drugtestaustralia.com.au
Email; Sales@drugtestaustralia.com.au
Phone; 1300 660 636

Designer drug called 'Smiles' linked to teen deaths

Posted by Drug Test Australia

By Stephanie Pappas

Published September 24, 2012

LiveScience

Several teenagers’ deaths have law enforcement officials concerned about the next in a long line of illegal synthetic drugs: 2C-I, also known as "Smiles."

The drug, a hallucinogen, has been linked to two deaths in East Grand Forks, North Dakota, though little is known about this drug's dangers. Other synthetic drugs, including K2 or "fake weed," have caused problems by proliferating before being made illegal. 

"There is hardly any research at all in the scientific literature on these things, even in animals, much less any sort of formal safety evaluation in humans," said Matthew Johnson, a professor of behavioral pharmacology at Johns Hopkins University.

A new high

2C-I is part of the 2C family of drugs, a group of closely related molecules that have psychedelic effects. Along with the other 2Cs, 2C-I was discovered by chemist and synthetic-drug guru Alexander Shulgin, who published the formulas of psychoactive drugs in his book "PiHKAL: A Chemical Love Story." As of July 2012, the Drug Enforcement Administration classifies 2C-I as a Schedule I controlled substance, making it illegal to manufacture, buy, sell or possess the drug.

Usually sold in powder form, 2C-I can also be taken as a tablet. Users often mix the powder form with a stabilizing substance, such as chocolate or candy, before ingesting. The drug’s effects include auditory and visual hallucinations, along with feelings of giddiness, relaxation and empathy.

"[M]y conversations were extremely clear and insightful,” wrote one 2C-I user on erowid.org, which hosts an online version of Shulgin's book. “The degree of honesty was incredible."

But the drug has nasty side effects, too, as the case of the East Grand Forks teenagers attests. According to news reports, a 17-year-old went to a McDonald's in June after taking 2C-I mixed with melted chocolate given to him by an 18-year-old friend. The younger teenager began hyperventilating and hitting his head against the ground. His friends took him home, but several hours later, he stopped breathing. His 18-year-old companion has been charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.

The night before, an 18-year-old was found dead in the same town, reportedly of a similar overdose, prompting police to warn about a tainted batch of 2C-I.

"2C-I is related to a class of drugs called phenylethylamines, which in turn are related to amphetamines," said Rudy Richardson, a toxicologist at the University of Michigan. Amphetamines (best known in the illegal drug market from methamphetamine) increase heart rate and can cause the heart to beat out of rhythm, Richardson told LiveScience. Those heart arrhythmias, in turn, can be fatal. 

More commonly occurring unpleasant side effects of 2C-I include nausea and vomiting, according to online, anecdotal reports. Some users experience "bad trips," which can include terrifying hallucinations and feelings of fear and panic.

Not your average hallucinogen

2C-I's hallucinogenic effects may fool some users into thinking it is difficult to overdose on the drug, Johnson told LiveScience. Classic hallucinogens, such as LSD and psilocybin, or "magic mushrooms," are unusual in that they don't typically cause immediate bodily harm, he said — though they can be dangerous to people with psychotic tendencies and those who walk into traffic or off of buildings while under the influence, he added.

Like LSD and psilocybin, 2C drugs cause hallucinogens by interfering with the brain's serotonin system, Johnson said. But drugs in the 2C class differ in having stimulant effects. That means that 2C drugs can kill in the same ways as meth and other uppers, including by causing strokes, he said.

Adding to the danger, users may not always know what they're getting. In 2009, for example, two people died in the U.S. and in Denmark after taking what they believed to be a 2C drug called 2C-B-fly. Instead, it was likely a similar, but much stronger drug called bromo-dragonfly.

"Until they're tested, you really don't know what you're buying," DEA spokesperson Michael Rothermund told LiveScience.

There are no national statistics on 2C-I use, Rothermund said, and it's not clear how widespread the drug really is. But Johnson warned that synthetic drugs should be considered seriously.

"I just want to caution people to be careful and not assume all drugs are the same — even if they have similar effects," he said.

Read more at Fox News; http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/09/24/latest-designer-drug-called-miles-linked-to-teen-deaths/#ixzz2CL62SJMI

Contact us at Drug Test Australia
Website; www.drugtestaustralia.com.au
Email; Sales@drugtestaustralia.com.au
Phone; 1300 660 636