Responsible drinking means never having to say sorry or feel guilty for what has happened while you were drinking - that means not getting drunk

These are hints that will help you derive more enjoyment and pleasure from drinking – if you choose to consume alcohol.

1. Don’t drink more than you can handle – if you limit your drinking to no more than one drink an hour, you’ll be in control and avoid drunkenness.

2. Don’t drink on an empty stomach – better still eat food while you drink. High protein foods such as cheese and peanuts slow the absorption of alcohol into the circulatory system

3. Drink slowly – if you gulp a drink for the effect, you’ll miss out on tasting and smelling the various flavours.

4. Drink only when you really want to – but if someone is forcing you to take another drink, ask for ice or drink a non-alcoholic beverage instead.

5. Know your drinks – and cultivate taste over quantity. Learn the names of fine wines, whiskeys, and beers; and what beverage goes with what food.

6. Miss one out now and again – and take a non-alcoholic drink instead. This way you’ll get to keep the blood alcohol concentration down.

7. Drink only drinks that you’re familiar with – such drinks as zombies and other fruit and rum drinks can catch you out, as the alcohol is not always detectable.

8. Make sure that alcohol doesn’t cost you more than money – keep your friends by not making alcohol the primary focus of your evening. Arrange a theme for your party – have a Welsh night party rather than just getting together to drink beer.

9. Decide beforehand who’s going to drive home – appointing a designated driver ensures that someone will be available who will not be drinking and will drive all drinkers home.

10. Don’t mix alcohol with other drugs – this includes over-the-counter drugs such as sleeping pills and cold or cough medicines, and certain antibiotics, arthritic, anti-depressant, and many other prescription medications. Check out the dangers with your doctor or pharmacist first.

11. Respect those who prefer not to drink – many abstain for religious or medical reasons, because they are recovering alcoholics, or simply because they don’t like the taste of alcohol. Respect their right to be different.

12. Avoid mixing your drinks and drinking on an empty stomach (particularly if you’re spending Christmas in a hot climate) – this can produce hypoglycaemia, which can ruin your day by causing dizziness, weakness, and mood change.

13. Know your recommended limit – this means for males no more than 2 – 3 units of alcohol and for females 1 – 2 units per day. Most studies suggest that these limits are safe for health.

Having a party? These handy hints will help you enjoy yourself and give more pleasure to your guests:

1. Make sure people have plenty of room to move around and meet each other – if that means putting the sofa in one corner, so be it.

2. Who’s in charge? Make sure that the “barman” is not a “too eager pusher” who uses the role to put an extra shot in everyone’s glass, or to keep filling up half empty cups with more beer.

3. Pace your drinks – have one drink an hour and you won’t get drunk. Use small cups or glasses rather than large ones for beer drawn out of kegs.

4. Serving doubles and trebles causes trouble – besides, it’s considered rude. Many mature and wise people count and pace their drinks. If you serve doubles and trebles they will be drinking twice and three times as much as they planned.

5. Make sure they eat something – have plenty of high quality snacks such as cheese, meats, nuts, etc to help slow the absorption of alcohol into the circulatory system.

6. Don’t ply them with drink – let the glass be empty before you offer a refill.

7. Serve non-alcoholic drinks as well – many people do not drink and may be on medication or be recovering alcoholics.

8. Stop tap. Decide in advance when you want your party to end, and from that time on stop serving alcohol and serve coffee and a substantial snack instead. This provides some non-drinking time before your guests drive home. Remember, cold showers and coffee do not “sober up” intoxicated people – it just makes them more aware that they’re freezing drunk.

9. Don’t allow people who have been drinking to get behind the wheel – instead, let them sleep at your house or have someone else drive them home, or call a taxi.

10. If you abide by these helpful hints they will help you and your friends drink responsibly and derive more enjoyment and pleasure from drinking – if you choose to consume alcohol.

As a general rule: Don’t drink:

• When sick
• Taking medication
• Being a designated driver

Consuming NO MORE than one glass of wine, beer or mixed drink with a meal in an hour will keep you in control of the situation and prevent drunkenness.


The Welsh Council on Alcohol and Other Drugs, 58 Richmond Road, Cardiff CF24 3AT. T. 02920 493 895. E. info@welshcouncil.org.uk Website. www.welshcouncil.org.uk adapted from Engs, R.C. Alcohol and Other Drugs: Self Responsibility. Tichenor Publishing Company, Bloomington, IN, 1987.