Reducing drinking

Sir, I write following the release of the latest figures on alcohol use by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The more you drink, the greater the longterm risk to your health and these ONS figures show a worrying increase in the number of alcohol-specific deaths in the UK, particularly among women and 60- to 64-year-olds.

From time to time, we are contacted by the families of people who have died as a result of alcohol and are only too aware of the heartbreak and utter sense of helplessness people feel when trying to lead someone to seek help for alcohol misuse.

We must all do more to address the stigma that people feel in reaching out for support.

For many of us, there are simple and effective ways for people to cut back on alcohol.

Taking more drink-free days each week, for example, can reduce the overall amount of alcohol you drink and reduce the risk of developing serious illnesses.

The Drinkaware website also provides information and resources for people concerned about their drinking or that of someone close to them

In addition to the website, DrinkChat online advisers can direct people, in complete confidence, to local treatment agencies. Elaine Hindal, Drinkaware chief executive.