If you drink at a Diwali party tonight, the safest plan is to drink less, drink slowly, eat first, and never drive. The World Health Organization says there is no level of alcohol that is completely safe for health, so “limits” are about lowering risk, not removing it.
This guide won’t lecture you. It covers what a “drink” actually means in Indian pegs and bottles, which common medicines don’t mix with alcohol, the drink-driving limit, and what to do if someone at the party has had far too much.
What counts as one drink in pegs and bottles?
Countries define a “standard drink” differently. According to a 2018 review in the American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, the WHO’s AUDIT screening test assumes a standard drink holds 10 g of pure alcohol, while the UK uses 8 g, the US 14 g and Japan 19.75 g. India doesn’t have one official figure, so it helps to do the maths yourself.
The NHS unit formula is: strength (% ABV) x volume (ml) / 1,000. One UK unit is 10 ml, or 8 g, of pure alcohol. Here’s how common Indian servings work out (strengths vary, so check the label on your bottle):
| Drink | Pure alcohol | About how many 10 g “standard drinks” |
|---|---|---|
| Small peg (30 ml) of whisky, rum or vodka labelled 42.8% | About 12.8 ml (10 g) | 1 |
| Large peg (60 ml) of the same spirit | About 25.7 ml (20 g) | 2 |
| Glass of wine (150 ml) at 12% | 18 ml (about 14 g) | 1.4 |
| Beer can (330 ml) at 5% | 16.5 ml (about 13 g) | 1.3 |
| Beer bottle (650 ml) at 5% | 32.5 ml (about 26 g) | 2.6 |
| Strong beer bottle (650 ml) labelled 8% | 52 ml (about 42 g) | 4 |
A “large” at a party is already two drinks, and a single bottle of strong beer is about four.
The NHS says one unit is roughly what an average adult can process in an hour, though this varies from person to person. That means a single large peg takes your body around two and a half hours to clear. Nothing you eat or drink speeds this up.
Is any amount of alcohol safe?
The WHO’s position is clear. In a 2023 statement published in The Lancet Public Health, WHO Europe said there is no safe amount that doesn’t affect health. Alcohol is classed as a Group 1 carcinogen, the same category as tobacco and asbestos, and causes at least seven types of cancer, including bowel and female breast cancer. WHO also noted that about half of alcohol-linked cancers in Europe occur in people who aren’t heavy drinkers, and that no study shows possible heart benefits outweigh the cancer risk for an individual drinker.
That doesn’t mean one drink at Diwali will harm you. It means less is better, and that “drinking for your heart” isn’t a good reason to start.
What counts as binge drinking?
The US National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) defines binge drinking as drinking that brings blood alcohol to 0.08%. For a typical adult, that’s five or more US standard drinks for men, or four or more for women, in about two hours. Because a US drink is 14 g, that works out to about three and a half large pegs for a man and a little under three for a woman in a two-hour stretch. Festival nights with refills and “one for the road” make this very easy to reach without noticing.
Alcohol and common medicines
Many people in their 50s and 60s at a family party are on regular tablets. The NIAAA’s guide to harmful interactions between alcohol and medicines lists these, among others. It also warns that the two can interact even if you don’t take them at the same time, and that older adults and women are at higher risk.
- Diabetes medicines (metformin, glipizide, glyburide and similar): alcohol can cause abnormally low blood sugar. A low can be mistaken for being drunk (confusion, slurring, unsteadiness), so friends may not realise. If you have diabetes, eat with your drinks, check your sugar before bed, and tell someone at the party what a low looks like. Our Diwali sweets guide for people with diabetes covers the food side.
- Paracetamol (acetaminophen): NIAAA lists liver damage as a risk when it’s combined with alcohol. Taking the normal dose for a headache isn’t the main worry for most people; the danger rises with heavy drinking and with taking more than the label dose. Don’t double up on paracetamol “for the hangover”.
- Blood thinners (warfarin): even occasional drinking may lead to internal bleeding, while heavier drinking can unsettle how the drug works.
- Sleeping pills, anxiety medicines and some antihistamines (alprazolam, diazepam, zolpidem, older allergy tablets): drowsiness, poor coordination and a higher risk of overdose, including slowed breathing.
- Metronidazole and tinidazole (often given for stomach infections and dysentery): can cause flushing, vomiting, headache, a fast heartbeat and blood pressure changes. Avoid alcohol completely during the course, and ask your pharmacist how long to wait after the last dose.
- Opioid painkillers and codeine cough syrups: a higher risk of overdose and slowed breathing.
If you’re not sure about your own medicines, ask your pharmacist before the party, not after.
