December 2008 - Hot Topic

Drinking Responsibly During the Holiday Season

by Jason LeMar, Coordinator, Alcohol Education Projects, Alcohol Policy Network and ARAPO

The Holiday season is a time many people look forward to all year long. At work, it’s a time to celebrate the end of a year and let your hair down during a staff retreat or celebration. At home, it’s a time to connect with family and/or friends that you may not have seen in some time. In one or both cases alcohol may be included in the revelry. This article will outline some ways of enjoying yourself during those times of goodwill whether in the workplace or in the home.

At work, the month of December presents itself as a usually laid back period. The much-anticipated month allows for gift exchanges, catered lunches, and staff dinners. Alcohol can sometimes be found in these situations. If your workplace does not have an alcohol and drug policy now may prove to be a good time to create one or at least consider one.

A drug and alcohol policy might make some decision-makers squeamish. However what will make them even more uneasy is finding out that not creating a policy can mean:

  • Reduced job performance — abusers are 35% less productive than unimpaired workers;
  • Job turn-over (e.g., loss of experienced employees/corporate memory, severance, recruitment, and orientation costs);
  • Legal liabilities associated with accidents and injuries — on-the-job substance use account for 15-to-30% of all accidents at work;
  • Increased sick leave or other employee health benefit costs;
  • Disruptive behaviour and declining work relationships — 41% of the workers surveyed stated that the drug abuse of fellow employees seriously affected their own job productivity;
  • Pilfering and vandalism;
  • Grievances and arbitrations.

To find out more on creating a drug and alcohol policy you have many options. You can reach your local public health unit’s workplace wellness team. They have information on developing healthy workplace policies. You may also seek information from various other public or private organizations.

Earlier this year, the York Region Community and Health Services, Workplace Wellness Program, in conjunction with the Alcohol Policy Network, invited Peter Williams from CAMH to conduct a workshop on the importance of developing a drug and alcohol policy.

"Substance use impacts the workplace, the employee and the employer on many levels. As an employer, it’s difficult to effectively deal with substance use in the workplace without a clearly defined policy," concluded one of many satisfied participants.

By accessing the Alcohol Policy Network's Information Pack on Workplace policies you may gain more information that will aid in the development of your company’s policy.

Social Hosting — celebrating the holidays at home

Social hosting focuses on the responsibilities of the host/organizer, "convener" or "leader" of a social event in a private or home setting. Although the host does not have as much responsibility as a bar owner or operator, there are still certain responsibilities which the host will want to understand. For a review of legal implications, please download MADD's Being Sued Can Ruin a Good Party [PDF].

As a host there are certain actions one can take to limit liability and keep the celebration fun:

  • Drink moderately or don’t drink at all;
  • Serve alcohol instead of having an open bar;
  • If you are serving alcohol, serve single servings instead of doubles or shooters (For more information on this topic, please refer to the low-risk drinking guidelines (LRDGs);
  • Serve food throughout the event (alcohol is not as easily absorbed on a full stomach);
  • Offer low-alcohol or non-alcoholic drinks (The LCBO has various recipes for non-alcoholic drinks)
  • Decide in advance how you will handle guests who drink too much (Download a copy of the CAMH resource that reviews social hosting [PDF])

For more information on throwing a responsible party don’t forget to visit these informative websites: