The Issue
A hidden crisis has been escalating in our state. Not enough is being done to prevent the unacceptable growing harms fuelled by alcohol in our community.
In Western Australia, alcohol-caused cancers are responsible for three deaths a week and over 1000 hospitalisations a year. Alcohol is also responsible for many other harms. Each week eight alcohol-related deaths, 402 hospitalisations, and 180 family violence incidents occur.
Our state has one of the highest rates of emergency department presentations due to alcohol in the country, with 1 in 5 emergency department patients on a Saturday night there because of alcohol.
Harms from alcohol have increased in recent years. Ambulance callouts for alcohol intoxication increased by eight per cent between 2020 and 2021.
It’s not only people who drink that are impacted by alcohol-related harms. Our ability to access urgent medical treatment, the amenity of our communities, safety on our roads, and the health and wellbeing of our children are all impacted too.
Harm from alcohol is preventable and robust evidence is available about what works to prevent harm. We can no longer accept the escalating harms that alcohol products cause to West Australian individuals, families, and the community. The time to act and prevent harms alcohol is now.