Drinking and driving in India
Under Section 185 of the Motor Vehicles Act, it’s an offence to drive with more than 30 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood. That’s a low limit, and there’s no reliable way to know where you are by how you feel. Penalties include fines and possible jail.
The simplest rule is no alcohol at all if you’re driving. Also think about the next morning. If you finish drinking at 1 am after several large pegs, your body may still be clearing alcohol well into the next morning at the rate the NHS describes. Book a cab, pick a non-drinking driver before the party starts, or stay over.
How to pace yourself at a party
A few simple habits make a big difference over a long evening:
- Eat before and while you drink. Have a proper meal first, rather than a few handfuls of namkeen.
- Ask for a small peg, not a large. Or pour your own and keep it to 30 ml.
- Alternate every drink with water or a soft drink.
- Pick lower-strength drinks. Regular beer over strong beer, and check the % on the label.
- Don’t let anyone top up a half-full glass. It’s the easiest way to lose count.
- Decide your number before you arrive and tell a friend.
Good mocktails make it easier to say no without explaining yourself. Try nimbu-pudina soda, kokum or aam panna with soda, jaljeera, or a pitcher of fresh lime water with sliced cucumber and mint. Keep the sugar low, and you have a drink in your hand that nobody questions.
If you’re hosting, put out water jugs, serve food early, stop serving alcohol well before people leave, and make sure every driver has a plan.
Go to hospital if someone shows signs of alcohol poisoning
Heavy drinking in a short time can shut down breathing and the gag reflex. The NIAAA’s overdose guide lists these danger signs:
- Confusion, stupor, or can’t stay awake or be woken up
- Vomiting, especially while drowsy
- Seizures (fits)
- Slow breathing (fewer than 8 breaths a minute) or gaps of 10 seconds or more between breaths
- Clammy skin, very low body temperature, or bluish or pale skin
What to do:
- Call 112 straight away. Don’t wait for every sign to appear.
- Don’t leave them alone. If they’re lying down or unconscious, roll them onto their side (the recovery position) so they don’t choke on vomit.
- Tell the ambulance team what they drank, roughly how much, and any medicines or other drugs taken.
What not to do: cold showers, strong coffee and walking them around do not reverse alcohol poisoning and can make things worse. Don’t assume they’ll “sleep it off”. NIAAA explains that blood alcohol can keep rising after someone stops drinking or passes out, because alcohol still in the stomach keeps being absorbed.
Hangover myths
The NIAAA hangover guide is blunt: nothing cures a hangover except time.
- Coffee or a shower may help you feel more awake but won’t cure a hangover.
- “Hair of the dog”, a drink in the morning, may ease symptoms briefly but can drag the hangover out.
- Paracetamol for the headache is riskier after heavy drinking, because the combination can be toxic to the liver. Aspirin and ibuprofen can irritate an already upset stomach.
- Darker drinks such as whisky and rum contain more congeners than clear spirits, which may make hangovers worse for some people.
What helps is water, a light meal and rest. If you’re thinking about your liver after the festive week, see our posts on foods that support liver health and late-night eating and the liver.
When to get help for your drinking
Festivals sometimes show people a pattern they hadn’t noticed. Talk to a doctor if:
- You often drink more than you planned, or can’t stop once you start
- You need a drink in the morning to feel steady
- You get shaky, sweaty or anxious when you skip a day
- Family members have raised it, or drinking is affecting work, money or relationships
- You drive after drinking, or have had blackouts
If you drink heavily every day, see a doctor before stopping, so it can be done safely. For free, confidential support, call Tele-MANAS, the government’s mental health helpline, on 14416. It works 24 hours a day and in many Indian languages. You can also read our post on how to stop drinking alcohol.
Frequently asked questions
How many ml is one peg in India?
A small peg is usually 30 ml and a large peg 60 ml. For a spirit labelled 42.8%, a small peg has about 10 g of pure alcohol and a large peg about 20 g.
Is beer safer than whisky?
Not by itself. What matters is the total amount of alcohol. A 650 ml bottle of strong beer at 8% has about as much alcohol as two large pegs.
Can I drink if I’m on antibiotics?
It depends on the antibiotic. With metronidazole or tinidazole, avoid alcohol completely during the course and ask your pharmacist how long to wait afterwards. For other antibiotics, check the leaflet or ask.
How long after drinking can I drive?
There’s no safe formula. The NHS says the average adult processes about one UK unit (8 g) an hour, but this varies. After a heavy night, you may still be over the 30 mg limit the next morning. If in doubt, don’t drive.
This article is for general information and is not a substitute for advice from a doctor. If you have symptoms or a health condition, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
