A recent analysis has labelled a ‘dirty dozen’ of pre-mixed drinks that have fuelled a surge in binge drinking among young people, including the widely popular Bundaberg Rum and Cola.

Also included in the ‘dirty dozen’ were a variety of energy drinks such as ‘Pulse’ and ‘Hi NRG’, and shots such as ‘Jager Bombs’, which were banned by the Dubbo Liquor Accord last year.

The Liquor Accord banned the sale of drinks with an alcohol content higher than 5 per cent after midnight.

It excludes the sale of most of the ‘dirty dozen’, except Bundaberg Rum.

Pastoral Hotel licensee Greg Pilon disagrees with the inclusion of Bundaberg Rum into the so-called ‘dirty dozen’ saying it has been “around for 100 years” and thinks alcoholic energy drinks are more to blame for binge-drinking trends.

“How they put Bundy rum on that list is beyond me, but I agree with the energy drinks,” Mr Pilon said.

“If you’re perceiving binge drinking as something new, well Bundy’s been around for 100 years - the trend really is on the energy drinks.”

The ‘dirty dozen’ also listed Woodstock Bourbon, and Vodka Cruiser Black Raspberry, which is also banned at the Pastoral Hotel after midnight.

The analysis by VicHealth’s Professor John Fitzgerald selected the drinks based on their cost versus alcohol content.

Some of the drinks listed were ‘shots’ - also called ‘shooters’ or ‘laybacks’ - which haven’t been available in Dubbo since September last year.

Mr Pilon said he had seen a big difference since the ‘No Shots’ policy.

“Since we got rid of shots we’ve seen a big difference,” he said.

“If you get a group of say five blokes, it only takes the two that want a shot to go to the bar and buy a round and the others are pressured into it.”

Mr Pilon said the latest booze ban forced the Pastoral to take just two of its drinks off the shelves after midnight - being ‘Pulse’ and ‘Vodka Cruiser black’.

Western Star licensee Ted Snare said he only stocked one of the ‘dirty dozen’ - ready-to-drink Bundaberg Rum cans.

When asked if he believed pre-mixed drinks encouraged binge drinking among younger people, Mr Snare said he thought the media focused on the issue more today compared to 20 years ago.

“I’m not saying it’s not a problem, but I don’t think underage drinking has changed that much today from what it was 22 years ago,” he said.

“The hotels are copping a lot of blame when kids are consuming alcohol at home - or at parties - and causing trouble.”

emily.wheeler@ruralpress.com

What is binge drinking?

Nick Power from Drug and Alcohol Services for Central and Castlereagh Clusters said the mainstream understanding of binge drinking was to drink heavily to intoxication over a short period of time.

He said this could include a single, heavy drinking session over a weekend, then not drinking again for a long period, before another session.

Mr Power some of the bigger consequences of binge drinking was violence, drink-driving, unsafe sex, and damage to reputation which could lead to low self-esteem.

He said it “may be the case” that young people were more vulnerable to the effects of binge drinking but it wasn’t limited to the younger age bracket.