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Sunday, March 31, 2013

FASD News - 12/2013


NEWS and ARTICLES
BBC (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.
Hibbing Daily Tribune (USA) - County program helps fight fetal alcohol syndrome
A St. Louis County program that assists pregnant women addicted to alcohol or other drugs received some national attention this winter.
Alberta Daily Herald Tribune (Canada) - New mobile clinic for Grande Prairie FASD
Those dealing with, or who have a child dealing with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) now have better access to services with the addition of a mobile program offered by the North West FASD Service Network.
Science Network (Australia) - Population based study provides new alcohol and pregnancy data
BOTH Indigenous and non-Indigenous children of mothers with an alcohol-use disorder have the same risk of intellectual disability, a Curtin University study has found.
ABC (Australia) - Drinking during pregnancy affecting development in Gippsland's Indigenous children
The negative effects of alcohol consumption during pregnancy are showing up in Indigenous children in Gippsland says Michael Moyle, one of the speakers at a recent Indigenous Health Forum in Inverloch. He was speaking about his experience with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder or FASD.
Mother Nature Network - Light drinking while pregnant could lower baby's IQ
Bad news for moms-to-be: Drinking even a few alcoholic beverages per week during pregnancy could lower a baby's IQ by a few points, a new study has found.

UPCOMING
University of Alaska - FASD: Best Practices in the Last Frontier
The Arctic FASD Regional Training Center and the University of Alaska Anchorage Center for Behavioral Health Research and Services invite you to attend the 2013 conference on FASDs: FASD: Best Practices in the Last Frontier.
CAPHC - A Novel Screening Test for the Behavioral Phenotype of FASD
The NST is a simple pen and paper questionnaire, which is based on 10 individual items representing common areas of parent reported behavioural concerns in children with FASD. It is intended to be used as a brief screening instrument as part of a diagnostic interview conducted by a psychologist, in a variety of settings. Join us For a Webinar on April 19, 1:00 - 2:30 pm EDT.

MATERIALS and VIDEOS
Girls Action Foundation - GIRLS ACTION ON GIRLS AND HEALTHY LIVING (Infographic)
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Social Marketing Campaign

RESEARCH
PLOS - Violence against People with Disability in England and Wales: Findings from a National Cross-Sectional Survey
The recent World Report on Disability highlighted violence as a leading cause of morbidity among disabled people. However, we know little about the extent to which people with disability experience different violence types, and associated health/economic costs. The recent introduction of disability measures into the England&Wales victimization survey provided an opportunity to address this gap.
PLOS - Alcohol Production as an Adaptive Livelihood Strategy for Women Farmers in Tanzania and Its Potential for Unintended Consequences on Women’s Reproductive Health
Although women occupy a central position in agriculture in many developing countries, they face numerous constraints to achieving their full potential including unequal access to assets and limited decision-making authority.
Alcoholism - Prenatal Ethanol Exposure Delays the Onset of Spermatogenesis in the Rat
During late prenatal and early postnatal life, the reproductive system in males undergoes an extensive series of physiological and morphological changes.
Maternal and Child Health Journal - Prevalence and Correlates of Drinking in Early Pregnancy Among Women who Stopped Drinking on Pregnancy Recognition
Women most at risk for drinking and binge drinking in early pregnancy were younger in age and exhibited risky drinking behaviour prior to pregnancy. A targeted intervention to reduce the risk for an alcohol exposed pregnancy is warranted for sexually active younger women in New Zealand and elsewhere.

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Alcohol News - 12/2013


The Nordic Page (Norway) - Women are Drinking More
Norwegian women drink more and more and they are about to take over the men’s drinking patterns, according to VG. Twenty years ago, men drank four times as much as women, but now men drink twice as much as women. General Secretary of Actis (Norwegian Policy Network on Alcohol and Drugs), Anne Karin Kolstad says there are many factors that can explain the growing trend among women.
MSN News (Norway) - Experts: Alcohol isn't a cure-all, so hold off
"People have several motives for drinking alcohol, but most evidence today indicates that health is not a valid argument," author Hans Olav Fekjaer, a psychiatrist in Oslo, Norway, told Reuters Health by email.
Felixdecat (Sweden) - Consumer Report 2010: The Swedish Alcohol Is Falling
Swedes drink less alcohol, while at the same time, the Swedish retail monopoly on alcohol sales are statistics and statistics show that Sweden, the consumption of alcohol is increasing.
The Copenhagen Post (Denmark/Sweden) - Cheaper beer – and more Swedes – on the horizon
As part of the negotiations over the government’s new growth plan, Vækstplan Danmark, opposition parties have demanded a cut in taxes on beer and soft drinks.
YLE.fi (Finland) - Rise in alcohol tax sharply divides opinion
The Federation of the Brewing and Soft Drinks Industry (FBSDI) is wondering why they are being punished with the new tax hikes, while the Substance Abuse Prevention Association (EHYT ry) says that fears of “booze tourism” to neighbouring countries are overstated.
Bangkok Post (Thailand) - Alcohol consumption report released
A new study claims that the average Thai aged 15 and older consumes 7.1 litres of pure alcohol per year. The study by the Centre for Alcohol Studies says the number of retail shops selling alcohol has increased by 120,000 in the past 10 years.
Belfast Telegraph (Northern Ireland) - 300 deaths 'down to alcohol misuse'
More than 300 people died last year as a result of alcohol misuse, Northern Ireland's most senior doctor has revealed.
The Independent (UK) - David Cameron 'ignoring compelling evidence' that dearer alcohol would save lives
David Cameron will be guilty of ignoring compelling medical evidence if he decides to abandon plans to introduce minimum pricing for alcohol, the Government's own public health advisers warned today.
Interfax (Ukraine) - Ukraine from May 1 introduces new excise labels for alcohol, cigarettes, increases their price by 2.6 times
The Ukrainian government has decided from May 1, 2013 to introduce new excise labels on alcohol and tobacco and increase their price by 2.6 times.
Huffington Post - Brain-Alcohol Study Reveals How Drinking Disrupts Hand-Eye Coordination
Anyone who's failed a sobriety test will tell you that making coordinated movements while drunk is hard, and a new study explains why. Alcohol appears to disrupt connections between the brain's visual and muscle control regions.
Futurity: Research News - Freshman brains change with images of alcohol
Connections among brain regions involved in emotion processing and cognitive control may change with increased exposure to alcohol and alcohol-related cues during the first year of college.
AnaesthesiaUK (UK) - Increase in alcohol-related cancers despite well-established link
A new report from the Alcohol Health Alliance UK (AHA) has found that hospital admissions for alcohol-related cancer in England have jumped 28% in just 8 years.
Herald Scotland (Scotland) - Alcohol bracelet set to transform child protection
A SOBRIETY bracelet that has revolutionised child protection cases looks set to become part of Scotland's arsenal in its war against alcohol and crime problems.
The Daily Telegraph - Energy drinks make boozers more aggressive, as drinkers start boozing at home
MIXING energy drinks with alcohol and drugs may lead to increased levels of violence, a new study suggests. They become more intoxicated as the night progresses and fuel their partying with energy drinks.
NEWS.com.au (Australia) - Reduce pub trading hours, fix violence
TRADING hours at pubs and clubs should be reduced to curb alcohol-fuelled violence, a major national study has concluded.

