In addition to the individual harm caused by alcohol, many communities, including Kingston experience the second hand effects of drinking such as neighbourhood disturbances, noise, public intoxication, property damage, vandalism, physical and sexual assault, and alcohol crashes. In a 2006 Ontario survey, 31% of survey respondents had experienced one or more types of disruption or harm related to someone else's drinking. This included serious arguments, verbal insults or abuse, pushed or shoved, physical assault, and family or marriage problems.56 Locally, 49% ofall Queen's University undergraduate students arebothered bysomeoneelse's drinking at least once amonth and 23% are bothered at least once a week.57
In a study of the second hand effects of student alcohol use reported by neighbours of colleges in the United States, it was found that "neighbours living near college campuses were more likely to report a lowered quality of neighbourhood life through such second hand effects of heavy alcohol use as noise and disturbances, vandalism, drunkenness, vomiting and urination."58 Th s effect was particularly prominent when there were more alcohol outlets within a mile of the campus.
Th s map indicates the number of locations selling alcohol within walking distance of each of Kingston's post secondary schools. Of the 186 licensed establishments in the City of Kingston, 51% are within 1.5 km or a 15 minute walk of Queen's University campus.59
Respondents to the 2012 City of Kingston Alcohol Public Opinion Survey2 reported that in the past 12 months:
On June 6, 2012 the Kingston Policeheldacommunitymobilization meeting for individuals who live or work in the area bordered by University Avenue, Princess Street, Ontario Street, and King Street. The purpose of the meeting was to seek public input on issues of concern and to support the community in dealing with root causes of crime and insecurity. The 34 participants were broken into 7 groups and asked to identify their top 6 issues within this geographic area. The top five issues identified overall by the groups included graffiti, panhandlers, drugs, liquor offences, and mental health. Three of the seven groups identified "liquor offences", "public intoxication" or "public drinking and intimidation" as one of their top 6 issues.60
"...(In addition to) fatalities caused by impaired drivers...we must also be mindful of the potential for other serious consequences of intoxication, ranging from property damage to personal injury, or even death."
Kingston Police Chief Stephen Tanner
The link between alcohol consumption and violence is well established. In a systematic review of the literature completed by Ontario's Alcohol Policy Network, the authors identified six major themes or categories in their search on alcohol and community based violence. These themes included alcohol outlet density, alcohol sales, alcohol price, alcohol sale hours, the bar environment, and emergency department injuries.63
Bar environments that abide by the following practices or have the following characteristics are more prone to violence and other alcohol-related injuries and harm:
Not only are patrons of these licensed venues at heightened risk of involvement in aggression and violence, staff are at increased risk as well.64
For several years the Kingston Police have been proactively monitoring public safety concerns and calls for service for any connection to alcohol impairment and have been working with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission to promote accountability and responsibility on the part of licensed premises. Effective August 2012, all police services in Ontario will be required to contact the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) when the sale of alcohol from a licensed premise is suspected to have contributed to serious injury or death.65
In popular culture, on television and in the movies, taking advantage of someone who has been drinking is made light of and is often the goal. This sends the harmful message that it's okay and even acceptable to take advantage of someone who has been drinking. Sexual aggression is one of the most common forms of aggression observed in many drinking establishments, especially dance clubs, nightclubs and other places, where many patrons go for the explicit purpose of meeting sexual and romantic partners.64
The Sixth Annual Report of Domestic Violence Death Review Committee Office of the Chief Coroner, Ontario (2008) - found that between 2003 and 2008 excessive alcohol and drug use was found in 42% of the cases (n=77), in 2008 alone the number was 47% of the cases (n=15).69
A California study of alcohol outlet density found that "an increase of one bar or pub per square mile was associated with a 3% increase in the risk of an emergency department visit for intimate partner violence." The presence of restaurants had no effect.70
From 2007 to 2009 in Ontario, 2% of all collisions (14,622 reportable collisions - which includes collisions that caused fatalities, personal injury and property damage) had a driver that had consumed alcohol.51 Of that 2%:
In Canada, the incidence of FASD is approximately 9 in 1000 live births.71 Canadian studies indicate that a significant percentage of pregnancies (both planned and unplanned) involve alcohol exposure, and that a very common scenario is binge drinking (4+ drinks per occasion for women), the most damaging pattern of alcohol exposure for the developing fetus, most often during the first trimester of pregnancy.72, 73
"Family violence, stress, poverty, homelessness, unemployment, social isolation, and poor knowledge about impacts of alcohol are known to increase the likelihood of drinking during pregnancy." A recent study conducted by Canadian researcher Dr. Albert Chudley conservatively estimated that 10% of inmates had FASD, and this number could be as high as 17%.74
In Ontario, the Better Beginnings, Better Futures study looked at the long-term impacts of early childhood experience in young children. One of the questions asked concerned the impact of prenatal exposure to alcohol and nicotine, separately and in combination, on developmental outcomes in young children over the first four years of primary school. Among a large number of outcome variables studied, the largest effects occurred for reports of cognitive and behavioural problems in children with a history of alcohol, or alcohol plus nicotine, exposure. Specifically, the children of mothers who were classified as "high-risk drinkers" scored worse on measures of cognitive development and academic performance, and on measures of behavioural problems as rated by the children's teachers.75