Think Safe Drink Safe

• Eat before you go out, or early in the evening to reduce the effects of your drinking

• Try not to drink before you go out – home measures tend to be much larger than
   pub measures and soon you will not realise how much you have had to drink

• At the beginning of an evening plan how you intend to get home. Book a taxi early,
   make sure you have enough money to get home, or decide who will drive and not
   drink

• If you are on medication seek medical advice before drinking or taking drugs

• Try to drink lighter drinks – those with less ABV

• Try to avoid caffeinated mixer drinks as these can speed up alcohol absorption

• Don’t mix alcohol with drugs, especially cocaine or ecstasy as the results may be
   deadly

• Don’t try to keep up with your friends and try not to drink in rounds – the effect that
   alcohol has you will be different to them

• Pace yourself with soft drinks to make sure the alcohol doesn’t affect you suddenly

• Take a break if you feel that the alcohol is affecting you too quickly

• Don’t accept drinks from strangers

• Don’t leave your drink unattended

• Don’t get into a strangers car or an unlicensed taxi

• Don’t allow your friends to go off with strangers

• Avoid aggressive people when out at night. Just walk away if someone appears too
   rowdy

• Drink water regularly and before you go to bed to limit the chances of dehydration

• Carry a condom – if you do have sex the make sure it’s safe

• Don’t get into a car with someone who you know has been drinking or taking drugs

• Avoid walking home on your own through dark or unsafe areas late at night, whether
   you have been drinking or not

• Four or five single vodkas in one evening can give you a sense of happiness and
   lack of inhibitions but will take you over your daily limit and could damage your
   health if it happens regularly

• Driving within the legal limit of alcohol in your blood after a drink still means that
   you are twice more likely to have an accident than if you had not been drinking at all

• Think about how much you are drinking if you have to drive the next day. It takes
   approximately 1 hour for 1 unit of alcohol to leave your system. 5 pints of beer, lager
   or cider is equal to over 11 units