Coronavirus in Ballarat: call to check online alcohol amid COVID-19
by Melanie WhelanALMOST three in four Victorians are receiving home delivered alcohol while drunk during COVID-19 lockdowns while one in three accepting orders did not have age identification checked.
New VicHealth research found those who used major online alcohol delivery services were more likely to be dangerous drinkers, experience memory loss or injury, or injure others when drinking than those who did not use the services.
This comes in the wake of repeated health concerns of drinking behaviour in isolation.
Ballarat Community Health alcohol and other drugs manager Suzanne Powell has told The Courier increased stress and time to drink in isolation, particularly with a change in work and social routine, made this a high risk time for people to develop more dangerous drinking habits.
Such habits could lead to dependency or use as a coping strategy, risky role-modelling for children and physical and dental health issues.
BCH released a video last week to highlight standard serves in popular take-away alcohol products and where to find alcohol contend on bottles and cans to promote safer drinking at home. Watch it below.
Australian health guidelines recommend no more than 10 standard drinks per week and no more than four per day to reduce risk of alcohol-related disease or harm.
VicHealth surveyed more than 1600 people, including 760 on-demand alcohol consumers. Their findings also revealed almost three quarters of users drank 11 or more alcohol drinks in one session at least once a week and one in 10 times the delivery was left unattended.
Sober in the Country chief Shanna Whan, who overcame her alcoholism, told The Courier this month the social media bombardment of alcohol added a "crushing weight" to communities' most vulnerable people. Ms Whan said moderation was "out the window" when it came to pushing alcoholic products and ease of access during the pandemic.
VicHealth chief Sandro Demaio the alcohol industry was using coronavirus as a smokescreen to push sales. Dr Demaio has called on the government for higher standards in how online delivery services operate, just like pubs and bottleshops.
"We need to stop treating the alcohol industry like they're selling benign products like milk and bread," he said.
The report showed concerning links, he said, in harm from on-demand alcohol in communities.
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