FAQ

What is a binge?

Binge drinking is a term used to describe an occasion when we drink too much. It is when we have 6 or more standard drinks. Binge drinking is a form of harmful drinking that is likely to increase our risk of accidents, injuries, violence and poisoning. Having more than 5 standard drinks at a time can seriously increase the harmful effects of drinking.

How long do the effects of drink last?

In general you start to feel the effects of alcohol within 5 or 10 minutes of drinking. It then takes about one hour for every standard drink you take to work through your system.

Can I speed up the time it takes for alcohol to leave my body?

Once alcohol is in your body you cannot control the time it will take for your body to clear it. Alcohol is absorbed into the blood much quicker than it is broken down and cleared. The liver breaks down most of the alcohol in your blood but it can only do this at a certain rate, which you cannot control.

What is the drinking limit for driving?

The blood alcohol content limit for driving is 50mg per 100ml of blood.

How much drink will put me over the limit for driving?

There are many factors that influence this – your gender, body size, whether you’re drinking on an empty stomach, how fast you drink, the strength of your drink, when you had your last drink. If you’re planning on drinking your safest option is not to drive afterwards. A heavy nights drinking can still leave you over the limit for drinking the next morning – so always try to make allowances.