A DRIVE to reduce the harm caused by alcohol in North Yorkshire and cut nearly 200 deaths in the county annually from drink has made significant progress, a report has concluded.

The North Yorkshire Health and Wellbeing Board study found initiatives such as investing in personal, social and health education programmes in schools to make young people aware of the dangers of alcohol were helping move towards establishing responsible and sensible drinking as the norm.

It said its other aims of identifying and supporting those who need help into treatment through recovery and reducing alcohol-related crime and disorder were being bolstered through working with Trading Standards officers to prevent underage sales of alcohol and ensure businesses know their responsibilities about the sale of alcohol.

The board produced a county-wide alcohol strategy last year, which was developed by North Yorkshire County and district councils, doctors' groups and the police.

Councillor Clare Wood, chairman of the board, said: "In North Yorkshire, although one in seven adults doesn’t drink alcohol at all, about a quarter of those who do drink are estimated to be doing so at harmful or hazardous levels.

“Alcohol-related hospital admissions are increasing year on year, and nearly 200 people die in North Yorkshire every year as a result of alcohol.

"Alcohol misuse is also associated with crime, including domestic violence and sexual crime, and features in antisocial behaviour in particular, with over a quarter of incidents associated with alcohol in some areas.”