What are the long-term dangers of drinking?
Torbay Council, in collaboration with the NHS, is launching an initiative to help drinkers across Devon consider their perspective on how much alcohol they drink and to take small, positive steps to improve their long term health.
So how much alcohol is 'too much'?
What do the medical experts say?
According to the NHS, regularly drinking more than 14 units a week (six pints of average-strength beer or 10 small glasses of low-strength wine) "risks damaging your health".
Expert opinion varies however, with some claiming that even a small amount of alcohol each week can affect health.
What are the potential health issues caused by drinking too much alcohol?
The NHS says there are long term risks caused by drinking for a decade or more including:
cancers of the mouth, throat and breast
stroke
heart disease
liver disease
brain damage
damage to the nervous system
Where can I find more information?
The health service says drinking too much too quickly on any single occasion can also increase your risk of accidents by causing you to lose self-control and misjudge situations.
You can find advice and support about dealing with alcohol issues at the following places: