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Objectives (i) To estimate the numbers of deaths and person‐years of life lost (PYLL) due to high‐risk alcohol consumption in Australia during 1997, using current estimates of consumption. (ii) To compare the number of deaths and PYLL due to acute conditions associated with bouts of intoxication and chronic conditions associated with long‐term misuse of alcohol Methods All Australian deaths during 1997 related to conditions considered to be partially or wholly caused by high‐risk alcohol consumption were extracted from the Australian Bureau of Statistics Mortality Datafile and adjusted by alcohol aetiologic fractions calculated for Australia in 1997. A life‐table method was used to estimate the PYLL for deaths from alcohol‐caused conditions. Main outcome measures Numbers of all deaths and PYLL due to chronic and acute alcohol‐related conditions. Results Of the 3290 estimated alcohol‐caused deaths in 1997, chronic conditions (eg, alcoholic liver cirrhosis and alcohol dependence) accounted for 42%, acute conditions (eg, alcohol‐related road injuries and assaults) for 28% and mixed (chronic and acute) for 30%. Of the 62 914 estimated potential life years lost, acute conditions were responsible for 46%, chronic for 33% and mixed for 21 %. The average number of years of life lost through deaths from acute conditions was more than twice that from chronic conditions, because the former mostly involved younger people. Conclusions In view of the societal burdens imposed by premature deaths, more effective public health strategies are needed to reduce the harm associated with occasional high‐risk drinking (as well as sustained high‐risk drinking), especially among young people.

Quantitative data is reported from a study of 68 South Australians who had received an infringement notice or ‘cannabis expiation notice’ (CEN) and 68 West Australians who received a criminal conviction for a minor cannabis offence not more than 10 years ago to compare impact of the infringement notice and the conviction on their lives. The majority of both groups saw themselves as largely law‐abiding, had respect for the law in general and had positive views regarding cannabis. However, more of the convicted group, compared to the infringement notice group, reported negative employment consequences (32% vs. 2%), further problems with the law (32% vs. 0%), negative relationship consequences (20% vs. 5%)and accommodation consequences (16%vs. 0%)as a result of their apprehension. While neither conviction nor infringement deterred subsequent cannabis use for the vast majority, the negative social impacts of conviction were far greater than those resulting from an infringement notice. The findings have implications for the legislative options for regulation of cannabis possesssion and use.

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