On this page
The resources on this webpage provide information about alcohol’s impact on different demographic groups.
Alcohol is the second most widely consumed psychoactive substance in the UK (after caffeine) and is highly prevalent in personal and social situations. Nearly 30 million adult Brits say they drink alcohol, an indication of alcohol’s ubiquity and presence in so many areas of British society today.
Brits’ drinking habits have evolved over time in various ways, and have in turn affected the health of different social groups.
For example, since the year 2000, the gap between men and women’s alcohol consumption has closed markedly, the proportion of underage drinkers (defined here as those who purchase alcohol for consumption before they reach the minimum legal purchase age of 18) has receded, young drinkers’ intake (adults between 16 and 24 years of age) has become less frequent (but no less heavy), and survey data appear to show alcohol-related health issues mounting among a generation of older-aged Brits (those between 45 and 64 years of age), who appear to be relatively heavier drinkers than previous generations.
Facts and stats
Briefings
Reports
Blogs
Temperance and alcohol control advocacy
30th September 2024
Reducing Alcohol Harm – a blueprint for urgent national action
26th September 2024
How do economic crises impact levels of alcohol harm, and who is most affected?
18th July 2024
Is a little bit of alcohol really good for us?: What we have learned from better-designed studies
9th May 2024
Rethinking “Justice”: Racial Inequity in Justice-Involved Alcohol Treatment in the United States
1st May 2024
Children of alcohol-dependent parents programme abandoned by government
16th January 2024
What really are ‘alcohol problems’, and why does it matter?
12th December 2023
