​Take care this winter and know your alcohol limits

With the festive season upon us, the Outer Hebrides Alcohol & Drug Partnership would like to provide some advice to help you stay safe and for everyone to enjoy themselves.

In total, 1,277 alcohol-specific deaths were registered in Scotland in 2023 and 1,185 in 2024. Winter in the Outer Hebrides can be a time for gathering, celebrating, and connecting, but it’s also important to look after ourselves and one another. Alcohol can affect how we make decisions, stay warm, and travel safely. A few simple steps can help you enjoy the season while keeping yourself and the community safe.   

Reduce the risks: It’s recommended that you don’t drink more than fourteen units of alcohol a week. This should also be spread out over at least three days to keep the risks from alcohol low.

Know your limits: Fourteen units is the equivalent of six pints of medium strength beer, lager or cider, seven double measures of spirits or six medium glasses of wine. To check what this looks like for you on a weekly basis, you could have a look at the Scottish Government’s Count14.scot website, which provides a free drinks calculator https://count14.scot/. This can help you make an informed decision on how much you drink.

Pace your drinks: Knowing your limits is one way to look after yourself and others. To help, you could pace drinks and alternate with water or soft drinks. Be aware of how much you’re actually drinking, large home pours count more than you think. Food slows the absorption of alcohol and helps keep energy levels up during long winter evenings.

Try alcohol-free days: Taking breaks from alcohol can also help you to look after your health and wellbeing. Having alcohol-free days helps maintain balance during a busy festive season. Why not enjoy hot non-alcoholic drinks such as mulled apple juice, spiced tea or hot chocolate?

Plan your lift: Staying safe can also be helped by planning your way home. Cold weather increases the risk of hypothermia if you’re intoxicated. Arrange a lift, taxi or a designated driver before you head out and avoid walking home alone late at night. Alcohol can make you feel warm even as your body temperature drops, so it's best to limit time outdoors if drinking.

Help and advice: If you or someone close to you is worried about drinking, help and advice are available locally. You can talk to your GP. NHS Inform also provides information on tips to cut down and offers advice on where you can get help and support with alcohol.  Alcohol | NHS inform.   You can also find information on alcohol and drug services available in the Outer Hebrides on our website – www.outerhebadp.com