Australian Bureau of Statistics
Celebrating the International Year of Statistics 2013

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People who drink regularly at higher levels place themselves at increased risk of chronic ill health and premature death, while an episode of heavy drinking places the drinker and others at risk of injury and death. These patterns of drinking also have substantial social and economic implications, not only for individuals, but also for families, workplaces, and society as a whole.

In 2004-05, of Tasmanians aged 18 years and over:

• some 13.0% of males and 10.0% of females were classified as having a risky or high risk drinking status;
• 12.8% had not consumed alcohol in the previous year.
  
  

ALCOHOL DRINKING STATUS(a)(b), Tasmania, 2004-05
	Age group (years)
	18-24	25-44	45 to 64		65 and over	Males	Females	Total
Drinking Status	%	%	%		%	%	%	%
Low risk	50.8	53.0	51.7		46.3	59.1	43.4	51.1
Risky/high risk	*8.3	14.9	12.7		4.5	13.0	10.0	11.4
Last consumed alcohol
1 week to less than 12 months ago	32.8	25.9	22.0		22.4	20.2	29.0	24.7
12 months or more/Never consumed alcohol (c)	*8.1	6.2	13.7		26.9	7.6	17.7	12.8
Total	100.0	100.0	100.0		100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0