There are no published figures of how alcohol abuse affects work productivity in Bermuda. However I would suggest that each year a significant amount of money is lost by companies in Bermuda whose employees don't come to work due to alcohol related factors whether it is the employee directly who has the problem with alcohol or the spouse or family member who is unable to attend work due to an alcohol-related situation in the household.
Some startling facts about young people and alcohol in Bermuda. These statistics aren't new but it is important to continue to highlight the challenges we face as a community. If we don't fully understand the extent of the problem we can't begin to wrap our minds around how we as individuals, parents, grandparents, guardians, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends can begin to make a difference. A survey conducted in Bermuda shows that 58% of students between 11 and 16 years old have tried alcohol and that 93% of those students' first use of alcohol had taken place by age 14 years. This study also shows that the average age of first use of alcohol in Bermuda is ten and a half years old. Why should these statistics alarm and seriously concern us? Well - research shows that those who begin drinking alcohol before the age of 15 are five times more likely to develop alcohol dependence than those who wait until age 21, and that early alcohol use sets into motion lifelong cravings for alcohol. The longer a young person waits before beginning to drink alcohol, the less likely he or she is to grow up to be addicted to it. No-one is saying never drink alcohol, but research is clearly saying to delay first use for as long as possible. Recent research shows that heavy drinking by a young person causes far more damage to their brain than originally suspected. Additionally the part of their brain that is responsible for judgment isn't fully developed until they reach 25 years old. It is extremely important for us as adults to continue to find ways to delay the first use of alcohol by teens and preteens.
Since we launched the Let Us Drive program at the end of Alcohol Awareness Month last year with our corporate sponsors, Bacardi Limited, we have taken more than 800 people home. Why is Let Us Drive so important? The goal of the program is to potentially save lives by providing an alternative to drinking and driving for people who may have been out drinking in Hamilton on a Friday night. This free service operates every Friday night from Front Street between 3:15am to 3:45am and provides a safe method of getting home.
If you haven't had an opportunity to participate in a No Alcohol Day I encourage you to take a stand this year. Join us as we observe a day of abstinence from alcohol. You don't have to change your daily routine, you can still hang out with friends, you can plan an intimate dinner or a party as you normally would. All we ask is that you don't drink alcohol. If you are stuck for great tasting alcohol-free beverages to serve please visit our website for recipes at CADA.bm.
