Alcohol kills 3.3 million people worldwide each year, more than AIDS, tuberculosis and violence combined, the World Health Organization said Monday, warning that booze consumption was on the rise.

All too often in Australian society “drink driving” is held up as the cause of the high road toll and deaths of young people on our roads. But there’s a much deeper cause that most people don’t want to look at: alcohol consumption and our attitudes around one of the most dangerous drugs there is.

Despite my seemingly resilient approach to work and life, occasionally, I cannot help feeling like surrendering to the "fait accompli" that defines Australian Iconic Culture as it relates to our field of expertise. It really feels like an uphill battle particularly as some of the battles are fought with politically and / or professionally blind individuals.

Firstly, I seek an apology if I sound angry, cynical, sarcastic or even too passionate about this issue. I feel we lost the plot. I feel we are heading down the gurgle and I also feel like we are wearing excellent prescription glasses but we still cannot see what right before our nose....

Coping with peer pressure. It’s not always easy being a teenager. You can find yourself in situations where it can be difficult to say no because your friends are doing whatever it is they want you to do. You can always say no to alcohol. Here are some tips for what to do when you feel under pressure to drink: What should I say?

It is illegal for someone under the age of 18 to drink or buy alcohol in most states. Even getting someone who is 18 to buy or supply you alcohol in a licensed venue or public place is illegal in most states. You and the person supplying the alcohol could be fined.

Under-age drinking is a common issue faced by many parents and young people. While current levels of underage drinking are a concern, there is encouraging evidence from the 2008 Australian Secondary Students' Alcohol and Drug Survey showing a significant fall in the percentage of young people who have ever consumed alcohol as well as those that have consumed alcohol recently. This shows that more parents and young people are making healthier decisions about drinking alcohol.

Four Australians under 25 die due to alcohol related injuries in an average week.

Binge drinking particularly in Anglo Saxon societies has become the focus of concern of many governments throughout the world. For decades, in Australia, such behaviour has been tolerated or viewed in some social circles as the “norm”. Significantly, Australians tend to show off the “ability to drink their mate under the table” as a “gift” or a “talent”.