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Monday, February 25, 2013

Alcohol News - 8/2013


GAPA - APPEAL TO GLOBAL HEALTH COMMUNITY
On October 8, 2012, thirteen of world’s largest alcohol producers issued a set of commitments to reduce the harmful use of alcohol worldwide. The commitments were issued in support of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol.
Prague Apartments (Denmark) - Thousands Of Danish Youngsters Get Drunk And Destroy Apartments In Prague
Hot topic in Czech! Media talk about young Danish students coming to Prague because of cheap alcohol and accommodation. Up to 10 000 of young Danes have already visited Prague this winter. However the goal of their stay is not usually a sightseeing but partying, clubbing or simply buying bottles of alcohol that is much cheaper in Czech Republic than in Denmark.
YLE.fi (Finland) - Brewers claim 'unprecedented' fall in Finnish alcohol sales
Sales figures from the Federation of the Brewing and Soft Drinks Industry show a 7.4 percent fall in consumption of beers, ciders and other mid-strength alcoholic beverages last year. Soft drink sales fell by 4.4 percent.
ERR News (Estonia/Finland) - 65% of Finnish Personal Imports of Booze Come from Estonia
Finns transported 7.7 million liters of alcohol to Finland from foreign countries in 2012 and 65 percent of the intoxicating liquid originated from Estonia or from the ferries connecting the two countries.
BNN News (Latvia) - Latvia prefers cheaper and stronger alcohol
Last year’s excise tax revenue for alcoholic drinks, except beer, increased by 2.85 million LVL, compared to that of 2011, according to the data from the State Revenue Service (SRS).
The Conversation (Australia) - Social acceptance of alcohol allows us to ignore its harms
Most of us forget that alcohol is a drug so when asked to name drug-related problems, we tend to think of illegal drugs such as cannabis or heroin. But most of us drink, and drinking is an accompaniment to a growing array of activities.
Radio Australia (Australia) - Judge calls for action on alcohol violence 'epidemic”
NSW's top magistrate calls for action to combat an "epidemic" of alcohol-fuelled violence. New South Wales's most senior magistrate has warned that alcohol-fuelled violence has reached "epidemic proportions" and the community is "fed up" with the perpetrators.
CarAdvice (Australia) - Victoria to enforce alcohol interlocks for all drink drivers: report
The Herald Sun reports the Victorian State Government has begun drafting new legislation that would require all drivers caught over the legal blood-alcohol limit to have interlock devices fitted to their car to deter them from reoffending.
Washington Times (Egypt) - Egypt moves to ban alcohol sales
Egypt’s Islamic government will no longer be issuing alcohol permits and will not renew existing ones in certain areas of Cairo, Alexandria and other major cities, an official has said.
RT (Russia) - Alcohol production in Russia drops 30% in a year
An increase in tax is being blamed for the drop in alcohol production in Russia. According to Rosstat production of spirits has dropped by some 30% in the last year, and some manufacturers have cut production by as much as 80%.
Almonitor (Egypt) - Turkey's Creeping Alcohol Ban Reaches New Heights
The neo-Islamist Justice and Development Party (AKP) that has ruled Turkey for more than 10 years, parallel to boosting its strength and effectiveness, has for a while also been pursuing a multi-phase campaign to exclude alcohol consumption from public life and make it invisible.
Irish Examiner (Ireland) - FF: Govt not tackling cheap alcohol issue
In its pre-budget submission, the party asked the Minister for Finance Michael Noonan to include a 10% levy on alcohol sales in off-licences.
Foodprocessing (Australia) - AMA calls for tighter alcohol regulation
The alcohol industry’s self-regulation has failed, the Australian Medical Association (AMA) has said, with the industry involved pushing to “lure young people into early and potentially harmful drinking patterns”. The AMA is calling on the federal government to launch an inquiry into alcohol marketing to teenagers and young people.
Irish Independent (Ireland) - Alcohol firms treat teens like beer mats, says bishop
TEENAGERS are being used as "beer mats" by giant drinks firms through their sponsorship of GAA, rugby and soccer, a bishop has claimed.
Irish Independent (Ireland) - Bishops call for ban on alcohol sponsorships for all youth events
Bishop Eamon Walsh warned it was now time for Ireland to say "enough is enough" in relation to alcohol addiction and the promotion of alcohol to young people.
Independent Voter Network (USA) - Big Alcohol Lobbying in California Raises Health and Safety Concerns
Big Alcohol lobbying in California made an impact during the 2011-2012 legislative session. Alcohol Justice, a self proclaimed industry watchdog, released a report of Big Alcohol’s efforts in Sacramento.
Examiner.com (USA) - Final ‘ObamaCare’ rules closing gaps, improving alcohol treatment access in 2014
According to a February 20 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) brief on the Affordable Care Act – slangily called ObamaCare – the nation is poised for the “largest expansion in substance use disorder coverage in a generation.”
BBC News - Gambling and alcohol addiction linked, report says
Gambling and alcohol addiction share greater similarities than previously realised, a new report claims.
News-Medical.net - EASL unveils new publication - The burden of liver disease in Europe
Major progress has been made in the past 30 years in the knowledge and management of liver disease, yet approximately 29 million Europeans still suffer from a chronic liver condition.
Irish Independent (Ireland) - Alcohol is now responsible for 25pc of all drug-related deaths
DRUG-RELATED deaths are continuing to fall with the biggest drop among heroin users. But according to new figures, it was a legal drug – alcohol – that was responsible for a quarter of all the deaths and implicated in almost half of poisonings.

Sunday, February 24, 2013

FASD News - 7/2013


NEWS and ARTICLES
BBC News (UK) - Oxford trust publishes alcohol-related foetus disorder guidelines
A charity has published recommendations for medical staff to tackle a foetal disorder caused by drinking alcohol during pregnancy.
Science Daily - Signaling Pathway Linked to Fetal Alcohol Risk: Molecular Switch Promises New Targets for Diagnosis and Therapy
Fetal alcohol syndrome is the leading preventable cause of developmental disorders in developed countries. And fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), a range of alcohol-related birth defects that includes fetal alcohol syndrome, is thought to affect as many as 1 in 100 children born in the United States.
Memphis Commercial Appeal (USA) - Alcohol, pregnancy add up to tragedy
The term fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) refers to the most severe permanent effects of a child's exposure to alcohol while in the mother's womb, including mental retardation, abnormal physical appearance and behavior, and extreme limitation of normal lifetime capabilities.
Memphis Commercial Appeal - It happens: women accidentally drink alcohol unaware they're pregnant
Many women know that alcohol can be harmful to an unborn baby and they plan to abstain once they're pregnant. Sometimes, however, a woman drinks alcohol before she knows she's pregnant and then is afraid of the ramifications.
Iowa Now (USA) - UI team to study alcohol's effects on unborn babies
A University of Iowa research team has been awarded nearly $2 million to study the effects on unborn babies from mothers who abuse alcohol during pregnancy.
CJOB (France/Canada) - French Group Learning First-Hand about FASD
A nine-person delegation from France arrives in Winnipeg Thursday to learn about Manitoba's innovative programs for the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).
The Canberra Times (Australia) - Pregnant pause needed for alcohol awareness
It's not the doctor's fault, really. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder has become quite an acceptable label to paste on children these days.
The Elkhart Truth - Dog could help Goshen boy with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
Like many 9-year-olds, Tyler Kidder of Goshen enjoys playing with Lego pieces, watching “Tom and Jerry” and picking on his younger brother. His playing time, though, can be interrupted by his bouts of extreme anger, name-calling and emotional meltdowns.
Yukon News - A life of misunderstandings
Donna Debolt says that of all the disabilities she is aware of, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder is the most misunderstood.

SPECIAL INFORMATION
The Swedish FAS-förening and Malmö Högskola will start a small research project about children with FASD. The primary focus will be on everyday life in the family (and what kind of support there is in the society). The FAS-förening would like to hear about similar research that has been done with this focus around the world. Contact Katarina Wittgard at FAS@telia.com.

MATERIALS and VIDEOS
Murkowski's Advancing FASD Research, Prevention & Services Act
OBG Management – Alcohol: An unfortunate teratogen
Medical students learn early in their education that alcohol is a teratogen. Despite this widespread knowledge, many obstetricians counsel patients about the safety of low doses of alcohol in pregnancy.

RESEARCH
Journal of Population Terapeuthics - Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Knowledge and Screening Practices of University Hospital Medical Students and Residents
A new study has recently been published with the purpose of evaluating the knowledge and screening practices of pre-clinical medical students and clinical providers on FAS, FASD, and alcohol consumption.
NIH - Scientists identify molecular events that underlie FASD
Scientists have identified a molecular signaling pathway that plays an important role in the development of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). The new research in cells and mice, supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health, points to candidate genes for FASD susceptibility and may open new avenues for developing drugs to prevent alcohol damage to the fetal brain.
Addiction - A randomized controlled trial of motivational interviewing to prevent risk for an alcohol-exposed pregnancy in the Western Cape, South Africa
A five-session motivational interviewing intervention was found to be effective with women at risk of an alcohol-exposed pregnancy, and could be implemented as part of routine primary care clinic services in similar populations. The message of ‘no alcohol in pregnancy’ should be adapted to include better family planning and early recognition of pregnancy.
PNAS - Mitogen-activated protein kinase modulates ethanol inhibition of cell adhesion mediated by the L1 neural cell adhesion molecule
There is a genetic contribution to fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), but the identification of candidate genes has been elusive.
Genetics and Molecular Biology - Maternal drinking behavior and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders in adolescents with criminal behavior in southern Brazil
Prenatal alcohol exposure can have serious and permanent adverse effects. The developing brain is the most vulnerable organ to the insults of prenatal alcohol exposure. A behavioral phenotype of prenatal alcohol exposure including conduct disorders is also described.
Alcoholism - Does Binge Drinking During Early Pregnancy Increase the Risk of Psychomotor Deficits?
The potential effects of binge drinking during pregnancy on child motor function have only been assessed in a few, small studies. We aimed to examine the effects of binge alcohol consumption during early pregnancy, including number of binge episodes and timing of binge drinking, on child motor function at age 5.
Alcoholism - Gestational Choline Supplementation Normalized Fetal Alcohol-Induced Alterations in Histone Modifications, DNA Methylation, and Proopiomelanocortin (POMC) Gene Expression in β-Endorphin-Producing POMC Neurons of the Hypothalamus
Prenatal exposure to ethanol (EtOH) reduces the expression of hypothalamic proopiomelanocortin (POMC) gene, known to control various physiological functions including the organismal stress response. In this study, we determined whether the changes in POMC neuronal functions are associated with altered expressions of histone-modifying and DNA-methylating enzymes in POMC-producing neurons, because these enzymes are known to be involved in regulation of gene expression. In addition, we tested whether gestational choline supplementation prevents the adverse effects of EtOH on these neurons.

Monday, February 18, 2013

Alcohol News - 7/2013


The Copenhagen Post (Denmark) - Proposed fines would send “clear signal” against underage drinking
Retailers will face stiffer penalties for selling tobacco or hard alcohol to anyone under 18, according to a proposal currently before parliament.
Postimees (Estonia) - Estonian parlt considers measures to restrict availability of alcohol
Members of the Estonian parliament's social affairs and finance committees found at a joint meeting on Monday that more efficient measures are called for to restrict the accessibility and advertising of alcoholic beverages.
Radio Sweden (Sweden) - Alcohol busts on the rise in Sweden
Swedish Customs expects the amount of confiscated alcohol in Sweden to double this year since it has received extended powers to search for and confiscate alcohol and tobacco products with excise duties.
The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (Norway) - Different drinking habits among partners may lead to divorce
Both the amounts and similarity in alcohol use patterns between partners are important risk factors for divorce. It is worst if the wife drinks more than her husband, according to a new study from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.
Informa (Estonia) - Making sense of risk: Young Estonians drink-driving
In Estonia, young people driving under the influence of alcohol is an issue of social concern. In 2009, half of the intoxicated drivers who were involved in traffic accidents were under the age of 30. To understand the phenomenon in a wider perspective, the motives and reasons behind drink-driving need to be understood.
San Francisco Chronicle - Alcohol said to have big role in cancer
Even moderate alcohol use may substantially raise the risk of dying from cancer, according to a study released Thursday offering the first comprehensive update of alcohol-related cancer deaths in decades.
Reuters (Egypt) - Alcohol sale to be banned in Egypt's new suburbs
Two years after the Egyptian revolution that ousted an authoritarian regime, liberals are increasingly concerned that the ruling Islamists are out to curb personal freedoms and build a society in their own image.
Channel 4 News (UK) - Doctors call for alcohol tests during pregnancy
As doctors call for pregnant women to be tested for alcohol intake, Channel 4 News speaks to youngsters left permanently brain damaged by their mothers' drinking.
The Telegraph (Australia) - No alcohol while baby is breastfeeding, says National Heath and Medical Research Council
THE latest infant feeding guidelines have warned against drinking alcohol while breastfeeding because it is associated with deficits in a baby's psychomotor development and disrupts sleep patterns.
The West Australian (Autralia) - Alcohol ban at school sports
Perth's elite private boys' schools have banned spectators from drinking alcohol during interschool sport fixtures or risk the match being forfeited.
The Southern Reporter (Scotland) - How alcohol affects your community
THE Scottish Borders Alcohol Profile was compiled over 12 months by Susan Walker, of the Alcohol and Drugs Partnership, and Erin Murray of Scottish Borders Council. As well as looking at the impact on frontline services, it shows how many people from each town and village in the region are involved in incidents which either find them taken to hospital or result in them being spoken to by a police officer.
Daily Mail - Alcohol is 'responsible for 4% of cancer deaths' but doctors are failing to emphasise the risks, warn experts
Alcohol is responsible for four per cent of all cancer deaths with the significant risk to drinkers 'hiding in plain sight', according to experts.
Express.co.uk (UK) - Drink up: Alcohol tax set to rise
Chancellor George Osborne is expected to stick to the excise duty escalator, which since 2008 has seen the duty rise each year by two per cent above inflation.
Science Daily - Alcohol Consumption May Be in Response to Smoking Cessation
New findings by researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) School of Public Health may help identify situations in which smokers who are trying to quit are at a higher risk of relapse.
Daily Bhaskar (India) - Bihar: BJP minister calls for prohibition on alcohol
Bihar Health Minister Ashwini Kumar Chaube on Saturday called for imposition of prohibition on alcohol in the state and urged women to spearhead a movement in this regard.
Examiner.com - Journal: Alcohol causes depression rather than curing it
Bouts of depression are often the direct result of alcohol intake, according to a study in the March issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. In a February 12 preview of the article, the researchers linked alcohol abuse and the disease of alcoholism to a third of depressive episodes. These periods of depression are different than depressive episodes caused by other life events.
RedOrbit - Clinicians May Miss 3/4 Of Alcohol Problems By Guessing
By relying on hunches rather than posing a few screening questions, primary care clinicians may be missing three-fourths of the alcohol problems in their patients, a newly released analysis shows.
PharmaTimes (EU) - Treatment for alcoholism 'would save thousands'
Thousands of lives could be saved across the EU every year if therapy was used more frequently in alcohol-dependent patients, according to a new study.
BBC News (Isle of Man) - Isle of Man alcoholism affects thousands
About 10,000 people on the Isle of Man are thought to be affected by the problem of alcoholism, according to a local helpline service.
AfricaNews (Malawi) - Alcohol draining Malawi’s development resources
Stewart was a heavy goods vehicle driver based in Lilongwe and used to travel alot-transporting goods between Malawi and the country's neighbors.

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Alcohol News - 6/2013


YLE uutiset (Finland) - PTT: "Stronger beer prices would fall by 25% if sold in grocery stores"
The Pellervo Economic Research Institute (PTT) says that allowing grocery stores to sell stronger beer than they can at present would cause dramatic price reductions. Currently all beverages with an alcohol content exceeding 4.7 percent (so-called Class III beers) are sold exclusively by the state-run Alko retail stores.
The Local (Sweden) - 'High tolerance' cited in man's drunk driving win
A 61-year-old caught driving with a blood-alcohol level five times over Sweden's legal limit walked free after a court in southern Sweden cited his high tolerance for alcohol.
Government offices of Sweden (Sweden) - Information seminar on Sweden's alcohol policy and the role of Systembolaget
The next information seminar for diplomats will be devoted to Sweden's alcohol policy and the role of Systembolaget. Presentations will be made by Ms Sara Norell, Head of the Purchasing Department, and by Mr Ulf Sjödin, Head of Category Management, both from Systembolaget.
News in English (Norway) - Health minister rejects more wine and tobacco restrictions
A commission of health care experts has proposed a new list of restrictions to further discourage consumption of tobacco and alcohol but Heath Minister Jonas Gahr Støre apparently thinks they went a bit far. He quickly rejected several of their recommendations.
News of Iceland (Iceland) - Alcohol sales decrese
Alcohol consumption decreases steadily and has not been less for the last seven years. Alcohol sales decreased about 1.4% from January 2012 to January 2013.
Read more
Oakland Press (Canada) - Canadian study: Alcohol-related deaths decline after price increase
Increasing the minimum price of alcohol by 10 percent can lead to immediate and significant drops in drink-related deaths and may also have long-term beneficial health effects, according to a study published on Thursday.
New York Daily News - Mixing diet soda with alcohol gets you drunk faster: study
Those who mixed vodka with diet soda had breath alcohol concentrations 18% higher than those who mixed with regular soda, a study found.
Sky News (UK) - Children Of Alcoholics Face Ongoing Struggle
As Children of Alcoholics Week begins, campaigners are trying to raise awareness about the difficulties faced by youngsters who grow up in households with alcohol abuse issues.
Science Network Western Australia (Australia) - Proximity to take-home alcohol outlet increases harm, depression
A RECENT Perth-based study has shown new evidence that people with greater access to liquor outlets were more likely to consume harmful levels of alcohol and develop mental health disorders.
Telegraph.co.uk - 'Moderate drinkers' underestimate alcohol use by 40 per cent, says health chief
A new official snapshot of the country’s drinking patterns found people are underestimating their consumption by up to 40 per cent.
International Business Times (Russia) - Last Call: Russia Aims To Sober Up With Proposal To Raise Drinking Age
The Russian parliament is considering a new bill that would raise the drinking age from 18 to 21 amid a nationwide campaign to cut down on alcohol consumption.
National Institutes of Health (USA) - NIH study finds missed opportunities for underage alcohol screening
Physicians often fail to ask high school-aged patients about alcohol use and to advise young people to reduce or stop drinking, according to a study led by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health.
Prague Daily Monitor (Chech Republic) - Doctors have action plan to fight alcohol addiction
Experts in addiction treatment have worked out the National Action Plan to fight alcoholism in the Czech Republic, which traditionally leads international standings of alcohol consumption, doctor Petr Popov, head of the Society for Addictive Diseases, told reporters Wednesday.
Science Daily - Childhood Emotional Abuse Dramatically Strong Among Male Alcohol-Dependent Individuals
Individuals who drink excessively or are alcohol dependent (AD) have reduced central serotonergic neurotransmission, which can have an impact on planning, judgment, self-control, and emotional regulation.
LiveScience.com - Heavy Drinking Raises Risk of Divorce
Till death do us part may not apply to heavy drinkers, new research suggests. The more a person drinks, the more likely they are to end up divorced.
Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) - Women now abusing alcohol at similar levels to men
MONIQUE STEGER said she is more likely to stand out in a crowd for being sober than for getting drunk and making a fool of herself. At 24, she barely drinks, which she says makes some social situations tough.
Irish Independent (Ireland) - Ban alcohol sponsorship for sports, say bishops
Speaking in Dundalk, the vice chair of the Irish Bishops' Drugs Initiative, Bishop Eamonn Walsh, urged Irish society to support new proposals on alcohol policy that Primary Care Minister Alex White is to bring to the Cabinet next week.
Irish Times (Ireland) - Drugs, alcohol cause of rise in hospital trolley use, says HSE
An increase in drug and alcohol abuse cases has been blamed by the HSE for the recent spike in the number of patients on hospital trolleys.
RAPSI (Russia) - Interior Ministry seeks to restrict alcohol sales in airports
Airlines should be allowed to seize alcohol purchased by passengers in airport duty-free zones, Yury Gruzdev, the deputy head of the Interior Ministry's Transport Bureau, said on Friday.
Herald.ie (Ireland) - Call for cancer alert on alcohol
All alcoholic drinks should be labelled with warnings about the links between over-consumption and cancers, a report by a Seanad committee has said.
Toronto Star (Canada) - Alcohol-related deaths increase with private booze stores, study finds
Azmi Farah thinks it is only a matter of time before he can sell beer, wine and spirits at his mid-town Toronto convenience store and is skeptical about a new study linking increased private availability of booze to a hike in alcohol-related deaths.
China Daily (China) - Liquor industry faces challenges in wake of scandal, ban
Liquor companies' share prices and sales have slumped sharply before the Lunar New Year, pressured by a plasticizer contamination scandal and a ban on government and military banquets that serve alcohol.
Irish Examiner (Ireland) - Alcohol causes half of all drug fatalities
Deaths caused by alcohol are increasing and account for neary half of all drug fatalities, while fatalities from illegal drugs are dropping dramatically.

Saturday, February 9, 2013

FASD News - 5/2013


NEWS and ARTICLES
CBC.ca (Canada) - P.E.I. study shows surprising fetal alcohol disorder numbers
A new study gives Prince Edward Island health-care workers an indication of how many Island women may be drinking heavily during pregnancy. For one year, health officials collected a sample from the first bowel movement of nearly every baby born on P.E.I.
7th Space Interactive (Australia) - A modified Delphi study of screening for fetal alcohol spectrum disorders in Australia
There is little reliable information on the prevalence of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) in Australia and no coordinated national approach to facilitate case detection. The aim of this study was to identify health professionals'perceptions about screening for FASD in Australia.MethodA modified Delphi process was used to assess perceptions of the need for, and the process of, screening for FASD in Australia.
ABC Kimberley (Australia) - Lack of information and support for FASD foster carers
A new study through the Telethon Institute for Child and Health Research looks into the experience of foster carers looking after children with FASD.
Daily Republic (USA) - Johnson reintroduces fetal alcohol spectrum disorders bill
Sen. Tim Johnson was one of three senators who reintroduced the Advancing FASD Research, Prevention, and Services Act to improve research, prevention, and services for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD).

MATERIALS and VIDEOS
UCAdoption - Adopting a Child with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS)
Are you considering adopting a child living with FAS? This video created by the University of Chicago Adoption Center helps you to better understand the disease and answers questions often asked by prospective parents.
Whirlwind of Life FASD
NeuroDevNet - Public Forum on FASD: How Much is Too Much
Telethon Institute (Australia) - New FASD report
Our researchers have completed a review of current resources aimed at helping parents and carers of people with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) in Australia.

RESEARCH
Annals of Family Medicine - Clinician Suspicion of an Alcohol Problem: An Observational Study From the AAFP National Research Network
Clinician suspicion of alcohol problems had poor sensitivity but high specificity for identifying patients who had a positive screening test for alcohol problems. These data support the routine use of a screening tool to supplement clinicians’ suspicions, which already provide reasonable positive predictive value.
Substance Abuse Treatment, prevention and Policy - Changes in alcohol use and relationship satisfaction in Norwegian couples during pregnancy
Numerous studies have documented a profound reduction in alcohol use among pregnant women, whereas research on expectant fathers has been scarce.
The Journal of Neuroscience - Moderate Prenatal Alcohol Exposure Reduces Plasticity and Alters NMDA Receptor Subunit Composition in the Dentate Gyrus
Using a limited access, voluntary consumption paradigm, we recently demonstrated that moderate prenatal alcohol exposure (MPAE) is associated with dentate gyrus-dependent learning and memory deficits that are manifested in adulthood.
Andrologia - Effect of alcohol intake and cigarette smoking on sperm parameters and pregnancy
Much has been published about smoking and alcohol intake influencing male fertility, sperm parameters and reproductive outcome. However, there is no conclusive agreement about the effects of cigarette smoking and alcohol use on these outcomes and thus no generally accepted guidelines.
BMC Pregnancy Childbirth - Behavioural change in relation to alcohol exposure in early pregnancy and impact on perinatal outcomes - a prospective cohort study
There has been limited research addressing whether behavioural change in relation to alcohol exposure in pregnancy results in better perinatal outcomes.
Drug Alcohol Rev - Maternal factors associated with heavy periconceptional alcohol intake and drinking following pregnancy recognition: A post-partum survey of New Zealand women
To reduce the burden of alcohol-related harm to the foetus, these findings suggest that New Zealand alcohol policy should be focused not only on promoting total abstinence when planning a pregnancy and when pregnant, but also on reducing 'binge drinking' culture and the frequent consumption of lower levels of alcohol.

