Putting Scotlands relationship with alcohol under the spotlight.Have your say here.

I feel that one of the reasons that women (and men) drink to excess whilst out is partly to keep up with their friends - ie: ordering a bottle of wine, instead of 2 small glasses, or feeling compelled to join others doing shots. I also think that pubs have to take some responsibility for the size of measures - many places now serve spirits in 35ml instead of 25ml, which means that units are harder to keep track of. There are also many places that will not serve a small glass of wine - I don't want a third of a bottle in one glass! I always pour myself a small glass of wine at home, and would get around 6 glasses out of a bottle, but there's no option in some pubs. It's true that the size of the drink doesn't make a difference in terms of how quickly it's drunk - a double measure is drunk just as quickly as a single, and a large glass of wine as quickly as a small - especially if keeping up with the round.

Susie Anderson, Glasgow. Thursday, 18 September, 2008, 17:00. Report this comment.

I would like to direct my comment to Harry Burns.I n Scotland if you are not homeless or jobless there does not seem to be any help there. All resources are targeted at these groups, and they absolutely need it. I am middle aged, employed, professional, but I know i drink too much. I have tried approaching the voluntary organisations but they are only coping in a fire fighting kind of way, dealing with the most severe acutely needy people. There needs to be something for my type, GP's are too busy and many feel this problem is self inflicted.

Mary, Glasgow. Wednesday, 20 August, 2008, 13:55. Report this comment.

As a woman,in a sometimes too liberal society, we are drinking more and more and this is becoming widely accepted as norm. Out for drinks with the girls, sitting in the flat over a meal.....the wine flows, the shots for a pound are just too cheap to refuse and the monstrous hangover the next day?..? well we get through it as we know in 24 hours we will be right as rain and all of the above will keep us laughing until the next bender. It is frightening! i am guilty of over indulging on a much too regular basis...Even in our 30's, women are drinking just as much,if not more on occasions, as the lads. its a cultural acceptance these days..But i know that the way i feel AND look after a night on the tiles, is pretty horrific..coupled with the amnesia, the numerous misplaced items(usually on a taxi floor) and dialled numbers in my call register and ridiculous hours of the morning. Surely there must be some other way of 'letting our hair down'??

Jane, Belfast. Wednesday, 20 August, 2008, 12:53. Report this comment.

This whole alcohol debate has just recently hit home for me. My friends and I all go out and get drunk beyond our control, we've been sick, we've streaked, we've argued, there have been tears, tantrums and sexual encounters that we would not normally entertain, boundaries, morals pushed to breaking point and hangovers so bad that one of us has almost ended up in casualty. We laugh about it all, when infact it is disgusting. Being sick in bags, in glasses, falling, being carried home, have all become part of our drinking routine. Something has to give especially when one of us has a heart condition AND one kidney and drinks more than the rest of the girls and boys put together. We seem to be under the illusion that drinking men under the table makes us more successful and superior than men when infact a good point was raised by the drink debate in this months ELLE magazine, we are actually putting ourselves at a greater risk when we are "steaming" from men and even other women. Suddenly alcohol has become a normal method of escapism from the daily constraints of our lives. I for one have ahd a good look at what I consume and am disgusted that I value my health so little.

fiona, Glasgow. Wednesday, 9 July, 2008, 14:10. Report this comment.

I think we have to remember this debate is concerned with alcohol's affect on women's health. As a young man in his mid twenties I'm becoming more and more exposed to the increased alcohol consumption of young women, and from personal experience I would suggest that its not just men who can become aggressive after having too much to drink. I feel very strongly that alcohol is used too often as an acceptable excuse for people doing things out-with there nature. I would urge the women who have posted comments in this debate to not just ask themselves but to ask their friends, family and partners if they feel they get snappy or aggressive when drinking. An adverse reaction to alcohol may not affect women's physical health but, rest assured, it will affect the health of your relationships. Alcohol may be the reason for the tears and the arguments but it is not the excuse.

Grant, Edinburgh. Monday, 23 June, 2008, 12:07. Report this comment.

I'm no prude and have always enjoyed a drink, and have on occasion been drunk, which I was embarrased about the next day. In recent years I have noticed women are consuming more and more alcohol and are often out of control. At a recent concert in Glasgow I was shocked at the amount of women who were absolutely plastered; couldn't stand up or string a sentence together and had no idea where they were or where they were going. Strangely enough a lot of the very drunk women were accompanied by male friends/husbands who had managed to control their drinking enough to look after the women! Changed days! A woman getting into that state is very worrying,especially if the woman becomes separated from her friends in a drunken stupor she very vulnerable to predators.

Concerned, dumbarton. Monday, 9 June, 2008, 17:24. Report this comment.

Alcohol would damage anyones health if consumed to excess, it is after all a drug. The whole 14 units a week figure is not scientifically proven, it is a government guideline which is what they see as being sensible. You won't actually start harming your liver etc until nearer the 40-50 mark. I'm not saying people should not be concerned until they hit this mark, you can still be affecting other areas in your life through alcohol not always health related. Think of your relationships, your livelihood and maybe trouble with the law. Anyone drink 1-2 glasses of wine a night is doing no real physical harm, if you find you can not stop however then there may be some dependancy there. It is recommended to have the odd night off just to give your system a rest, remember it is after all a drug your body needs to process - and it actually makes it into a toxin to do this. Other than that - have a nice time, enjoy your life and don't be one of the very small minority who abuse alcohol. Can't help but feel the Government fund websites like this to preach to those who are in the vast majority of sensible drinkers. It makes people who are trying to use a LEGAL substance feel guilty, twisted government if you ask me.

sceptical, Glasgow. Tuesday, 3 June, 2008, 15:36. Report this comment.

There are less than 500Kcal in a *bottle* or red wine. So about the same a 1.5 Snickers bars. Which would you rather consume slowly over the course of an evening in good company perhaps once every couple weeks? Or maybe share it with a friend (less that a Snickers bar then). This only becomes a problem if you do it every night or even every weekend. But then I'm not a woman so perhaps I should shut up.

Roger Hyam, Edinburgh. Saturday, 31 May, 2008, 13:44. Report this comment.

I grew up with an alcoholic father so I know how damaging alcohol abuse can be. For six years it was just me and him in the house, I could tell so many horror stories about him coming home drunk, losing his job, the verbal and mental abuse and the most frightening thing I have ever witnessed,the de-tox or DTs. The most heartbreaking thing was how a big strong, hard working, loving, proud man was dragged down by the deamons brought on by this addiction. I really feel for any families going through this,until you see how powerful alcohol and addiction to it can be you will never understand.

tommy, Helensburgh. Friday, 30 May, 2008, 12:18. Report this comment.