Australian Alcohol Guidelines

Campaign background

The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC)’s Australian Alcohol Guidelines provide advice on how adults can reduce health risks from drinking alcohol, based on the current scientific evidence. While there is no safe level of alcohol use, these Guidelines can help Australians to make informed decisions about how much alcohol they drink, if any.

The ‘Australian Alcohol Guidelines’ campaign aims to increase awareness of the NHMRC's Australian Alcohol guidelines. 

The campaign is s joint initiative by the Mental Health Commission and Cancer Council WA and is part of the WA Government's state-wide strategy to prevent and reduce harm caused by alcohol. 

Target audience

• Primary target audience: All adults in Western Australia who drink alcohol.
• Secondary target audience: General Western Australian adult population, including those who don’t drink alcohol.
• Tertiary: Western Australian adults who drink at high-risk levels (above the Guidelines). 

Campaign objectives

• Increase knowledge and awareness of the NHMRC Australian Alcohol Guideline 1 for adults.¹
• Increase knowledge and awareness of what is a standard drink.

Evidence to support the campaign

Research shows the promotion of alcohol guidelines can enhance the effects of public health messages on the harms of alcohol use and motivate more high- and low-risk drinkers to reduce their drinking.²

^{The need}

The NHMRC Australian Alcohol Guidelines were revised in 2020 and awareness of the updated guidelines remains low among the WA community.

• In 2022, only 42% of WA adults had seen or heard of the health statement that underpins the Australian alcohol guidelines.
• Almost 4 in 10 (38%) of WA adults are not aware of the existence of alcohol guidelines.
• Around one in three adults (33%) who drink alcohol exceed the NHMRC’s Australian Alcohol Guideline.³

^{Australian Alcohol Guidelines}

• To reduce the risk of harm from alcohol-related disease or injury, healthy men and women should drink no more than 10 standard drinks a week and no more than 4 standard drinks on any one day. The less you drink, the lower your risk of harm from alcohol.
• Healthy adults who stick to drinking within this Guideline have less than a 1 in 100 chance of dying from an alcohol‑related condition.
• If you are a non-drinker, the guideline does not suggest that you can benefit from drinking alcohol.  Rember, the less you drink the lower your risk.
• When promoting the guideline for adults, refer to both the weekly (10 standard drinks) and daily (4 standard drinks) limits - they are mutually inclusive and should not be promoted independently of one another. 
• There are some people who are at greater risk of harm, including: 
  • children and young people under 18
  • young adults aged 18 to 25 years
  • people aged over 60 years 
  • people with mental or physical health conditions 
  • people with a family history of alcohol dependence 
  • people who use illicit drugs or take medications that interact with alcohol 
  • people who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

What is a standard drink?

• A standard drink is defined as 10 grams of pure alcohol. 
• The number of standard drinks varies depending on the type of alcohol and the size of the glass/container.
• All packaged alcohol must have a statement on the label that lists how many standard drinks it contains and the percentage of alcohol.
• People often underestimate how many standard drinks they have had because typical servings are generally larger than a standard drink size. This is why it's important to promote messaging about what constitutes a standard drink alongside the Guidelines messaging.
• Try our new Standard Drink Tool to see if you can pour a standard drink!

Media Strategy 2025-2026

Campaign resources

Social Video (9x16)

Caption:  To reduce the risk of harm from alcohol-related disease or injury, healthy people should drink no more than 10 standard drinks a week and no more than 4 standard drinks on any one day. The less you drink, the lower your risk of harm.

Social media assets

Caption: Did you know for a 13% alc/vol red wine, 1 standard drink is 95mls?	Caption: Did you know for 1 standard drink of 3.5% mid-strength beer is 355mls? A full pint of mid-strength beer is 1.6 standard drinks.	Caption: Did you know for a 40% alc/vol spirit, 1 standard drink is 30 mls?

Download, share and tag us

We encourage you to share these social media assets through your organisation’s social media, website, or newsletters.

