Binge drinking also adds greatly to the cost of the ambulance service because of the large number of weekend night admissions with acute alcohol problems. It places a serious burden on hospital services, contributes to the waiting list for elective medical and surgical treatment and occupies hospital staff in a disproportionate amount of work. The effects of binge and heavy drinking on the health services should be seen against the wider background of the effects of alcohol abuse on society. These include accidents, drownings, violence, crime, poverty, poor health, mental illness, family disintegration, unemployment, intimidation and a reluctance to walk the streets in certain areas.