Drug and Alcohol Abuse and its Health Effects
Presenters: George Patriki, Murray Sutton, Garry Bagnell.

Professionally qualified Drug and Alcohol Counsellors from the local community will provide their expertly prepared tailored made lectures with slide material.

There will be a demonstration with fatal vision goggles whereby various alcohol level readings will be assimilated; That is, you can wear these goggles and test yourself with low and high range level readings.

Given the new drug driving laws introduced in December 2007, the presentation will also focus on driving under the influence of drugs.

General interest factors taken from the Tweed Traffic Offenders Program for your benefit:

Due to increasing product liability litigation beer manufacturers have been considering suggestions to place the following warning labels on beer cans

1. Consumption of alcohol may make you think you are whispering when you are not
2. Consumption of alcohol is a major factor in dancing like an idiot
3. Consumption of alcohol may cause you to tell the same boring story over and over again until your friend wants to gag you
4. Consumption of alcohol may make you think that you can logically converse with the opposite sex without spitting
5. Consumption of alcohol is the leading cause of inexplicable carpet burns on the forehead
6. Consumption of alcohol may lead you to believe that you are invincible
7. Consumption of alcohol may lead you to believe that people are laughing with you
8. Consumption of alcohol may lead you to believe you can fly

1. Alcohol misuse costs the Australian economy about 5 billion per year. It accounts for approximately one quarter of the total cost of drug abuse
2. Alcohol is second only to tobacco in the list of drugs causing death and hospitalization
3. Diseases linked to alcohol abuse include cirrhosis of the liver, strokes, dementia, epilepsy, gastritis and some cancers

1. Retail sales of alcohol pump about 13 billion dollars into the economy per year
2. Indirect taxes on alcohol products total about 4.3 billion dollars a year
3. A number of deaths from heart attacks prevented by moderate drinking is thought to be greater than alcohol related deaths

1. 49% of fatal crashes on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights
2. 21% of all fatal crashes generally
3. 9% of all injury crashes
4. 9% of all crashes

Queensland Transport research shows drink-driving was to blame for 105 of the 360 lives lost on state roads in 2007 - more than speeding (95), fatigue (65) and inattention (53).

But the number of drink-drivers continues to astound police with almost 11,000 drivers recording a high-level blood-alcohol reading of 0.15 or over in the six months from November 2007 to April 2008.

The worst figures were recorded in the festive month of December when 2414 drivers - or 77 drivers each day - were charged with driving while under the influence of liquor.

Queensland's 2008 road toll stands at 214 (to August 2008).

Impaired driving tests show that for a reading of:

• 0.05 is around 2 times the risk of having a crash
• 0.08 is around 4 times the risk of having a crash
• 0.10 is around 7 times the risk of having a crash
• 0.15 is around 25 times the risk of having a crash