Issue 150

Waterfront debate: Pro Binge Drinking

04th December 2006

Binge drinking is touted as a major problem, but for those of us who are shy or not so good at socialising, going to a club, bar or pub and having a few drinks soon helps you gain the confidence to socialise, especially with new people.

The principal positive aspect of binge drinking is that it is a big bonding session, relaxing everyone, making things so much more fun and basically if the champagne dried up the party atmosphere would too!

In my first year of university going out to Divas and binging away was where I met many good friends who I continue to go out and binge drink with at least twice a week. The recent Beer Race is a good example of students getting together and having fun while raising money for charity and getting very, very drunk!

Going out drinking is also a way of releasing stress from work and forgetting about things you want a break from. It's a good way to let your hair down and enjoy yourself with a confidence you may not have otherwise had if you were not drinking.

But when does a night out become a 'binge?' The government's definition is more than 10 units of alcohol in a single session for men and seven units for women. One unit of alcohol is half a pint of beer or a small glass of wine, but these units have become outdated. A bottle of Bud is now approximately 1.5 units, so a woman would be considered a binge drinker if she reached for a fifth bottle, or roughly equivalent to a third pint.

At the moment drinking laws in the UK are strict compared to many other European countries where the drinking age is 16 and where alcohol is allowed with a meal at any age. The UK limit on drinking alcohol does not stop teenagers from consuming alcohol, instead it helps to make underage drinking cool and so makes teenagers more likely to do it. Studies show that most people have consumed alcohol in the UK before they reach their 18th birthday, so clearly the law does not work.

Lowering the drinking age, as in Italy, Spain and France would prove more effective. A lower limit promotes a culture of having wine at the table from a young age, encouraging a responsible approach which results in fewer alcohol related problems. In the UK the Licensing Act 2003 allowing flexible opening hours for licensed premises, with the potential for up to 24 hour opening, seven days a week has been largely successful, which suggests that we could liberalise drinking laws even more.

Just because you binge drink this does not necessarily mean you are an alcoholic. There is a big difference between someone who binges occasionally and someone who is dependent on alcohol 24/7. The difference is how you view alcohol.

The danger of alcohol dependency should be considered if the very idea of going without a drink fills you with a sense of dread. While binge drinking may be a habit for many young people in the UK, the vast majority of those people can go without a drink if necessary.

Kerrie Scholefield