TUESDAY, 7 JULY, 2026

IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Alcohol Awareness Week – check in on your drinking habits

People in Tayside are being asked to consider the role that alcohol plays in their lives during this year’s Alcohol Awareness Week (6-12 July 2026).

Led by charity Alcohol Change UK, the theme for this year’s awareness week is Alcohol and Me, which invites us to pause and reflect on our drinking habits and the impact they have.

The week aims to normalise checking in with our drinking in the same way we keep track of other aspects of our health and wellbeing, such as visiting the dentist, monitoring our blood pressure or getting our eyes tested. The campaign also focuses on how the world around us shapes our drinking habits, such as sport, music, television and social occasions.

The week provides an opportunity to talk about issues around alcohol, to help people make more informed choices about their drinking. As part of Alcohol Awareness week, NHS Tayside will be sharing a series of awareness messages and resources, encouraging people to check in on their drinking habits and consider one small change that could support their health and wellbeing.

NHS Tayside is also inviting staff and members of the public to consider one small change they may wish to make during the week and fill in the Tayside One Small Change Pledge online.

Dr Victoria Stanford, Public Health Lead for Alcohol & Drugs at NHS Tayside, said, “Alcohol is a leading cause of preventable ill health and early death in Scotland. From reducing our sleep quality, straining our relationships to increasing our risk of cancer-alcohol has a wide range of negative impacts on our health.

“The way alcohol is marketed, sold, and advertised can make it feel embedded in our culture and an inevitable part of our everyday experience. Alcohol Awareness Week is a great opportunity to reflect on the role alcohol plays in our lives, and the harms it may bring to those around us. Because no level of alcohol is risk-free, reducing the amount of alcohol you drink even by a small amount will bring important health benefits.”

You can protect yourself and others from alcohol harms by:

• Reducing your alcohol units - keep within the lower risk guidelines of no more than 14 units of alcohol per week. 14 units is the equivalent to 6 pints of average strength beer or 6 medium glasses of wine

• Drinking less frequently - having a few alcohol-free days each week is a good way to cut down and give your body and mind a rest

• Drinking more safely - set a limit to how much you are going to drink on one occasion and tell others about it, choose smaller drink sizes, swap alcohol with non-alcoholic or lower-strength drinks, eat first and stay hydrated

• Keeping track of how much we drink - recording what you drink for a few weeks will help you understand your drinking habits so you can decide if you want to make a change

If you are concerned about your or someone else's drinking habits, you can access support by:

• Speaking to your GP

• Calling Drinkline on 08007314314, a service providing advice for anyone who is worried about their own or someone else’s drinking.

• Use the With You live chat service seven days a week to speak about alcohol, drugs or mental health at www.wearewithyou.org.uk

• For more information about alcohol and how to get support visit www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/alcohol

Contact:

NHS Tayside Communications

(01382) 424138