Monday, March 18, 2013

Alcohol News - 11/2013


Bloomberg (Europe/WHO) - Europeans Are World’s Biggest Smokers and Drinkers: WHO
Europeans are the world’s biggest smokers and drinkers, according to a World Health Organization report that says higher prices on cigarettes and alcohol in the region may help curb the death and disease they cause.
YLE.fi (Finland) - Alcohol a growing problem among the elderly
Alcohol abuse among the elderly is a ticking time bomb. Pensioners today have more years and more money to develop serious drinking problems.
European Heart Journal (Denmark) - Exploring causal associations between alcohol and coronary heart disease risk factors: findings from a Mendelian randomization study in the Copenhagen General Population Study
Our results show adverse effects of long-term alcohol consumption on BP and BMI. We also found novel evidence for a potentially beneficial effect on triglyceride levels, which needs further replication.
The Nordic Page (Norway) - SV Wants More Flexible Alcohol Sale in Norway
Norwegian Socialist Left Party (SV) proposes allowance of beer sale whole day around the country. The proposal aims to give the authority to municipalities for determining the nightlife and alcohol sale without government guidelines, writes Klassekampen.
ERR News (Estonia) - Buses and Cabs Should Adopt 'Alcohol Locks,' Says Expert
With no clear sign from the government on whether to adopt alcohol interlock devices for vehicles, private companies should take the initiative, a Road Administration official says.
Medical Xpress - Researchers find that alcohol consumption damages brain's support cells
Alcohol consumption affects the brain in multiple ways, ranging from acute changes in behavior to permanent molecular and functional alterations. The general consensus is that in the brain, alcohol targets mainly neurons.
Irish Examiner (Ireland) - National Alcohol Awareness Week begins today
Ireland's first National Alcohol Awareness Week begins today as the St Patrick's Day celebrations wind down for another year.
Birmingham Mail (UK) - Alcohol-related emergencies rise by 52% in four years
Ambulance crews are dealing with a massive rise of booze-fuelled incidents caused by Britain’s alcohol-crazed culture.
Healio - Mortality risk greater among patients with HCV who drank alcohol moderately, heavily
Patients with chronic hepatitis C who drank a moderate amount of alcohol or more were at greater risk for death than controls and patients with HCV who did not drink in a recent study.
The Guardian (UK) - In the battle against alcohol abuse, the buck stops at the government
Whatever one thinks of minimum alcohol pricing as an attempt to curb the temptation to buy cheap booze, one ought to be aware that those who stand against it, stand against it in just the way that those Benedictine monks do.
WalesOnline (Wales) - Chief Medical Officer for Wales emphasises the importance of watching our alcohol consumption
Chief Medical Officer for Wales Dr Ruth Hussey emphasise the importance of watching our alcohol consumption.
Sudan Tribune (Sudan) - Sudan doesn’t host ‘alcohol and discotheque tourists’, says minister
The Sudanese tourism minister Mohamed Abdul-Karim Al-Had today warned that his country will not allow visits by what he described as “alcohol and discotheque tourists”.
The Guardian (UK) - Plans for minimum alcohol pricing reportedly dropped after cabinet revolt
Home Secretary Theresa May appears to have scored a victory by leading a cabinet revolt against minimum alcohol prices.
The Guardian (UK) - Cameron and alcohol: losing his bottle
The Conservative kickback against proposals to put a floor under the price of cheap booze was predictable. There is a libertarian strain in the party, and an ancient alliance between Britain's brewers and the Tories, dating back at least to 1872, when Disraeli's favourite clergyman, William Magee, told the Lords that he'd rather see England free than that same England compulsorily sober.
KUHF-FM (USA) - Experts Say Even A Little Alcohol Can Impair Driving
The spring months — March through May — mark the most dangerous season on Texas roadways for alcohol-related traffic accidents. That's why the Texas Department of Transportation is reminding motorists that even "buzzed" driving is drunk driving.
EurekAlert - EASL calls on UK to tackle alcohol consumption problem through implementation of minimum pricing
According to WHO, liver cirrhosis accounts for 1.8% (i.e. 170,000) of all deaths in Europe. In recent years liver cirrhosis has become a serious health threat in some Western European countries such as Ireland and the United Kingdom, where over the last 10 years the associated mortality has increased.
Irish Examiner (Ireland) - Charities demand Govt action on alcohol abuse in Ireland
Two national charities say the troubled Alcohol Action Plan should be considered in order to reduce the cost of alcohol-related harm.
Coffs Coast Advocate (Australia) - NSW Government targeting alcohol abuse
THE NSW Government has demonstrated its commitment to reducing alcohol-related violence and anti-social behaviour, Minister Hospitality, George Souris, said.

