‘Try’ to drink responsibly during Rugby World Cup
A team tasked with reducing alcohol-related harm in Warwickshire is asking people to drink sensibly as they enjoy this year’s Rugby World Cup.
The 2007 tournament is being hosted by France, but some of the games will be held on UK turf in Cardiff and Edinburgh. Each of the 48 matches will be broadcast live on the ITV channels and will be simulcast on itv.com.
It all kicks off on Friday (7th September) with a match between France and Argentina at Saint-Denis. The England rugby team’s first game will be against the USA in Lens on Saturday 8th September. The defending champions will them take on South Africa on 14th, Samoa on 22nd, and Tonga on 28th September.
Warwickshire County Council’s Drug and Alcohol Action Team (DAAT) is urging rugby fans to drink responsibly as they watch teams battle it out in the world cup matches, whether on TV, the internet or live at the games themselves.
Kit Leck, Manager of Warwickshire County Council’s Drug and Alcohol Action Team (DAAT), said: “Many people like a drink when they are watching the rugby, particularly if they’re with a group of friends, as they feel it adds to the atmosphere.
"We want people to enjoy themselves while watching these matches, but it is easy to get carried away. There is a difference between drinking responsibly and drinking excessively.
“Irresponsible drinking can not only cause significant harm to people’s health but can also lead to other problems such as crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour. Alcohol-related harm costs Warwickshire around £8 million each year.”
The link between sporting events and alcohol consumption is also a factor in around a half of all cases of domestic violence, and there are around 12,000 incidents of alcohol-related domestic violence in Warwickshire each year.
Kit Leck concluded: “Each year in Warwickshire there are around 200 admissions to Accident & Emergency through injury as a direct result of alcohol, so we would urge people to think before they drink and ensure they don’t get injured, end up in A&E, or even in a police cell.”
An Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy for Warwickshire was published by partners including Warwickshire County Council, Warwickshire PCT, local service providers, Warwickshire Police, Warwickshire Probation Service and the District and Borough Councils earlier this year.
Here are some tips for safe drinking while enjoying the Rugby World Cup:
• Pace yourself with water or a soft drink after every alcoholic drink.
• Eat before you start drinking, or at least enjoy snacks or a meal with your drink.
• If you’re going out in the car to watch the rugby, decide beforehand who’ll be your “Des” – your designated non-drinking driver.
• Or plan a safe way to get home before you go, using public transport or licensed taxi companies.