Exclusive: Health chiefs launch campaign to tackle hidden alcohol abuse

Thousands of drinkers in the county are placing themselves at increasing risk of serious illness including cancer and heart disease by drinking to excess at home.

Latest statistics have revealed that six out of North Yorkshire’s eight local authority areas rank in the worst 25 for levels of “increased risk drinking”, Harrogate ranking second in the country.

Senior officials from the primary care trust NHS North Yorkshire and York have now launched a campaign to stress the dangers of excessive drinking.

The associate director of public health, Rachel Johns, said: “Many people enjoy drinking in moderation, but it is easy for it to escalate.

“The people we are particularly concerned about are those who drink regularly in their own homes. These are not people who are drinking to get drunk and cause anti-social behaviour.

“It is the people who may drink a bottle of wine most nights at home, and maybe a bit more on a weekend, that are increasing the risk to their long-term health.”

National research has revealed that more than 90 per cent of adults in England drink alcohol and more than a fifth drink at levels associated with increased risk. The same proportion of people admits to binge-drinking.

The direct cost to the NHS of treating alcohol-related conditions is estimated at £2.7m a year, while the overall cost to society of alcohol use amounts to about £20bn annually.

Health experts have been unable to pinpoint why North Yorkshire is ranked as one of the worst areas of the country for excessive drinking.

However, it is thought that the recession has meant many financially stricken householders have chosen to buy cheap alcohol from supermarkets and off licences rather than go out drinking.

And the ongoing closures of village pubs has also meant that many rural communities have no choice but to drink at home.

Mrs Johns warned that alcohol has been recognised as a factor in many medical conditions including liver disease, heart disease and cancers.

She added: “In a recent study, alcohol was identified as the most harmful drug, with heroin and crack cocaine second and third.

“We are asking those who drink regularly at home to consider what constitutes safe levels of consumption, and to pay attention to the units of alcohol in their drinks.

“There is a lot of information available about units of alcohol, and you can always see how many units are in a drink on the label.

“If people moderate their levels of drinking now, they can reduce their risk of developing serious illnesses later in life.”

A total of 26 per cent of people in the Harrogate district are placing themselves at “increased risk” from the amount of alcohol they consume.

Richmondshire, York and Selby as well as Hambleton and Craven all fall within the worst 25 of the 326 local authorities in England.

Scarborough and Ryedale are also in the worst 80 local authority areas for excessive drinking.

Men should not regularly drink more than three or four units of alcohol a day, while women should limit their daily intake to just two or three units, a unit being half a pint of beer or a small glass of wine.

The primary care trust’s campaign will highlight the risks for people who regularly drink at home and will urge them to analyse their consumption on a daily and weekly basis.

Concerns over the hidden problem of excessive drinking have been mounting in recent years.

The Yorkshire Post revealed in 2008 that health chiefs had expressed growing concerns over the problem of binge-drinking at home in York.

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