Guidelines for Everyone
Guideline 1
There is evidence to show that if you drink (even at low levels) over time you will acquire some tolerance to alcohol, but this will occur less if you only drink occasionally.
A mild degree of alcohol dependence is common in the Australian population. One early sign of this may be, for example, that you find it difficult to drink within the recommended guidelines.
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Guideline 2
Situations where this Guideline is important include recreational and occupational activities such as flying, water sports, skiing, using complex or heavy machinery or farm machinery, and driving.
Blood alcohol levels are set by legislation and/or company policy in occupational settings such as flying commercial aircraft (e.g. no alcohol within 24 hours of flying), driving public or heavy vehicles, or operating commercial vessels, machinery or mobile plant.
Although State and Territory laws allow you to have a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of up to 0.05 when driving (if you hold a full driving licence), your judgement and performance may be affected at blood alcohol levels lower than this. Research shows that when your blood alcohol level is 0.05, your risk of crashing is twice as high as if you hadn’t been drinking at all.
In most States learner (L-plate) and provisional (P-plate) drivers of all ages must have a blood alcohol level of zero or under 0.02. If you are a learner driver or hold a provisional licence, you should allow several hours after drinking before you drive in order to stay under 0.02 BAC.
The more alcohol you consume, the longer it takes for your BAC to return to zero. It generally takes about one hour for one standard drink to pass through your bloodstream, and after a heavy drinking session, your BAC may still be over 0.05 the next morning.
Furthermore, even after your BAC returns to normal, your judgement and performance may continue to be impaired from the effects of a hangover.
Your BAC should remain below 0.05 if you:
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Guideline 3
This Guideline applies to any setting where alcohol is served, including:
See Also: Guidelines for Special Groups
- To mimimise risks to your health, in the short and long-term, and to gain any long term benefits.
- When undertaking activities that involve risk or a degree of skill.
- When responsible for private and public drinking environments.
Guideline 1
To minimise risks to your health, both in the short and long term, and to gain any longer-term benefits to your health
For men
- No more than 4 Standard Drinks a day on average and no more than 6 Standard Drinks on any one day*
- One or two alcohol-free days per week.
For women
- No more than 2 Standard Drinks a day on average and no more than 4 Standard Drinks on any one day*
- One or two alcohol-free days per week.
*These drinks should be spread over several hours. For example, men should have no more than 2 standard drinks in the first hour and 1 per hour after that. Women should have no more than 1 standard drink per hour.
NOTE: Guideline 1 assumes that you:
- are not about to undertake any activity involving risk or a degree of skill, including driving, flying, water sports, skiing, using complex or heavy machinery or farm machinery etc
- do not have a condition that is made worse by drinking, or a family history of alcohol-related problems
- are not on medication
- are not pregnant
- are 18 years or older
- If you drink within the average drinking levels in Guideline 1:
- you will minimise the longer term risk of ill health and death related to alcohol; and
- you will maximise the potential longer term benefits to your health.
- The limits set for drinking on any one occasion are intended to reduce your short-term risk from intoxication.
- The limits set for drinking on any one occasion also contribute to reducing your long-term risk of harm.
- If you drink above the daily limits set out in Guideline 1, you will significantly increase your short-term risk of social and health problems, including injury or death from accident, assault and self-harm.
- The safety of drinking depends not only on
- how much you drink, but also on the rate at which you drink;
- where you drink; and
- what you are doing during and after drinking (for example eating while drinking helps to reduce intoxication).
- The risk of injury, violence, depression and suicide attempt are all influenced by the setting in which you are drinking.
- The same amount of alcohol usually affects women more than men, because of the way women’s bodies process alcohol.
Alcohol-free days: Reducing the risks to your health
Regular alcohol-free days may help you to remain in control of your drinking and reduce the likelihood of it becoming a habit. This is especially important if you drink above the Guideline limits.There is evidence to show that if you drink (even at low levels) over time you will acquire some tolerance to alcohol, but this will occur less if you only drink occasionally.
A mild degree of alcohol dependence is common in the Australian population. One early sign of this may be, for example, that you find it difficult to drink within the recommended guidelines.
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Guideline 2
If you undertake activities that involve risk or a degree of skill
- to avoid risk of harm to yourself and others, do not drink alcohol before or during such activities.
Situations where this Guideline is important include recreational and occupational activities such as flying, water sports, skiing, using complex or heavy machinery or farm machinery, and driving.
Blood alcohol levels are set by legislation and/or company policy in occupational settings such as flying commercial aircraft (e.g. no alcohol within 24 hours of flying), driving public or heavy vehicles, or operating commercial vessels, machinery or mobile plant.
Although State and Territory laws allow you to have a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of up to 0.05 when driving (if you hold a full driving licence), your judgement and performance may be affected at blood alcohol levels lower than this. Research shows that when your blood alcohol level is 0.05, your risk of crashing is twice as high as if you hadn’t been drinking at all.
In most States learner (L-plate) and provisional (P-plate) drivers of all ages must have a blood alcohol level of zero or under 0.02. If you are a learner driver or hold a provisional licence, you should allow several hours after drinking before you drive in order to stay under 0.02 BAC.
The more alcohol you consume, the longer it takes for your BAC to return to zero. It generally takes about one hour for one standard drink to pass through your bloodstream, and after a heavy drinking session, your BAC may still be over 0.05 the next morning.
Furthermore, even after your BAC returns to normal, your judgement and performance may continue to be impaired from the effects of a hangover.
Your BAC should remain below 0.05 if you:
- drink no more than two standard drinks in the first hour and one per hour thereafter (for men of average size); or
- drink no more than one standard drink per hour (for women of average size).
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Guideline 3
If you are responsible for private and public drinking settings
- actively promote responsible drinking;
- try to make sure that people being served alcohol do not become intoxicated;
- suggest alternative drinks to alcohol;
- refuse to serve alcohol to people who are intoxicated;
- look for ways to reduce possible causes of harm in the setting; and
- closely supervise or monitor young people.
This Guideline applies to any setting where alcohol is served, including:
- private homes and parties, workplaces (for social functions); or
- any public setting (hotels and bars, clubs, public events, planes etc).
- provide non-alcoholic and low alcohol drinks;
- encourage people to alternate alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks;
- make food available;
- provide safe transport; and
- staff training.
See Also: Guidelines for Special Groups