Knowsley - Know Your Limits

From this week (28 January 2008), Knowsley Primary Care Trust (PCT) and Knowsley Metropolitan Borough Council (MBC) are launching a campaign to encourage sensible drinking among 18 – 24 year olds in the area. The activity will complement the government’s national ‘Know Your Limits’ campaign which highlights the negative consequences of drinking too much alcohol.

The message for young adults in Knowsley is, ‘too much alcohol can make you feel invincible when you’re most vulnerable’ with the main emphasis being ‘Know Your Limits’. The campaign stresses the need for young drinkers to know the point at which they change from enjoying alcohol and becoming a bad drunk. It also aims to highlight the importance of being aware of the health and personal risks associated with drinking above sensible limits.

The campaign will be brought to life in a series of ‘street’ events taking place in the last week of January, where scratch cards (available at our 'One-Stop Shops), designed to seed thoughts about alcohol misuse and its consequences, will be distributed among young adults and staff working in clubs and bars in the area. Those who correctly complete the scratch cards have the chance to win a prize. The campaign will culminate in a fair ground style event at Knowsley Community College, Roby Campus. Students, young adults and their families can come along and take part in activities in keeping with the ‘Know Your Limits’ theme and talk to experts.

The activity has the full support of the local community including organizations icluding KHT as well as Boots, Connexions, William Hill, Totesport, Booze Buster, Local and many other partners in business, health and social care, all of whom will be involved in distributing the scratch cards through their outlets.

KHT fully commit to this campaign and mis-use of alchol can have serious effects on your short term and long term health:

Health Effects of Alcohol

Short Term:

- headache 
-  blurred vision
-  giddiness 
-  blackouts 
-  poor concentration
-  anxiety 
-  restlessness
-  difficulty sleeping
-  may become argumentative
-  violence 
-  sweating
-  shaking hands and body
-  poor co-ordination 
-  vomitting

Long Term: 

-  memory loss 
-  alcohol dependence 
-  anxiety
- depression
- poor eyesight
- mouth or throat cancer
- heart disease
- high blood pressure
- damage to pancreas
- liver damage
- overweight
- damage to nervous system
- other issues include reduced fertility in pregnancy and increased risk of miscarriage
- low birth weight
- alcohol being passed to baby if breastfeeding


Key Facts About Alcohol Mis-use in Knowsley

· Estimates of levels of binge drinkers report Knowsley as having the second highest levels in the North West at 25% (after Liverpool) and the 4th highest levels of HARMFUL drinking in England, i.e. drinking liable to cause serious harm to health

· Knowsley has the third highest rates of alcohol related hospital admissions (13%) in the North West after Liverpool and Manchester and men in Knowsley have the 5th highest rates of hospital admission for alcohol-related conditions (like cirrhosis) in England.

· There are an estimated 1,500 alcohol related crimes per annum in Knowsley.  In the six months between April and September 2007, there were an estimated 97 incidences of assault / wounding where alcohol was an influence.

· The average man in Knowsley loses nearly 11.3 months of his life due to alcohol and women 7.0 months – compared to a national average of 9.4 for men and 4.4 for women.

· Knowsley women have the 5th highest estimated death rate in England. In total, an estimated twenty to thirty five deaths per year can be directly attributed to alcohol in the area.


Liz Gaulton, Deputy Director of Public Health and Alcohol Lead, says:

“The Know Your Limits campaign reinforces some of the great work that is already being done in Knowsley to educate young adults about drinking sensibly. Working together with local partners is an integral part of our strategy - everyone from commercial businesses selling alcohol, to club and bar staff pouring it, to those consuming it, is being encouraged to take responsibility for addressing alcohol misuse in the community. We feel confident that this approach will help young adults in Knowsley become more aware of their actions and encourage them to take steps to better look after themselves while out drinking.”

There are some sensible tips which you can follow which will still make a great but safe night out: is:

- Eat before drinking

- Drink lighter beers

- Set a drinks limit

- Have an occasional water or soft drink

- Try to stay out of rounds

- Don’t get pushed around

- Keep track of what you’ve had

- Use more mixers

- Drink smaller drinks

- Plan your journey home

- Know your limits

Try starting off your night with a non-alcoholic drink. It will quench your thirst before you move on to alcohol. Consider alternating between an alcoholic drink and a non-alcoholic drink or at least throw in a non-alcoholic one once in a while to keep the body hydrated, and it will lessen the effects the next day. Drinking water before you go to bed will also help.

Diluting a drink with another mixer will make it last longer, and lessen the effects.

It sounds obvious, but it's better to drink smaller measures of drinks if you have the choice – especially with wine. A large glass of wine in most bars is equivalent to a third of a bottle!

For more information please visit www.knowyourlimits.co.uk