The Australian National Council on Drugs (ANCD) has put forth its recommendations regarding how Australians as a nation consume alcohol and the findings are not good in the least.

The advisory panel, which has been the primary advisory body to the government since 1988, has been resolute in its opinion that the country should reassess its attitude towards drinking.

The impact of drinking in the community has been so harmful and has been found that one in eight deaths of young adults can be attributed to drinking. Despite this demographic does not frequently drink, these adults are more focused in getting intoxicated to dangerous levels when they do drink.

About two in three adults will drink for the specific goal of intoxicating itself. 60 percent of underaged teens have admitted to drinking alcoholic beverages in the past year. Most Australian families are affected by alcohol-related problems. What ANDC tells is that the culture of drinking socially has different implications now than it was years ago.

Recommendations include a debate on the legal drinking age, implementation of an autonomous body to standardize and assess the advertising and promotion of alcohol. The expected effects include a safer and informed approach on consumption and hopefully a drop in alcohol-related accidents.

This has not gone unopposed. The alcohol industry is likely to take a blow and would definitely rebel against the proposed changes, crying the beginnings of a nanny state. However, what the ANCD is quick to say is that seatbelts, random breath tests and sensible alcohol programs do not a nanny state make.

The three areas that the council wants to look into are availability, price and promotion. Availability will deal with the number of locations and licensing hours for alcohol accessibility and promotion will look at how alcohol is being packaged and sold to a specific age group and price.

What the group wants to make clear is that this sort of national nonchalant behavior towards alcohol is reprehensible and should not be tolerated. Steps must be made to assure that the country moves towards a healthier drinking pattern.