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Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Alcohol News - 8/2014

The Independent (UK) - Drinking alcohol while pregnant could become a crime after landmark test case
A landmark test case due to be heard by the Court of Appeal could criminalise excessive drinking during pregnancy. It will be argued that a six-year-old girl is the victim of a crime because she suffered brain damage when she was exposed to alcohol in the womb - a risk that her mother was aware of, Sky News has reported.
New Zealand Herald (New Zealand) - 'Aggressive' advertising linked to rise in alcohol availability
Rising economic confidence and "aggressive" marketing techniques are the driving factors behind an 8.9 million litre rise in alcohol availability last year, says one concerned health organisation.
Pro Bono Australia (Australia) - Protect Children From Alcohol Advertising: National Report
The Not for Profit sector has urged the Federal Government to act quickly to protect children from unrestrained alcohol advertising on television, following the release of a national report into alcohol marketing and advertising.
Helsinki Times (Finland) - Alcohol and drug related costs creep up to 2bn
Alcohol and drug use place a substantial burden on Finland's public coffers, with the related costs creeping up to approximately two billion euros in 2011 – equalling the funds allocated annually for Finnish universities and the operations of the Defence Forces.
Medical Daily - Legal Drinking Age Of 21 Saves Lives Every Day: Alcohol Related Injuries, Drunk Driving Significantly Less Common
A new review finds that the current legal drinking age of 21 saves lives — but critics say the benefits may come at the expense of a sensible alcohol culture.
Brisbane Times (Australia) - Newman promises 'best plan in Australia' to tackle alcohol violence
Queensland will have its plan to tackle alcohol-fuelled violence in place by the end of March. Premier Campbell Newman said by the time his government had finished, the state would have the “best plan in Australia” to deal with the issue.
The Independent (Scotland) - Alcohol-related deaths in Scotland fall by a third in a decade, bucking trends in England and Wales
Scotland has reduced drink-related deaths by more than a third in the past decade, new figures have revealed, bucking UK trends which have seen alcohol deaths rise in England and Wales.
Channel News Asia (Singapure) - Alcohol distributors, entertainment outlets may be hit hard by excise duties hike
Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam announced on Friday that liquor duties will increase by 25 per cent to keep pace with inflation. Entertainment outlets Channel NewsAsia spoke with said they are already facing cost pressures.
Autocar (UK) - It's time to lower the drink-drive limit to match the rest of Europe
The UK’s drink-driving limit was originally set in 1967, when there were a lot less cars on the road and our attitudes towards road safety in general were a touch more liberal than they are nowadays, to put it mildly.
The Guardian (UK) - Alcohol-related deaths among the elderly reach highest ever level
A charity has called for action to tackle the "growing and serious" problem of excessive drinking in older age after official figures revealed the number of alcohol-related deaths among people aged 75 and over has increased to their highest level since records began in 1991.
Voxy (New Zealand) - 'Time to get serious' on alcohol-related injuries
Alcohol-related injury is a burden on the Hawke’s Bay community and its health services which must be addressed, director of population health Dr Caroline McElnay says.

