A new national coalition of health and community organisations from across Australia was announced today to reduce alcohol-related harm.
Comprising an initial 26 major organisations with a focus on public health and alcohol, the National Alliance for Action on Alcohol (NAAA) will focus on reducing alcohol problems in the community.
One in five Australians aged 14+ years drink at short-term risky/high-risk levels at least once a month. This equates to more than 42 million occasions of risky or high-risk drinking in Australia each year.
The cost to the Australian community from alcohol-related harm in 2004/05 was estimated to be more than $15 billion, including $3.5 billion in lost productivity in the workplace.
An estimated 70 per cent of all police actions on the streets involve alcohol abuse, whether dealing with victims, perpetrators or witnesses to alcohol crime.
On average, one in four hospitalisations of young people aged 15 – 24 occur because of alcohol. Alcohol consumption at a young age can also adversely affect brain development and is linked to alcohol-related problems later in life.
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Dr Eberhard Wenzel was an inspiring activist in the field of public health. Each year a special oration honours his contribution.