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Monday, November 30, 2009

Alcohol News - 48/2009

OnMedica (Europe) - Alcohol prompts rise in mouth and gullet cancers

Deaths from lung, stomach and bowel cancers have fallen steadily in Europe since the 1990s, new figures show. But alcohol related cancers, particularly among UK women, are on the rise.
http://www.onmedica.com/news/19b0ba44-f65b-408c-ae5e-b8a851063f14/alcohol-prompts-rise-in-mouth-and-gullet-cancers

Daily Mail (UK) - Average Briton drinks 84 times their bodyweight in alcohol

The average adult consumes 84 times their body weight in alcoholic beverages in their lifetime, research has suggested.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1232115/Average-Briton-drinks-84-times-bodyweight-alcohol.html

Bloomberg (Scotland) - Scotland Aims to Get Tough on Booze Culture, Lift Alcohol Price

Scotland plans to introduce a minimum price for alcohol, clamping down on retailers selling drinks too cheaply in a country whose booze culture kills more than 3,000 people a year.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601102&sid=akEY3u1abpSY

The Age (Australia) - War on drink violence could take decades

POLICE Chief Commissioner Simon Overland will today declare the battle to beat alcohol-fuelled violence may take decades and will launch an attack on ''profit-hungry businesses'' that he says encourage binge drinking.
http://www.theage.com.au/national/war-on-drink-violence-could-take-decades-20091130-k18i.html

The Exponent - Study: Half of women prefer to drink before sex

A recent study found that almost 50 percent of women prefer to have sex while under the influence of alcohol.
http://www.purdueexponent.org/index.php/module/Section/section_id/18?module=article&story_id=18982

Washington Post - Fetal alcohol syndrome's long-lasting impression

The symptoms of FAS vary by child, depending on how much alcohol their mothers drank when they were pregnant -- and when.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/11/26/AR2009112602162.html?hpid=sec-artsliving

UK Express - BINGE DRINKERS: GYM TRIPS ‘WON’T BEAT ALCOHOL RISKS’

BINGE drinkers who hit the gym after a heavy night may be doing little for their health, doctors said yesterday.
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/142484/Binge-drinkers-Gym-trips-won-t-beat-alcohol-risks-

ABC Online (Australia) - Zero alcohol limit extended

Cabinet has approved new laws imposing a zero alcohol limit on all learner and provisional licensed drivers in Queensland, regardless of their age.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11/23/2751110.htm

Ha'aretz (Israel) - Proposal would ban drinking in parked cars after 11 P.M.

Drinking alcohol in a parked car will be considered public drinking and will therefore be banned after 11 P.M., under a Public Security Ministry proposal paving the way for a Knesset vote.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1131602.html

Stuff.co.nz (New Zealand) - 700,000 drinkers 'in need of help'

At least 700,000 problem drinkers need help, medical leaders say in "a historic and unprecedented" push to change alcohol laws.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/3101488/700-000-drinkers-in-need-of-help

New Zealand Herald (New Zealand) - 'Sophistication' turned into binge-booze culture

A once-in-a-generation "first principles" review of the liquor laws is being conducted by the Law Commission, headed by former Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey Palmer.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10612387

BBC News (India) - Delhi gets tough on drink drivers

A court in the Indian capital, Delhi, has ruled that those driving under the influence of alcohol could lose their driving licence.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8380204.stm

Ireland Online (Ireland) - Alcohol-related crimes rise 30% in four years

There was a 30% increase in the number of alcohol-related crimes between 2003 and 2007.
http://breakingnews.iol.ie/news/ireland/alcoholrelated-crimes-rise-30-in-four-years-435832.html

Estonian Free press (Estonia) - WHO: Estonia Second for Alcohol Consumption in EU

Estonia is on the second place right behind Czech Republic for alcohol consumption. While according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) already 6 litres of absolute alcohol per year per person is dangerous for health then here the numbers reach even 12 litres.
http://www.estonianfreepress.com/2009/11/whoestonia-alcohol-consumption-in-eu/

Monday, November 23, 2009

Alcohol News - 47/2009

BBC News (Wales) - 'Minimum price' demand on alcohol

The availability of cheap alcohol has led to calls for minimum prices in Wales to change the drinking culture.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/8373721.stm

Scottish Daily Record (Scotland) - There's no quick fix to Scotland's problem relationship with drink, says MSP

SCOTLAND has always had a complex relationship with alcohol. Too many Scots drink to excess, with devastating health and social consequences.
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/2009/11/23/there-s-no-quick-fix-to-scotland-s-problem-relationship-with-drink-says-msp-86908-21843364/

Telegraph.co.uk - Moderate drinking while pregnant doubles risk of child becoming depressed

Researchers found that drinking up to a bottle of wine a week in the first trimester appeared to double the chance of a child becoming anxious or depressed. If the mother drank more than this, the risk trebled.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/6630115/Moderate-drinking-while-pregnant-doubles-risk-of-child-becoming-depressed.html

MaleHealth - Healthy drinking, healthy heart - is it so simple?

Regular moderate drinking appears to lower the risk of serious heart disease by almost a third in men. Spanish men, anyway. But is alcohol the real cause?
http://www.malehealth.co.uk/userpage1.cfm?item_id=2926

Science Daily - Older Problem Drinkers Use More Alcohol Than Do Their Younger Counterparts

Older adults who have alcohol dependence problems drink significantly more than do younger adults who have similar problems, a new study has found.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091120124831.htm

Xinhua (Israel) - Alcohol at "epidemic" levels among Israeli teenagers

The Israeli government has pledged to tackle what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dubbed on Sunday as the "epidemic" of adolescents drinking alcohol.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-11/17/content_12470925.htm

Science Daily - Intervention Can Reduce Hostile Perceptions in Children With Prenatal Alcohol Exposure

Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) has been linked to a wide array of developmental deficits, including significant impairments in social skills.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091119193630.htm

Earthtimes - Alcohol and obesity leading causes of fatty liver

It's tempting to eat heartily in the bitter cold of winter and the holidays seem like a perfect time to knock back a few drinks.
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/295801,alcohol-and-obesity-leading-causes-of-fatty-liver.html

NEWS.com.au (Australia) - Push to raise legal drinking age above 18 under plans for booze blitz

THERE were calls to lift the legal drinking age above 18 yesterday under plans for an Australia-wide crackdown on booze-fuelled crime.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,26375122-5017817,00.html

New York Times (USA) - A New View of Alcoholism

This week, Dr. Mark L. Willenbring, director of the Treatment and Recovery Research Division of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and clinical professor of psychiatry at George Washington University School of Medicine, joins the Consults blog to answer readers’ questions about alcoholism.
http://consults.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/05/04/a-new-view-of-alcoholism/?scp=2&sq=Challenging%20Old%20Assumptions%20About%20Alcoholism&st=cse

Monday, November 16, 2009

Alcohol News - 46/2009

AboutLawsuits.com (USA) - Alcohol Energy Drink Safety Questioned by FDA

The FDA has notified the makers of alcohol energy drinks, such as Joose and Liquid Charge, that they have 30 days to establish that adding caffeine to the alcohol is safe and legal.
http://www.aboutlawsuits.com/alcohol-energy-drink-safety-questioned-6952/

The Moscow Times (Russia) - Putin Calls Hip-Hop a Cure for Booze, Drugs

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said he thought that hip-hop could be a cure for alcohol and drug abuse and praised the country’s rappers for refining an otherwise alien culture by putting “Russian charm” into it.
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/putin-calls-hip-hop-a-cure-for-booze-drugs/389509.html

Reuters (Japan) - In binge-tolerant Japan, alcoholism not seen as disease

When Japanese civil servant Yoshiyuki Takeuchi saw himself lagging behind his peers at work, alcohol was the only thing he felt he could turn to, becoming the latest victim of an addiction poorly understood in Japan.
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUST327801

guardian.co.uk (WHO) - Alcohol price controls suggested by World Health Organisation

Minimum price controls should be imposed on alcohol and tougher drink-driving laws introduced, policy options circulated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) suggest.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/nov/16/alcohol-minimum-price-controls

RTE.ie (Ireland) - Bishop calls for alcohol bans

A Dublin bishop has called for the advertising of alcohol and sponsorship by drinks companies to be banned at all sporting events.
http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/1116/alcohol.html

BBC News (UK) - Alcohol pricing backed by experts

A minimum price for alcohol would have a "considerable" impact if it was set at 60p a unit, a public health expert has said.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/8361159.stm

Ha'aretz (Israel) - State launches new program to combat underage drinking

The government has authorized NIS 27 million to fund a new program to fight underage drinking.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1128401.html

The Breeze (USA) - Alcohol Ads Ban is Appealed

A ban on alcohol-related advertising in college newspapers could be re-instated. The Alcohol Beverage Control Board appealed to the 4th U.S. Court of Appeals in an attempt to control underaged drinking. There has been no ruling yet from the Oct. 29 case.
http://breezejmu.org/2009/11/16/alcohol-ads-ban-is-appealed/

YLE News (Finland) - Finns Down More Alcohol Than Nordic Neighbours

Finnish people consumed more alcohol last year than citizens of any other Nordic country, according to the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) and other Nordic statistics agencies. In past years, the Danes drank the most alcohol per capita.
http://www.yle.fi/uutiset/news/2009/11/finns_down_more_alcohol_than_nordic_neighbours_1162913.html

Daily Mail (UK) - Binge Britain: Nightclub slammed over '69p for any drink' promotion

A nightclub has sparked anger by hosting a night where alcoholic drinks will cost just 69p.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1228169/Binge-Britain-Nightclub-unveils-cut-price-69p-drinks-promotion.html

Science Daily - Scientists Call For Ban On Alcohol-Industry Sponsorship Of Sport

The alcohol industry's sponsorship of sport should be banned and replaced with a dedicated alcohol tax modelled on those employed by some countries for tobacco, say scientists.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091109194743.htm

ABC Online (Australia) - High Court ruling uncorks alcohol concerns

Public health advocates in Australia are warning that a High Court ruling on the responsibility of publicans to their patrons will undermine national laws about the responsible service of alcohol.
http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2009/s2739768.htm

TheParliament.com (EU) - EU urged to avoid 'restrictive' measures against brewers

EU health ministers have been urged not to impose "restrictive" measures in order to combat the problem of alcohol abuse.
http://www.theparliament.com/no_cache/latestnews/news-article/newsarticle/eu-urged-to-avoid-restrictive-measures-against-brewers/

Telegraph (UK) - 24-hour drinking 'leaves police dangerously stretched,' warns assistant chief constable

The introduction of 24-hour drinking has backfired as alcohol-fuelled disorder in cities now persists throughout the night leaving police dangerously stretched, an assistant chief constable has warned.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/lawandorder/6564224/24-hour-drinking-leaves-police-dangerously-stretched-warns-assistant-chief-constable.html

SHAAP - Untold Damage: Children's accounts of living with harmful parental drinking

A study looking at the effects of harmful drinking by parents on the lives of children in Scotland. The study highlights children’s accounts of the severe negative impacts of harmful parental drinking on their lives including emotional stress, physical abuse and neglect.
http://www.work-interactive-test.co.uk/UserFiles/File/Reports%20and%20Briefings/Untold%20Damage%20full%20report.pdf

Monday, November 9, 2009

Alcohol News - week 45/2009

guardian.co.uk - Warning of extra heart dangers from mixing cocaine and alcohol

A third chemical – cocaethylene – builds up in the liver over a number of years among those who mix the two drugs. And this is now having major health consequences.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/nov/08/cocaine-alcohol-mixture-health-risks

New York Times (Russia) - Russians Comment on Ways to Curb the Use of Alcohol

How hard will it be for the Russian government to reduce the country’s alcohol consumption? The New York Times asked readers of its Russian-language blog on livejournal.com for their thoughts.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/03/world/europe/03russia.html

WalesOnline (Wales) - Alcohol watchdog warning over free CeltFest drinks

THE Welsh Council on Alcohol and Other Drugs has condemned the decision to give thousands of party-goers two free pints each as “irresponsible”.
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2009/11/07/alcohol-watchdog-warning-over-free-celtfest-drinks-91466-25111397/

Boston Globe (USA) - Alcohol ads on the T reaching school children, BU study warns

Alcohol advertising inside MBTA subway cars reaches thousands of Boston Public School students every school day, a new study from Boston University reports, exposing young people to the kind of messages that research links to increased underage drinking.
http://www.boston.com/news/health/blog/2009/11/alcohol_adverti.html

Atlanta Journal Constitution - Binge Drinking Puts the Brain, and Life Itself, at Risk

Nearly half of students at four-year colleges do it regularly (and, it's not sex). Rather, it's binge drinking -- downing five or more alcoholic drinks at a sitting.
http://www.ajc.com/health/content/shared-auto/healthnews/alca/629300.html

Telegraph.co.uk (UK) - Alcohol minimum pricing plan 'all but dead', claim Scottish Tories

SNP ministers’ attempt to introduce a minimum price for alcohol is “all but dead” following a Holyrood debate on the measure, the Tories have claimed.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/scotland/6509524/Alcohol-minimum-pricing-plan-all-but-dead-claim-Scottish-Tories.html

Himalayan Times (Nepal) - 37 pc Nepalis hooked on tobacco; 29 pc on alcohol: Survey

A survey of 15-64 years old concluded in 15 districts across the country over a period of three months has unveiled a frightening data on the use of tobacco in Nepal. The survey has concluded that 37 percent of the total population in the country are tobacco users.
http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=37+pc+Nepalis+hooked+on+tobacco%3B+29+pc+on+alcohol%3A+Survey+&NewsID=45743

Telegraph.co.uk (UK) - Alcohol gravest threat to society, claims sacked scientist

The minimum drinking age should be increased to 21 and the price of alcohol tripled in order to tackle what will soon be the "biggest killer" in modern society, claimed the sacked head of the government's drug advisory body.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/6502063/Alcohol-gravest-threat-to-society-claims-sacked-scientist.html

ABC Online (Australia) - Call to reduce blood alcohol levels for drivers

There are calls to cut the blood alcohol level for drivers to zero in order to reduce the number of fatalities on Australian roads.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11/05/2734495.htm?section=justin

The Herald (Scotland) - Drinking by Scots parents revealed by young

Twice as many calls are made to ChildLine by young people concerned about their parents’ harmful drinking in Scotland than the rest of the UK.
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/health/drinking-by-scots-parents-revealed-by-young-1.931322

guardian.co.uk (UK) - UK product placement consultation launched

The government has launched a consultation looking at how product placement could work on UK television, with a view to restricting the promotion of alcohol, junk food and gambling.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/nov/09/product-placement-consultation-launched

Decanter.com (UK) - UK alcohol consumption falling faster than ever

Alcohol consumption in the UK is falling faster than at any time in the past 60 years, prompting calls for more targeted efforts at reducing alcohol-related harm.
http://www.decanter.com/news/290861.html?aff=rss

Alcohol Focus Scotland - Minimum pricing for alcohol - joint letter to press

The debate on minimum pricing for alcohol has become increasingly polarised. Some believe that the rising burden of harm due to alcohol demands effective government intervention and others believe that concern for Scotland's health is not sufficient grounds for curbing market freedoms that have enabled unprecedented growth in the production, trade and promotion of alcohol.
http://www.alcohol-focus-scotland.org.uk/news/details/?id=54

Courier Mail (Australia) - Kevin Rudd plans to curb alcohol-fuelled violence

PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd will spearhead a fresh battle against binge drinking amid a growing outbreak of alcohol-fuelled violence.
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,20797,26311689-3102,00.html?from=public_rss

