When the Western Australian general population was surveyed in 2008 to find out the acceptability of drunkenness and support for environmental changes to reduce drunkenness, this is what they had to say.
Acceptability of and attitudes towards getting drunk
Over half (56%) thought that it is unacceptable to get drunk.
Beliefs about facilitators and inhibitors of people getting drunk
Over a quarter of respondents (27%) suggested that the availability of alcohol was the major factor that facilitated people getting drunk. Availability of alcohol included: easy access to alcohol, supply to underage drinkers, the number of outlets and the trading hours of liquor stores and drinking venues.
Personal consequences associated with drunkenness
A relatively large proportion (53% of males, 58% of females, 56% in total) of the general community said they personally or a family member or friend had suffered as a result of drunkenness.
A relatively large proportion (53% of males, 58% of females, 56% in total) of the general community said they had suffered as a result of drunkenness.
One in four (25.4%) people had been verbally abused in the previous 12 months, 14.5% had been physically abused and 13.1% had been put in fear by someone who was drunk.
Community preparedness and desire to reduce public drunkenness
The majority of respondents (87%) supported the need to reduce public drunkenness and indicated support for increased enforcement and public education.
| Strategy to reduce public drunkenness |
Potential Impact
% of respondents who thought the strategy would have an impact |
Level of Support
% of respondents who would support the strategy |
| Stricter enforcement of underage drinking |
91% |
92% |
| Increase penalties to people who supply alcohol to those underage |
90% |
91% |
| Decrease availability of alcohol to children |
90% |
94% |
| Increased penalties for licensees serving underage drinkers |
89% |
90% |
| Stricter enforcement of the law against bar staff serving customers who are drunk |
86% |
85% |
Serving only low alcohol drinks such as low alcohol beer at sporting events
or venues |
86% |
83% |
| Increase number of alcohol free events |
83% |
84% |
| Banning alcohol advertising at venues frequented by children |
79% |
89% |
| Banning alcohol advertising in papers and magazines frequently read by children |
76% |
82% |
| Reducing types of alcohol sold in certain areas |
75% |
66% |
| Banning alcohol advertising on TV before 7:30pm when children may be watching |
74% |
89% |
| Requiring information on harmful effects of alcohol on alcohol containers |
71% |
84% |
| Reducing trading hours for all pubs and clubs |
71% |
58% |
| Banning alcohol advertising completely |
65% |
53% |
| Banning alcohol sponsorship of sporting events |
64% |
59% |
| Increase the price of alcohol |
63% |
44% |
| Reducing trading hours for liquor stores and other liquor licences |
62% |
55% |
| Reducing the number of outlets that sell alcohol |
58% |
51% |
| Prohibit packaged alcohol to be sold on certain days |
52% |
49% |
(Information taken from Public Drunkenness Campaign evaluation wave 3, TNS Social Research, June 2008 prepared for the Drug and Alcohol Office of Western Australia and Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2008. 2007 National Drug Strategy Household Survey: first results. Drug Statistics Series number 20.Cat. no. PHE 98. Canberra: AIHW.)