Monday, March 11, 2013

Alcohol News - 10/2013


Science Nordic (Sweden) - Swedish teens now toe the line
The behaviour of Swedish 15-year-olds has improved since the mid-1990s – they're less likely now to skip school, steal or drink than they were in the past.
Expatindenmark (Denmark) - Alcohol and unhealthy food brings Denmark at the bottom of the life expectancy list
A large number of smokers, lots of alcohol, unhealthy and high calorie diet are some of the causes for the Dane's poor health.
The Research Council of Norway (Norway) - Women who over-imbibe pose greatest risk to marriage
A high level of alcohol consumption increases the risk of divorce. However, research shows that if both partners are heavy drinkers it may actually protect the marriage.
Postimees (Estonia) - Survey: 1/3 of Estonian residents say illegal goods gained market share in 2012
Nearly one-third of residents in Estonia find that consumption of illegal goods increased in the country in 2012, it appears from a survey carried out in the three Baltic countries at the initiative of the Lithuanian Free Market Institute (LFMI).
Newsvawe.eu (Latvia) - Alcohol availability for young people to be reduced
Latvia may be a good example for the Baltic Sea Area to establish rules that will reduce alcohol availability and consumption rates among young people. The Latvian Parliamentary Judicial Commission has decided to submit to the Saeima (Parliament) amendments to the Latvian administrative rules to that purpose.
Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) - Call for zero blood alcohol for under 25s
All drivers aged under 25 should be restricted to a zero blood alcohol limit, a public health group says.
New York Times (Mexico) - New Mexico Confronts Drunken Driving
For years, New Mexico has had one of the highest rates of alcohol-related traffic deaths in the nation. And during each legislative session, it seems, lawmakers wrestle with how to make the state’s highways and rural roads safer, usually spurred by the latest horrific accident.
TopNews United States (Canada) - Alcohol Consumption among Women on Rise, Says Study
According to experts, alcohol consumption among women has sought a rise compared to their male peers. A group of researchers discussed the rising problem of alcohol consumption among women in Toronto on Friday.
IBTimes Canada (Canada) - Canadians Drink 50 Percent More Than Global Average: Study
Canadians drink 50 percent more than the global average, a recent study by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) has stated.
Irish Times (Ireland) - Irish alcohol consumption drops
Alcohol consumption in Ireland is down 19 per cent since 2001, new figures show. Analysis of figures from the Revenue Commissioners and the CSO show that Irish people are drinking 2.7 litres of alcohol less than they did 11 years ago.
Otago Daily Times (New Zealand) - Alcohol policy subject to residents' influence
Dunedin residents will have their chance later this year to influence when and where licensed premises can operate in the city in the future.
Times of India (India) - Nagpurians to fight the war against alcohol
Showing their commitment for the benefit of the society at large were young Nagpurians of a city-based NGO, who had gathered to fight the war against alcohol.
New Vision (Uganda) - 45% of Ugandan youth take drugs and alcohol
Forty-five percent of the youths have confessed that they have taken drugs and alcohol, according to the data collected by Uganda Youth Development Link (UYDEL).
The Age (Australia) - Call to ban alcohol ads in TV sports
A Greens senator pushing for gambling advertising to be banned in the AFL, also wants the promotion of alcohol tbe outlawed in sports broadcasts.
BBC News (Isle of Man) - Changes to Isle of Man alcohol measurements scrapped
Plans to change the way alcohol is sold on the Isle of Man have been scrapped. Current regulations mean draught beer must be sold in pints (equivalent to 568ml), halves (284ml) or the little-known one-third measurement.
RedOrbit - A Look At Worldwide Alcohol Consumption
When examining the history of alcohol, we find it runs parallel to much of recorded human history. Throughout time, the use of alcohol has played an important role in religion and worship. Additionally, its use has provided nutrients and provided medicinal, antiseptic and analgesic properties.
Examiner.com - Alcohol now third-leading cause of illness worldwide
Canada’s Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) reports alcohol is now the third out of 67 leading causes of disease and injury worldwide. These findings were reached despite the fact most adults, 46 percent, actually were lifetime abstainers. The report appeared in a March 4 “early view” of an article for the journal Addiction.
CBC.ca (Canada) - Halifax approves alcohol sponsorship with conditions
A debate on whether alcohol corporations should be able to sponsor city events has motivated Halifax Regional Council to consider implementing a municipal alcohol policy.
Herald Sun (Australia) - More women are getting drunk on Sydney streets than ever before
More than 80 per cent of all sexual offences, including rape and indecent assault, involve either the victim or the offender being affected by alcohol, an analysis of police data for Sydney shows.
Hurriyet Daily News (UN) - Let’s make alcohol-free budget talks, US tells UN diplomats
The United States has called for drunk diplomats to be barred from budget negotiations at the United Nations and warned of taking all appropriate steps to maintain more discipline in the wake of past, unpleasant incidents.
Irish Examiner (Ireland) - NEWS FEATURE: Teens and alcohol and how we compare
The Irish relationship with drink has come in for a lot of criticism, not least in Des Bishop’s recent TV series. But how do young people treat alcohol in other countries? We sent reporters out with teenagers in six different cities to talk about alcohol, clothes and the opposite sex.
The Local.fr (France) - Alcohol report lays bare France's drink problem
The reputation of the French for drinking in moderation appears slightly misleading after a worrying report released on Monday revealed alcohol is responsible for around 49,000 deaths in France each year - around 134 each day.
The Local (France) - France introduces car breathalyser law – again
The confusion appears to be over. The French government confirmed on Friday that it will be compulsory for motorists to carry breathalyser kits in their cars. The move comes after the Interior Ministry has suspended legislation earlier this year.