Caption options for Alcohol Guidelines

1. If you drink, have no more than 10 standard drinks in a week and no more than 4 on any day. Drink less. Lower the harm.
2. The less you drink, the lower the risk. If you drink, have no more than 10 standard drinks in a week and no more than 4 on any day.

Caption options for Standard Drink Tool

1. Measure your pour with the Standard Drink Tool and raise your awareness before you raise your glass. Drink less. Lower the harm.
2. A standard drink might be less than you think. Measure your pour with the Standard Drink Tool and raise your awareness before you raise your glass.

Hashtags:  #AustralianAlcoholGuidelines #KnowYourStandardDrink #AlcoholThinkAgain 

URL to the Standard Drink Tool: https://alcoholthinkagain.com.au/resources-and-tools/standard-drink-tool 

Tag us and share our social media content at: 

Facebook: Alcohol.Think Again 

Instagram: @alcohol.thinkagain_wa

Click here to download the social media assets

Animated email signature

Show your support for the campaign by including an animated banner to your email signature. 

How to add the banner to your Outlook email signature: 

1. Click on the download link below.
2. Right click and save the banner to your computer.
3. Open Outlook > File > Options > Mail > Signatures.
4. Choose the signature you wish to edit. If you don’t have a signature click New to create your Outlook signature, then continue with this guide.
5. Click on the Image icon from the editor’s toolbar to upload the GIF file from your computer.
6. Click “OK” to save your signature

Publications

These resources are available to download or can be ordered as hard copies if you're located in Western Australia. 

Available to download in English, Arabic, Chinese (simplified), Chinese (traditional), Farsi (Persian), Hazaragi, Karen, Korean, Thai and Punjabi. 

Know your standard drinks fact sheet

Alcohol and your health brochure

Tips to reduce your drinking brochure

Click here to order resources

Adapting the materials

If your organisation would like to partner with Alcohol. Think Again to develop additional resources to support local activities, please get in touch with us at: campaigns@mhc.wa.gov.au 

Co-branding

The Alcohol. Think Again logo is a registered trademark and must not be used without prior permission from the Mental Health Commission. Any use of the Alcohol. Think Again logo or branding outside these campaign materials requires approval. 

Please provide the following information to campaigns@mhc.wa.gov.au

• Purpose of the publication/materials
• Target audience
• Key messages you are intending to communicate
• Where/how the resource will be used
• How long it will be used for 
• When you need approval by

Disclaimer 

The resources and materials within this toolkit are designed for the purpose of supporting local alcohol and other drug prevention and health promotion activities in Western Australia. 

These materials should not be used in such a way or associated with a brand, service or organisation that may reduce the effectiveness and/or integrity of the materials; may damage the reputation of the Alcohol. Think Again brand, or supports, promotes or utilises sponsorship by companies that produce or promote alcohol beverage products or brands. 

Contact the Community Support and Development Program Team for assistance in interpreting the appropriate use of these materials. 

Email: communityprograms@mhc.wa.gov.au

Useful contacts

Alcohol. Think Again

Visit the Alcohol. Think Again website for the latest evidence and information on health risks from drinking alcohol and ways to reduce your risk. alcoholthinkagain.com.au

Alcohol and Drug Support Line

The Alcohol and Drug Support Line is a confidential, non-judgmental telephone counselling, information and referral service for anyone seeking help for their own or another person’s alcohol or drug use. 

Metro callers: (08) 9442 5000 

Country callers only: 1800 198 024

Alcohol Programs Team, Cancer Council WA The Cancer Council WA

Alcohol Programs Team works to inform community discussion about alcohol issues with the aim of reducing the impact of alcohol on the WA community, including as a cause of cancer. Contact the team if you would like to discuss action on alcohol in WA. 

Email: alcoholprograms@cancerwa.asn.au

Community Support and Development Programs, Mental Health Commission

Contact the Community Support and Development Programs Team at the Mental Health Commission if you need further support to implement any of the campaign materials or to identify what other strategies can be implemented locally to address alcohol issues. 

Email: communityprograms@mhc.wa.gov.au