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Drinking responsibly

How much alcohol does your drink have?

These four drinks look and taste very different. But you might be surprised to find they have one thing in common. They all contain an equal amount of alcohol. So whatever you're drinking, treat them with an equal amount of respect.

An image showing alcohol volume comparison across four drink types

How much alcohol does your beer have?

An image showing alcohol volume across three beer strengths

Did you know?

1 bottle of wine (750 ml) = 7.5 standard drinks (12.5 per cent alc/vol)

An image of how many glasses and standard drinks are in a bottle of wine.

Have a safe party

Parties are designed to be fun, but it's no fun if you are over the legal alcohol limit and are killed in a road crash or pulled over by the police on the way home.

These tips will help make sure you arrive home safely.

Tips for party goers

  • Plan ahead and decide how many drinks you will have.
  • If you intend to have a few drinks, don't drive. Plan to catch a cab or a lift with someone who has not been drinking, or stay the night.
  • Finish each drink before you have another – avoid top-ups.
  • Only time will sober you up. Food, coffee, a cold shower, fresh air or vomiting won't.
  • Alternate alcoholic drinks with water, soft drinks or low-alcohol drinks.
  • Eat before and while you drink to fill your stomach and reduce the amount of drinks you consume. Avoid salty foods as this will only make you thirsty.
  • Remember that after a big night you can still have alcohol in your system, so don't be in a rush to get behind the wheel. Chances are, you will still be over the limit the next morning.

Tips for party hosts

  • Make sure you have plenty of non-alcohol and low-alcohol drinks available.
  • Have a variety of foods available. Don't just provide salty foods as this makes people thirsty.
  • Don't top up people's glasses with alcoholic drinks – let them finish their drink and ask for a refill. This will help them keep a track of how much they have had to drink.
  • If you think someone has had too much to drink, arrange a lift home for them with someone who hasn't been drinking, call them a cab, or let them stay for the night.
  • Encourage people to plan ahead. Ask them if they intend to have a few drinks, how they are going to get home if they don't intend to stay the night. Ask them how much they will drink, whether they plan on driving, or whether they will stay the night.
  • Try to organise a sober driver to ferry guests home.
  • Be a creative host and provide entertainment – this will reduce the amount of time guests will be consuming alcohol.

Last updated: 15 May 2012