Sunday, March 10, 2013

FASD News - 9/2013


Third European Conference on FASD
20 to 23 October 2014
Rome, Italy.
More information at www.eufasd.org

The Vancouver Sun - Worldwide cost of drinking alcohol during pregnancy could be far higher than expected
The true number of children exposed to alcohol before birth is so poorly understood that the World Health Organization has launched an international study to count them.
Seacoastonline.com - That glass of wine could harm your baby
Drinking alcohol while pregnant is never a good idea and can cause serious and permanent harm to an unborn child. Fetal alcohol syndrome, which causes physical and mental problems, is a risk that medical professionals say is not worth taking. No definitive data has ever been established on how much alcohol is safe for a pregnant mom.
TbNewsWatch.com (Canada) - NAN calling on governments for more FASD funding
Nishnawbe Aski Nation officials are calling on the provincial and federal governments to address the issue of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Syndrome within their communities.
Healio - AAP reviews effects of prenatal substance abuse on fetus
Prenatal substance abuse continues to be a problem and poses important health risks to the developing fetus, according to results of a technical report recently published in Pediatrics.
MPBN News (USA) - Maine Bill's Proposed Fetal Exposure Guidelines Generate Controversy
A proposed bill in Augusta seeks to clarify the circumstances under which health care providers should report cases of newborns who have been exposed to drugs and alcohol in the womb. Maine lawmakers took up the measure today at a public hearing before the Health and Human Services Committee.
PR Web (UK) - Swanswell welcomes calls for fresh approach to tackling FASD
The national recovery charity, which wants to achieve a society free from problem alcohol and drug use, is responding to the ‘Consensus Statement on FASD’, published this week by the Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Trust.
Science Network Western Australia (Australia) - Population based study provides new alcohol and pregnancy data
BOTH Indigenous and non-Indigenous children of mothers with an alcohol-use disorder have the same risk of intellectual disability, a Curtin University study has found.
Nunatsiaq News (Canada) - Nunavik Inuit women have high rate of stillbirth: study
Inuit women in Quebec have stillbirth rate that’s 2.5 times higher than among the province’s non-aboriginal women. That’s among the information contained in a new research study published Canadian Medical Association Journal, which suggests better care during pregnancy and birth could underlie the disparities in stillbirths, which see women losing their babies after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
University of Albert (Canada) - UAlberta FASD webinar attracts international audience
Medical and health professionals around the world tuned in to view a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder webinar at the University of Alberta. The Engaging Professionals and Students in FASD Awareness and Prevention seminar drew in audiences from almost 1,700 Canadian locations and 68 international locations.
Mill Creek Mental Wellness - Combating Neglect: Preventing FASD Through Information Dissemination
I performed my practicum and first term of internship at NAVOS (Mental Health Solutions) in Burien, Washington. NAVOS is considered to be on the cutting edge of community health service in the United States.

MATERIALS AND VIDEOS
Engaging Professionals and Students in FASD Awareness and Prevention
NOFAS - FASD Regional Training Centers - CDC Project
FASD, ADHD or both with Dr. Gabor Maté
In this session Dr. Maté will discuss the close relationship between FASD and AD(H)D. They can easily be confused with one another, often co-exist, and, in fact, share many of the same characteristics.
Blip.tv - Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder eLearning Modules for Educators
Classroom environment can have a positive and negative impact on learning for children with FASD. This video discusses strategies for managing classroom environment to support learners with FASD.
FASD & the legal system
Implication of the diagnosis of FASD for the legal system, including screening in the Youth Justice System In this workshop, the importance of understanding the brain deficits associated with FASD for the justice system will be discussed.
Identifying the invisible: Screening for Youth Offenders with FASD
This webinar will present recent research studies that have evaluated screening tools to help identify youth involved in the justice system who are at risk for having FASD.
Living and Succeeding with FASD with Kee Warner & Ken Kissinger
Whitecrow Village is unique as an organization formed largely by persons living with FASD. Our interdependent model recognizes that every person has something to offer and every person needs something from the group.
Technical Assistance (TA) Impact Fact Sheets
The FASD Center for Excellence is proud to announce the release of the first Fact Sheet in a new series of Technical Assistance (TA) Impact Fact Sheets designed to help State agencies and direct service programs enhance their capacity to prevent and address FASD.

RESEARCH
biomedcentral - Development of a reliable questionnaire to assist in the diagnosis of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD)
This questionnaire had acceptable test-retest reliability and could be used to collect demographic, socio-cultural and biomedical information relevant to the diagnosis of FASD in Aboriginal communities throughout Australia and elsewhere. Community input is crucial when developing and administering questionnaires for use in cross-cultural contexts.
JPCTP - Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder - Poverty Trap?
The disease or injury poverty trap refers to a relationship between ill-health and poverty in which poverty is a result of ill-health. At the household level, non-poor people may be pushed into poverty by their ill-health as a result of paying for health care in combination with productivity and income losses.
Towards Identifying A Characteristic Neurospsychological Profile for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. Specific Caregiver-and Teacher-Rating
Overall, the present results identify key caregiver- and teacher-rated profiles of children with FASD diagnoses. These profiles will aid in better understanding, diagnosing and providing focused treatment approaches for children with FASD.
Towards Identifying a Charactersitic Neuropsychological Profile for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Analysis of the Motherisk FASD Clinic
We identified a specific neuropsychological profile that typifies children diagnosed with an FASD versus those exposed prenatally to alcohol, who did not receive a diagnosis.
Alcoholism - The Association Between Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and Behavior at 22 Years of Age
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) affects central nervous system development, growth, and morphology at higher exposure levels.
Alcoholism - The Influence of Fetal Ethanol Exposure on Subsequent Development of the Cerebral Cortex as Revealed by Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Fetal alcohol syndrome and related disorders (commonly referred to as fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, or FASD) cause significant hardships to the individuals affected.
NMCD - Intellectual disability: population-based estimates of the proportion attributable to maternal alcohol use disorder during pregnancy
The aim of this study was to examine the association between maternal alcohol use disorder and intellectual disability in children.
Alcoholism - The Feasibility and Cost of Neonatal Screening for Prenatal Alcohol Exposure by Measuring Phosphatidylethanol in Dried Blood Spots
Accurate confirmation of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) is required as a diagnostic criterion for the majority of children adversely affected by PAE who do not manifest the physical features associated with fetal alcohol syndrome.

