Party-goers reminded of dangers of mixing alcohol and drugs

As the festive party season gets in to full swing, the Public Health Agency (PHA) is reminding everyone of the potential dangers of mixing alcohol and drugs.

Most fatal overdoses involve the use of more than one type of drug and any combination of prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, illicit drugs and alcohol can be dangerous.

Kevin Bailey, Regional Lead for Drugs and Alcohol at the PHA, said: “All too often we see families affected by loved ones becoming seriously unwell or dying due to drugs. Particularly at this time of year, we are urging people to stay safe and avoid taking risks with any substances.

“We know that some people choose to use alcohol and other drugs as part of their festive celebrations but it’s important that we enjoy ourselves safely. Mixing any drugs increases the risk of serious harm and can have a negative impact on you and those around you.

“It’s easy to forget that alcohol itself is a powerful drug and mixing any drugs, including prescription medications and alcohol, can be unpredictable and unsafe.

“It is of course safest to not use any drugs at all, but if you choose to use alcohol and other drugs it’s vital that you keep yourself and those around you as safe as possible.”

You can keep health risks to a minimum by following the advice below:

• Drink alcohol in moderation (no more than 14 units per week for both men and women, spread evenly throughout the week).
• Avoid taking illicit drugs altogether.
• Only take medication that has been prescribed by your doctor and as they have instructed.
• Ask your doctor whether you need to avoid alcohol while taking a medication they have prescribed for you.

If you do choose to mix drugs, the advice below may help reduce the risks for you. It is intended to be general advice, and does not relate to any specific drug or type of drug:

• Think carefully about the risks before you start, especially if you have mental health concerns, as using any drugs that have not been prescribed for you can lead to poor mental health.
• Try to have someone else there if you do plan to take drugs, ideally someone you can trust to look after you if things go wrong.
• Start low and go slow, especially if you are taking a drug you have never used before. Take a small amount at first and let it reach its peak effect to test how strong it is. You can always take more later on – you can never go back and take less.
• Remember that different drugs act at different speeds, and a slow response does not necessarily mean that the drug is weak – it may mean you have taken a slow-acting drug which could in fact be strong. Redosing (taking more) could lead to overdose.
• Bear in mind that products that look the same as each other may not be the same in terms of their contents. A pill or powder that looks like one you took previously may in fact have entirely different substances in it. The same is true of prescription drugs obtained illegally, plus new drugs are being identified all the time so you can never really know what you are taking.
• It is important to keep hydrated and you should sip no more than a pint of fluid per hour during the session. Avoid energy drinks because the caffeine in them can increase strain on the heart. Alcohol causes dehydration and increases the risk of dangerous side effects.
• Look after your friends. It’s ok to tell each other to take it easy; that’s what good friends do. Don’t let anyone go off by themselves. If anyone becomes unwell, stay with them.
• Some people can become aggressive. This can be a sign of someone having taken too much and may be an indicator of overdose. If anything has gone wrong, call the emergency services immediately.
• Avoid taking other drugs to help you come down as these could prolong the come down or even cause overdose.

Kevin continued: “Alcohol and drugs can also affect your decision making, which could leave you feeling vulnerable. Too much alcohol or any drug use can mean you might take more risks. This includes having sex when you normally wouldn’t or, when you do, not using a condom. You could become involved in antisocial behaviour, get in fights and act in ways that can have long-term consequences.

“This time of year should be fun and we want everyone to enjoy themselves safely, so don’t put yourself or anyone around you at risk, and always drink in moderation, don’t add any drugs to the mix, and look out for each other so you can enjoy the Christmas festivities.”

If you want to find out more visit www.DrugsAndAlcoholNI.info which has info to help us understand the effects of alcohol and drugs.

There you will also find a useful Alcohol Audit tool which gives you all the information you need on alcohol units and lets you see how many units you may be racking up.

By getting to know what alcohol units are, you’ll be able to understand what you’re drinking to enable you to try to stay within the safer units’ limits.