TWO shocking videos showing the potential consequences of drinking too much alcohol have been released by the NHS.
The films, which were shot in Chesterfield featuring professional actors, are part of the £25,000 Cocktales campaign designed to highlight the dangers of drink to young people in Derbyshire.
One of the videos, Bloody Mary, shows a young woman urin
ate in the street then fall over while being jeered by a group of passing young men in Chesterfield Market Place. The other, Tequila Slammer, shows a young lad dressed as a turkey dancing then mock fighting with his friends in the street where he gets knocked down by a car.
Derbyshire County Primary Care Trust (PCT) is one of the first trusts in the country to use YouTube to send out controversial videos with key
health messages.
Alison Pritchard, a consultant in public health at the PCT, said: "Cocktales is a unique campaign. We know from our research they watch YouTube videos that capture their attention. Our videos use dark comedy to make them laugh but then show the serious side of problems alcohol can cause.
Alcohol"We want young people to think about the main messages of safe drinking to make informed choices on their nights out. We also want them to visit the website www.cocktalesmix.co.uk to win a free state-of-the-art iPhone and learn more."
Cocktales is aimed at people aged between 18 and 24 in a bid to crack down on the health problems caused by alcohol.
In 2008/9, alcohol specific hospital admissions for this age group cost the PCT around £162,000 and over all age groups cost in the region of £3.7m. These are specifically alcohol related admissions which include poisoning by alcohol, acute intoxication and a range of alcohol induced liver conditions.
Long-term alcohol abuse can lead to incurable liver cirrhosis, cancer of the mouth, throat and oesophagus and can mean a higher risk of breast cancer.
The campaign advises students and young people to have at least two alcohol-free days in between nights out with drink, set a limit for alcohol and cash before they go out, and have a snack instead of a final drink.
Last year, there were around 15,000 alcohol-related hospital admissions in Derbyshire, which is higher than the England average.
For more information on Cocktales or to see the films, visit www.cocktalesmix.co.uk