IN OTHER LANGUAGES
Boyens Zeitungen (Germany) - Boyens Zeitungen
Nebenan klärten Petra Jasper und Annika Thomsen vom FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder) über die Folgen von Alkoholkonsum während der Schwangerschaft auf und lieferten schockierende Zahlen: "Weniger als zehn Prozent der Schwangeren sind abstinent."
Głos Wielkopolski (Poland) - Stowarzyszenie chciało pomóc dzieciom, ale urzędnicy z UMWW odrzucili ofertę
40 dzieci, niepełnosprawnych i z rodzin dotkniętych uzależnieniami, miało wziąć udział w przedświątecznych zajęciach terapeutycznych w Poznaniu.

Monday, February 4, 2013

Alcohol News - 5/2013


Science Nordic (Nordic) - High levels of drugs, medicines and alcohol in dead drivers
A new study shows that alcohol, illegal drugs, and prescribed medicines are contributing factors in roughly half of all fatal road accidents in Sweden, Finland and Norway.
THL (Finland) - Alcohol-related harm at a high level
The prevalence of alcohol-related harm remained high in 2011, according to the latest Yearbook of Alcohol and Drug Statistics.
Zee News (Russia) - Russia mulls ban on duty-free alcohol on planes
Russian lawmakers are looking to ban passengers from carrying duty-free alcohol on board airplanes, amid a rise in disruption caused by Russian drunk travellers, Russian media said.
Radio Iowa - Study finds first drink of alcohol from a friend has lots of consequences
A national study led by University of Iowa researchers finds kids who get their first drink from a friend are more likely to drink sooner in life. The U-I’s Samuel Kuperman, a child and adolescent psychiatrist, part of the reason is it’s easier to get a first drink from a friend.
GlobalPost - Alcohol in excess has lasting effects on brain, study says
Excessive alcohol use has lasting effects on the brain according to a new study. Researchers found that excessive alcohol consumption while young had effects on memory, brain size and learning later in life.
The Guardian (UK) - Alcohol labels to include calorie content
Drinkers will have even less excuse for getting a beer belly or putting on weight under government plans that would display the calorie content of beer, wine and spirits on bottles and cans.
Times of India (India) - Need control on alcohol, diet to curb cancer: Doctors
Two-thirds of the cancer cases in India can be prevented either by making effective policies or better implementation of the existing ones, say experts. What's more, a grip on alcohol consumption and obesity can help prevent a large percentage of cancer.
GlobalPost (Chile) - Chilean researchers to conduct human trials of alcohol vaccine in India
Chilean researchers plan to start human trials an alcohol vaccine in India later this year. The aim of the hangover-inducing drug is to help cure alcoholism, according to Dr Juan Asenjo of the Institute for Cell Dynamics and Biotechnology at Universidad de Chile.
Khaleej Times (UK) - 1,000 British doctors charged with alcohol abuse
Doctor heal thyself. Over 1,000 doctors in Britain have faced disciplinary hearings for alcohol and drug misuse over the past five years, a media report said.
Dublin People (Ireland) - Junior Minister to bring alcohol proposals to the Cabinet
Minister of State for Primary Care, Deputy Alex White (Lab), is to bring concrete proposals to the Cabinet next week on long awaited legislation to curb alcohol abuse.
Voice of America (Malawi) - Malawi to Restrict Alcohol Consumption
A 2009 survey by the World Health Organization on Non Communicable Diseases, or NCDs, and its risk factors shows that 20 percent of all Malawians consume alcohol.
New Scientist (UK) - Minimum booze price will rein in alcohol abuse
Binge drinking and preloading – drinking cheap shop-bought alcohol before going to a bar – are two behaviours the UK government hopes to curb by imposing a minimum price for alcohol.
VOXXI - Exposure to alcohol ads makes children more prone to underage drinking
Children exposed to alcohol ads on television may be more inclined to start drinking as early as seventh grade, and the more exposure to such advertising and the higher the level of enjoyment gained from watching it, the more likely children are to drink by the time they reach tenth grade.
Belfast Telegraph (UK) - Zero alcohol limit urged for young
Half of UK motorists would welcome a zero drink-driving alcohol limit for young drivers, according to a survey.