Monday, March 4, 2013

Alcohol News - 9/2013


Reuters (Sweden) - In globalizing Sweden, state still big brother over drinking
Few CEOS would welcome news of a fall in sales. But Magdalena Gerger, head of Sweden's retail alcohol monopoly that is one of the world's biggest single buyers of wine, is one of them.
Iceland Review (Iceland) - Alcohol Sales up for First Time Since Crash
Alcohol sales in 2012 at Iceland’s state-owned liquor store VĂ­nbúðin are up for the first time since the economic crisis in 2008. Sales, which totaled 18.5 million liters, increased by 0.54 percent compared to 2011 but were still 9 percent lower than in 2008.
YLE Uutiset (Finland) - EU approves Finnish drug aimed at curtailing alcohol abuse
The European Commission has given the green light for the sale of a medication intended to quench the urge for alcoholics to drink. The drug, Selincro, is produced by the Turku-based Biotie Therapies and marketed by the Danish pharmaceutical company Lundbeck.
VTI (Sweden) - Joint action against alcohol and drugs in traffic (SMADIT) – An interview study with suspected drunk drivers
SMADIT, Joint action against alcohol and drugs in traffic, is a method that is intended to reduce the number of repeated drunk driving offences.
Addiction - Alcohol—a universal preventive agent? A critical analysis
In observational studies, moderate drinking is associated with a reduced risk of more than twenty different diseases and health problems. However, it would be premature to conclude that there is a causal relationship.
The Conversation (Australia) - My drinking, your problem: alcohol hurts non-drinkers too
Drinking a lot of alcohol is bad for the drinker’s health, both in the short and in the long run. But drinking often affects others adversely, too. This is well recognised for drink driving, and once the size of the problem was established, policies were put in place that successfully drove down rates of drink-driving deaths and injuries.
Science Omega (UK) - Children in UK are more exposed to alcohol promotion than adults
Experts are calling for a complete ban on alcohol-related advertising and sponsorship in the United Kingdom after a study revealed that British children are more exposed to promotional campaigns than their parents.
Daily Mail - The truth behind 'beer goggles' - scientists claim our sexual desire is simply the last part of the brain to be hit by alcohol
It has always been said a few stiff drinks make the plainest face more inviting - but ‘beer goggles’ do not make us think people are more attractive than they are, experts have claimed.
Go Jamaica (Bermuda) - Bermuda children experimenting with alcohol and drugs – survey
A new survey has found that children as young as seven have experimented with drugs and alcohol in Bermuda.
The Herald (Canada) - Unhealthy drinking widespread around the world, CAMH study shows
A new study by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) shows that alcohol is now the third leading cause of the global burden of disease and injury, despite the fact most adults worldwide abstain from drinking.
CBS News (UK) - Study shows Brits underreport alcohol consumption by up to 60 percent
A British survey showed that the average man and woman underreported their weekly drinking consumption by as much as 60 percent.
Times of India (India) - 'Depressed youths often surrender to drugs, alcohol'
In the next two years, Bangalore will become the suicide capital of India, said Dr Ashok Pai, psychiatrist and director of Manasa Foundation (Shimoga).
Reuters - Alcohol counseling may aid domestic abuse therapy
For heavy drinkers in treatment for domestic violence problems, an extra therapy session targeting alcohol abuse may help to speed overall improvement in violent behavior, according to a new study.
Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) - Hospital slams AHA for 'denial' of alcohol problems
A BIG Sydney hospital has accused the Australian Hotels Association of misleading the public and mocking emergency staff by persistently denying the severity of alcohol-fuelled violence.
WFAA - 'It's a poison': Trend of inhaling alcohol vapors alarms doctors
Instead of doing shots for a quick buzz, people are inhaling their liquor to get high while also curbing their calorie intake.
The Age (Australia/UK) - Australian experts back British call for ad ban to curb alcohol harm
A complete ban on all alcohol advertising and sponsorship, a minimum price of 75¢ per unit of alcohol, requiring one-third of each alcohol label to be given to health warnings, and increasing taxes are some of the recommendations from the report, ''Health First: an evidence-based alcohol strategy for the UK''.
Times-Standard - Mothers' alcohol use linked to infant deaths
About one in six sudden infant deaths may be linked to their mothers' heavy alcohol use during or soon after pregnancy, according to a new study from Australia.
Herald Scotland (Scotland) - Demand for more radical action on cheap alcohol
THE Scottish Government has been urged to go further in its crackdown on cheap alcohol, by a group of health organisations demanding a radical strategy from Westminster and all the devolved administrations.
Irish Times (Ireland) - Minister warns over alcohol abuse
Minister of State for Health Alex White has said changes are required at community level if Ireland is to tackle alcohol abuse.
BBC News (UK) - Alcohol abuse's hidden world
The answer, on one level, is simple - you get drunk. But the science reveals a complicated series of reactions that lie behind drinking - between chemicals and neurons, genes and environment, people and society.
TheParliament.com (EU) - New report calls for 'positive' message on alcohol use
A new report has called for a radical shake up in alcohol advertising to combat a 'rising' number of underage drinkers. The report, published on Monday, questions the effectiveness of "focusing" on "negative" messages in prevention programmes.
Vancouver Sun (Canada) - Worldwide cost of drinking alcohol during pregnancy could be far higher than expected
The true number of children exposed to alcohol before birth is so poorly understood that the World Health Organization has launched an international study to count them.