Monday, November 2, 2009

Alcohol News - week 44/2009

Huffington Post (UK) - Government Adviser Fired For Saying Alcohol Is More Dangerous Than Drugs

The Guardian reports that Professor David Nutt, the British government's chief drug adviser, has been fired after claiming that ecstasy and LSD are less dangerous than alcohol.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/allison-kilkenny/government-adviser-fired_b_341471.html

Telegraph.co.uk (USA/UK) - British lemonade causes US alcohol row

Fentimans, a traditional Victorian lemonade enjoyed by British drinkers for more than a century, has caused a row after an American teenager had a bottle confiscated in school for its tiny alcohol content.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinknews/6455178/British-lemonade-causes-US-alcohol-row.html

PS News (Australia) - New alcohol plan has the right mix

A package of resources that help war veterans manage their alcohol consumption issues has been updated, improved and launched by the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Alan Griffin.
http://www.psnews.com.au/Page_psn19314.html

Novinite.com (Bulgaria) - Sofia Bans Alcohol Sale on Election Day

The sale of alcohol in the Bulgarian capital Sofia will be banned on November 15 from 6 am to 8 pm due to the elections for mayor that will take place that Sunday.
http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=109536

BBC News (UK) - Heavy drinkers seek out bargains

A study of heavy drinkers consuming hundreds of units of alcohol a week found they were buying cheaper drink than most other people.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/8335394.stm

EurekAlert (UK) - PTSD less common than depression and alcohol misuse amongst UK troops

Common mental disorders, such as depression and alcohol misuse, are the top psychological problems amongst UK troops post-deployment and not post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as is widely believed.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-10/bc-plc102809.php

Irish Times (Ireland) - Drinks industry slump deepening

The depression in the drinks industry is deepening, with 70 per cent of licensed premises reporting a decline in sales over the past five years, according to a new report.
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/1102/breaking25.htm

The Breeze (USA) - Sharing Stories on the Dangers of Drinking

Alcohol kills 6.5 times more youths than all other illicit drugs combined. About 1,400 college students die each year in alcohol-related causes, and 25 percent of college students say drinking has caused them to fall behind in class and receive lower grades, according to statistics presented Wednesday.
http://breezejmu.org/2009/11/02/in-a-‘blink’/

Science Daily - Link Between Alcohol And Cancer Explained: Alcohol Activates Cellular Changes That Make Tumor Cells Spread

Alcohol consumption has long been linked to cancer and its spread, but the underlying mechanism has never been clear.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091026172052.htm

TestCountry.com (UK) - 6,000 Die Each Year as a Result of Drinking in the UK

The rate of alcohol related diseases is up to 9,000 in the UK each year, an increase that is three times higher than what it was 25 years ago.
http://hometestingblog.testcountry.com/?p=4490

Bloomberg (Ireland) - Irish Cut Beer Prices After Left ‘High and Dry’ by Pound Slide

Hugh McGee is cutting the price of Guinness by about 20 percent at his bars and hotels in the Irish town of Letterkenny to keep customers coming across the border from Northern Ireland after the euro’s surge against the pound.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=aHiNwJTXCNvU

Foreign Policy (Russia) - Another Russian battle with the bottle

There's a reason for the popular perception that Russians like their drink: The average Russian citizen consumes 18 liters of pure alcohol per year, compared with about 11 liters per year in Western Europe.
http://eurasia.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2009/10/27/another_russian_battle_with_the_bottle

The Age (Australia) - Booze putting teen brains at risk

A GENERATION of Victorian teenagers are drinking themselves into oblivion, with more than a quarter of 15-year-olds bingeing until they black out - the point at which brain damage is likely to occur.
http://www.theage.com.au/national/booze-putting-teen-brains-at-risk-20091031-hqtj.html

Times Online (Scotland) - SNP left high and dry as Labour rejects minimum alcohol pricing

The minority SNP government’s plans to adopt a minimum price for alcohol appear doomed after Labour’s appointment of a new shadow health secretary who is strongly against the move.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/scotland/article6894772.ece