AIHW National Household Drug Survey finds Murrumbidgee the PHN with the most long term risky drinkers

A survey into drug use by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, released this week, found 25 per cent of people in the Murrumbidgee aged 14 or older had drunk more than an average of two drinks per day in their lifetime.

The survey, conducted in 2019, found the number of people who drank more than an average of two standard drinks daily in their lifetime jumped up from one-in-five people in 2016.

Riverina Drug and Alcohol Treatment Centre manager Brendan McCorry said the figures were not surprising.

"Traditionally alcohol has always been a problem in rural and regional areas. The fact that it's ongoing is of concern, but it's been a constant battle for us," he said.

The AIHW says the "lifetime risk" for drinking is the accumulated risk of harm from alcohol-related disease from drinking either on many occasions, or on a regular basis over a person's life.

Mr McCorry said there were several reasons why the Murrumbidgee's long-term drinking had spiked, including the emotional burden felt by isolated and drought-affected communities.

"People have less opportunities to connect in other ways, most of rural socialisation revolves around the use of alcohol," he said.

"It's in the sporting culture as well as the socialising culture."

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One-in-four people in the Murrumbidgee also exceeded their monthly limit for risky drinking in 2019 by consuming more than four drinks on any occasion in a month, a slight improvement on 2016's figures.

The Murrumbidgee's short-term risky drinkers were on par exactly with the Australian national average.

The AIHW's survey, which is released every three years and was conducted most recently by pollster Roy Morgan, found overall Australians were drinking less on average than they ever had previously.

"If you look at the whole survey in general there is a decline in drinking," Mr McCorry said.

"I think people are more aware now of the risk associated with it. For a while there it was promoted as 'it's actually good for you to drink'."

However, Mr McCorry said long-term drinking continued to be an issue in smaller communities, particularly as it was the most readily available and most socially acceptable drug.

"If you look at other factors that are also declining in rural areas, like it's hard to get health services in general into community areas. There's also been some economic decline," he said.

"It's also about getting access to the help you need to make changes to your drinking or drug use, that's also a barrier."

Across NSW in 2019 about three-quarters of those surveyed had consumed alcohol in the previous year, with less than 10 per cent calling themselves "ex-drinkers".