title: Do not change the numbers--clarify the message. The government review of the Sensible Drinking message: a Medical Council on Alcoholism view.
abstract: This is an edited version of the evidence from The Medical Council on Alcoholism (MCA) on 'Sensible Drinking', which is based on the collective views of the Education and Public Health Committee and of The MCA Regional Advisers in medical schools throughout the UK. The contributors are not only university teachers, but also clinicians and health service providers in touch with patients and the public. On one aspect there is total unanimity. On no account should the 21/14 units per week figures for men and women, respectively, be changed: the evidence indicates that this could only lead to increased harm. There seems to be some scope for restatement of the significance of the benchmark such as that 'below 21/14 units per week is a sensible level, and that, at twice this level, there is an appreciable increase in risk of harm which continues to increase as consumption rises'. Drink-free days are recommended, but the need to suggest an additional curb on intake on any given occasion is also emphasized, since heavy consumption of this sort is that which is particularly associated with behavioural and psychosocial problems, notably in the young. Driving is an obvious example where any drinking could be dangerous. A simple statement such as 'avoid intoxication and do not exceed 6/4 units in a day, while maintaining the weekly guidelines as at present and bearing in mind the circumstances' is proposed.
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000517:prevention & control; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000453:epidemiology; D000434:Alcoholic Beverages / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000517:prevention & control; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology