The Standard Drinks measure is a simple way to work out how much alcohol you are drinking. It measures the amount of pure alcohol in a drink. One standard drink equals 10 grams of pure alcohol.

Guide to standard drinks

If you drink a 330ml can of beer or a 100ml glass of table wine or a 30ml of straight spirits you are drinking approximately 10 grams of alcohol, depending on the alcohol percentage.

All alcohol containers now have a Standard Drinks content on the label.

30ml straight spirits:

= 1 standard drink

330ml can of beer:

= 1 standard drink

100ml glass of table wine:

= 1 standard drink

For more information on Standard Drinks, go to our Resources section to download a copy of the brochure

Drinking guidelines

Below are some guidelines to help you decide whether the amount you drink is safe for your particular situation.

There's a set of "safer drinking levels" for men and for women, based on medical and scientific research from here and overseas.

It must be remembered that there is no level of drinking that is safe for all people all the time. Factors like health, age, and weight directly affect how much it is safe for you to drink. For some, no alcohol is the only safe option.

These limits are based on a measurement called the ‘standard drink'. Each standard drink contains 10 grams of alcohol. Here's how many standard drinks there are in typical servings:

In any one week, drink no more than

• 21 standard drinks (for men)
• 14 standard drinks (for women)

On any one drinking occasion drink no more than

• Six standard drinks (for men)
• Four standard drinks (for women)

When drinking alcohol eat some food as well.

Remember

These are general guidelines. Even if you drink less than these limits, your drinking will not be safe in all situations. These guidelines may be too high when you're:

• Driving.
• Operating machinery.
• Boating, scuba diving etc.
• Taking medication aspirin or any other drugs that irritate the stomach, such as steroids or anti-flammatory drugs.
• Taking sleeping pills or tranquillisers, anti-depressants or narcotics.
• Suffering an acute or chronic physical disease such as heart and lung disease, influenza, diabetes, epilepsy or acute infections.
• Recovering from an accident, injury or operation.
• Drinking regularly to relieve stress or get to sleep.

There are some people who should not consume alcohol, or limit their use to less than these guideline amounts:

• During pregnancy – the risk of birth defects is greater if pregnant women drink, especially in the first eight to twelve weeks of pregnancy. During pregnancy, it is better not to drink any alcohol at all.
• Thin people - those below average body weight (60kg for men, 50kg for women).
• Young people.
• Older people because their bodies are less able to handle the effects of alcohol.
• People with a strong family history of alcoholism.
• People who are or have been dependent on other drugs.
• People who have a poor diet or are under-nourished.

Research suggests the more alcohol some women drink, the greater their risk of developing breast cancer.

Check your drinking on the DrinkCheck test.

If at any time you wish to speak to someone anonymously about any concerns or questions you might have, you can telephone the Alcohol Drug Helpline on 0800 787 797

For more information on the Sale of Liquor Act and ALAC’S policies visit ALAC’s website