Community must act on worrying trend

Our community’s relationship with alcohol has been a strained one at the best of times. Even before the Covid-19 pandemic the abuse of booze was putting huge strain on many people’s health as well as putting the squeeze on NHS services.

It was a drain on resources, a huge cost to the public purse and a significant factor in the rise in Wearside cancers and other life-threatening conditions. In February 2019 we were reporting how one youngster a week was being admitted into Sunderland hospital with serious medical conditions caused by alcohol abuse.

In older adults, alcohol was cited as the fuel behind numerous incidents of assaults on hospital staff and ambulance workers.

Hopes that lockdown could help alleviate issues may well be wishful thinking. According to new figures released by the alcohol education charity Drinkaware, approaching one in five people in our region have been drinking more alcohol during the pandemic.

The result, says charity experts, is likely to see even more people risking serious and long-term damage to their health if the pandemic drinking trends are not reversed.

The charity's evidence and impact director Annabelle Bonus said: “After a year of uncertainty, with more sadly to come, the effects of drinking to excess cannot be swept under the carpet. As a nation we must act now.”

Don’t just think Dry January, think sensible drinking all year round. Your health may well depend on it.