Website helps drinkers know the one that’s one too many

A €1.75 MILLION campaign will be launched today to promote responsible drinking.

The Drink Aware initiative includes a website and national advertising campaign run by Meas, the alcohol social responsibility organisation.

The www.drinkaware.ie site will allow people to calculate how much alcohol they consume on a regular basis. The campaign, which is backed by major drinks companies, will feature the slogan: “Know The One That’s One Too Many”.

Meas chief executive Fionnuala Sheehan said of the drive: “It is not judgmental or preachy, but seeks to be informative, factual and helpful.

“A greater public understanding of the need for sensible, responsible use of alcohol is required, and why excessive drinking is damaging to the individual, their family and society.

“Drinkaware.ie can play a vital role in achieving this.”

The website explains what is a ‘standard drink’ (approximately a glass of beer or a glass of wine, or a measure of spirits) and provides a calculator that allows people to assess how many standard drinks are contained in their favourite tipple.

The website also incorporates an interactive diary which allows people to maintain their own drinks diary.

The diary includes all the main alcohol brands consumed in Ireland and the number of standard drinks per alcohol container, so that people can calculate exactly how many standard drinks their current drinking level constitutes.

According to the website, the Department of Health and Children deems 14 standard drinks a week for women and 21 standard drinks for men, spread over the week, to constitute “low risk” consumption.

The World Health Organisation says that weekly consumption levels above 28 standard drinks for women and 40 standard drinks for men are “hazardous”.

Ms Sheehan said: “The key focus of the drinkaware.ie initiative is to promote responsible use of alcohol while, at the same time, challenging anti-social drinking behaviours.

“The drinkaware.ie website provides very detailed information to people about alcohol; how it affects men, women and teenagers; when not to drink and how alcohol affects the brain.

“We also want to encourage people to think in terms of standard drinks consumption, and to measure their own drinking accordingly to see if the amount they are drinking is moderate or excessive.”

Between now and January there will be an extensive TV, radio and billboard advertising campaign to publicise the drinkaware.ie website and to promote the key objective of responsible use of alcohol.

Meas (Mature Enjoyment of Alcohol in Society Limited) is a registered charity which was established in 2002 by the drinks industry to promote social responsibility within the industry and to moderate alcohol consumption.