Here are 5 quick facts and information from One 2 Many our popular theatre in education programme on drugs and alcohol.
These facts are covered in the programme and some can be surprising for students...and staff!
Government guidance states that alcohol consumption should be limited to 14 units per week for both men and women
This changed in 2016. Until then the guidance was 14 units for women and 21 for men.
The more recent guidance from The Chief Medical Officer states that in order to keep health risks from alcohol to a low level both men and women should drink less than 14 units a week on a regular basis.
If someone regularly drinks as much as 14 units per week, it's best to spread their drinking evenly over three or more days. The guidance was changed to reflect new findings on the risks of cancer due to drinking alcohol.
Binge drinking can be 2 large glasses of wine
Binge drinking is when someone drinks a lot of alcoholic units in one session. The government definition of binge drinking is 6 units for women and 8 for men.
This is less than many people realise. So how many drinks make a binge? Well....6 units equals 2 large glasses of 12% wine, and 8 units is just under 3 pints of 5% lager.
Alcohol consumption in young people is actually dropping
A study by the University College London involving nearly 10,000 young people in the UK found that the proportion of 16- to 24-year-olds who say they never drink alcohol rose from 18% in 2005 to 29% in 2015.
The study also found that young people who did drink alcohol were drinking less nowadays and that binge drinking rates were falling.
One 2 Many covers that it is becoming increasingly normal for young people not to drink alcohol.
One 2 Many is not just about alcohol
Although the programme started off as an alcohol education programme it now covers other forms of drugs particularly cannabis and NPS (New Psychoactive Substances).
NPS used to be often referred to as ‘legal highs’. There are two pieces of drama in One 2 Many, the first is a montage of different scenes around alcohol whilst the second is a short drama around NPS and cannabis.
‘Legal Highs’ are not in fact legal
Until 2016 these substances were only legal because the manufacturers kept changing the formula so it took legislation a while to make them ‘illegal’.
New stronger legislation was introduced in 2016 which made it an offence to produce, supply and offer to supply any substance intended for human consumption that is capable of producing a psychoactive effect.
The maximum sentence is 7 years’ imprisonment. NPS still pose significant risks to young people with Office of National Statistics figures released in August 2019 reporting 125 deaths from NPS, double that of the previous year.
You can find out more about the content included in One 2 Many by calling us on 0121 446 4880 or e mailing us at info@loudmouth.co.uk