NCJ Number
212563
Journal
Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy Volume: 12 Issue: 6 Dated: December 2005 Pages: 493-500
Date Published
December 2005
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This study surveyed young people between the ages of 16 and 25 in licensed premises to determine their quantity and rate of alcohol consumption.
Abstract
Binge drinking has been identified as a public health and safety problem in Britain, and has attracted considerable media attention. In the United Kingdom, students aged 18 or over can drink in licensed premises on or off campus, intermingling with their nonstudent peers. The best index for binge drinking is quantity of daily intake. This study attempted to obtain basic data about young people’s drinking in a city center in the evening, focusing on: (1) how much alcohol do people actually drink in licensed premises in the evening; (2) to what extent do people’s drinking speeds suggest drunkenness; (3) is binge drinking distinct from merely drinking, or drinking too much; and (4) what do the drinkers in question consider to be binge drinking? The study sample consisted of 291 young people aged 16-25. The participants responded to an interviewer-completed questionnaire seeking to obtain information on their quantity and rate of alcohol consumption. The majority of people planned to drink a quantity of alcohol that represented a risk for their health, however their quantity was planned for consumption over a number of hours. So, while the quantity was excessive, drinking rates were generally moderate, with only 13 percent planning to drink two or more units per hour. Those who planned to drink more reported having binged more and regretted the amount they had drunk more often. Tables, references