In relation to this program and the practice of safe alcohol consumption we have provided some facts and useful information below.

 

Alcohol Consumption in Western Australia
The highest proportion of alcohol-related harm remains in the 18 to 24-year-old group.

 

Between 1984 and 1994, deaths among people aged under 30 accounted for a quarter (24 per cent) of alcohol-caused deaths in males and 12 per cent in females. The majority of alcohol-caused deaths (approximately 70 per cent) in people aged under 30 occurred among those aged 20 to 29.

 

Young people aged 15 to 24 are the group most likely to be hospitalised for an alcohol-caused injury (eg.alcohol caused road injury and alcohol poisoning).

 

This year the alcohol program continued to target excessive alcohol consumption among young people.

The second phase of the highly successful 100% Control campaign targeted young people aged 12 to 17 using media, alcohol-free gigs, printed resources, and other community-based strategies.

 

In response to new research, the Respect Yourself campaign took a new direction this year and used well-known science personality Dr Karl Kruszelnicki to send the message Think Before You Drink to young people aged 18 to 29.

 

The Be a Good Host program, which is a collaborative project involving the police, the WA Drug Abuse Strategy Office, Healthway and the Office of Racing, Gaming and Liquor, aims to reduce alcohol-related harm by increasing the responsible service of alcohol in social and licensed settings.

 

Other strategies include Drink Check, an interactive activity held in licensed venues, and strategies with worksites, tertiary institutions and the local community.  More WA health information about alcohol consumption, its programs and resources as available from the website

 

 

Drink Spiking - Q&A

Q. What is drink spiking?
In most cases, illicit drugs are unobtrusively slipped into beverages of unsuspecting victims at dance parties, bars or nightclubs. These substances are colorless, tasteless and odorless so the victim has no way of knowing what is in the drink and the effect it can have. The drink when consumed can leave the victim defenseless and vulnerable.

Q. Where can drink spiking happen?
It can take place at any venues that sell alcohol and is predominantly reported to take place in bars, clubs and hotels. Drink spiking can also occur at private parties.

Q. What are some side effects from drink spiking?
Dizziness, nausea, vomiting, feeling inhibited and memory loss.

Q What drugs are used to spike drinks?

Alcohol is still the most common drug used to spike drinks. GHB and Ketamine are the most common illicit drugs used in drink spiking. They are used because: they are cheap and easily available, (GHB is manufactured in back yard labs ), found in liquid form, put the victim in a defenceless state, induce memory loss, and are virtually untraceable in the body within hours.

Q. What is GHB?
GHB stands for gamma hydroxybutyrate, a central nervous system sedative often referred to by other names such as “Fantasy”, "Grievous Bodily Harm" and "Liquid Ecstasy." Mixing GHB with alcohol can be fatal.

Q. What is Ketamine?
Ketamine is an injectable anesthetic that has been approved for both human and animal use in medical settings since 1970. About 90 percent of the Ketamine legally sold today is intended for veterinary use. Its slang or street names are Special K, Kitty Kat, K.

Q. What is Rohypnol?
Rohypnol is a brand name for Flunitrazepam, a powerful sedative that is often referred to by other names such as "roofies" and "rowies”. Rohypnol is very difficult to obtain and now has a blue dye in it to enable easy detection in a beverage, as well as the formula has been changed that it is no longer soluable when mixed with alcohol. The authorities state is not used for drink spiking anymore.