Monday, February 10, 2014

Alcohol News - 6/2014

The Guardian (UK) - Minimum alcohol pricing would save 860 lives a year, study finds
Introducing minimum pricing for alcohol would lead to 860 fewer deaths a year and 29,900 fewer hospital admissions among heavy-drinkers while having only a slight effect on moderate drinkers, according to research into the policy's impact.
Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) - Alcoholic liver disease on the increase in young women
More young women are being treated for advanced liver disease caused by steady and dangerous drinking starting in teenage years, doctors warn.
Reuters (Americas) - Alcohol-linked deaths a problem for the Americas
Liver disease and brain disorders due to alcohol abuse are important causes of premature death in the Americas, a new study concludes.
Daily Mail - Weight loss surgery patients are 'more likely' to become dependent on alcohol
WEIGHT-loss surgery could be turning patients into alcoholics, researchers claim. They say gastric bands and other operations used to treat obesity can make people dependent on alcohol.
Press TV (UK) - Number of UK alcohol-poisoned babies risen: Report
The number of babies being born with alcohol poisoning in Britain has increased significantly over the past years becuase of mothers with drinking habits, a new report shows.
The Guardian (UK) - Sale of ultra-cheap alcohol to be banned in England and Wales
The government is to ban the sale of alcohol at very cheap prices in England and Wales, the Home Office has announced.
TVNZ (New Zealand) - Effort to curb alcohol-fuelled chaos in Auckland
Police and Auckland Council are pushing to curb drunken behaviour this weekend following scenes of alcohol-fuelled chaos at the Sevens in Wellington.
STV Glasgow (Scotland) - Children as young as nine admitted to hospital for alcohol abuse
The Evening Times published the results of a shocking investigation which revealed that children as young as nine years old are being hospitalised for alcohol-related incidents.
Examiner.com - World Cancer Day: Alcohol is a carcinogen
The Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) uses Feb. 4 as World Cancer Day to focus on debunking the myths about the world's leading killer. For 2014, the organization emphasizes the fifth point in their World Cancer Declaration: "Reduce stigma and dispel myths about cancer." One of many myths is that drinking alcohol is safe.
AllAfrica.com - Tanzania: Drugs, Alcohol Linked to Violent Behaviour – Expert
THE increase in violent cases of murder and atrocities could be linked to the growing number of people using drugs.
Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) - Alcohol: Barry O'Farrell announces Sydney lockouts from February 24
New laws requiring 1.30am lockouts and 3am last drinks in venues that serve alcohol will be imposed from February 24 across central Sydney.
ABC Online (Australia) - Wealthier communities drink more alcohol than poorer
People from wealthy areas drink more on average than their poorer counterparts. Research into factors that cause excessive consumption of alcohol has debunked the idea that it's more common in lower socio-economic areas.
IceNews (Iceland) - Iceland ranks lowest amongst adolescent alcohol drinkers in Europe
Iceland has been ranked amongst the lowest adolescent consumers of alcohol in Europe, according to studies.
The Local.se (UK/Sweden) - Young Brits party harder than Stockholmers: study
Young adults in Stockholm drink less when they are out partying compared to their counterparts in the UK, a new report has found.
Herald Scotland (Scotland) - Court told Scottish Government did not take EU law into account in minimum price alcohol plans
The Scottish Government did not take EU law into account in its plans for a minimum price for alcohol, a court has been told.

Sunday, February 9, 2014

FASD News - 5/2014

NEWS and ARTICLES
News Talk 980 CJME (Canada) - Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder experts meet in Saskatoon
Experts specializing in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) have gathered in Saskatoon to discuss how to better prevent Canadian women from drinking during pregnancy.
Daily Mail (UK) - Women who drink alcohol during pregnancy could be found guilty of a criminal offence if they damage unborn child
Women who harm their unborn babies by drinking alcohol during pregnancy could be found guilty of a criminal offence, it has been revealed. A new legal test case claims a six-year-old girl who suffered brain damage due to alcohol exposure in the womb is the victim of a crime.
Guardian Liberty Voice - Pregnancy and One Alcohol Binge Causes Serious Harm
According to a Danish study, one alcohol binge during pregnancy can cause serious harm to the unborn baby. Expecting mothers who drank more than 7.5 units per session are more likely to have badly behaved children.
Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) - Binge drinkers continue practice in pregnancy, study finds
More than half of women who binge drink continue to do so during pregnancy, an Australian study has found, with fewer than one in five following guidelines to abstain from alcohol.
Brainerd Daily Dispatch - New prevention strategy for prenatal exposure to alcohol
A first-of-its-kind prevention strategy for prenatal exposure to alcohol is ready to be unveiled in the Brainerd lakes area. All that’s needed is a mom-to-be willing to take part.
Telegraph.co.uk (UK) - Pregnant women simply don't have 'a right' to booze
How do you feel when you see a pregnant woman glugging a large glass of white? Do you even bat an eyelid? Or does a part of you judge her just the tiniest bit?
SAMHSA (USA) - Survey finds ongoing concerns with alcohol use during pregnancy - January 2014
A recent survey by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) found ongoing concerns about the number of women who drink alcohol during pregnancy. According to SAMHSA’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) for 2011-12, 18 percent of pregnant women age 15 to 44 reported at least some consumption of alcohol during their first trimester, a time when many women may not yet know they are pregnant.
Mail and Guardian (South Africa) - How to wean moms off the bottle
'Every time he struggles with his school work I blame myself as a mother," says Geraldine Niemand, fiddling uncomfortably with the armband on her wrist and shaking her head in regret. She stares out of the window at a group of children playing on the lawn.
Daily Mail - Drinking during pregnancy 'worse than smoking tobacco or cannabis' and 7,000 babies a year are harmed, warn senior medics
Drinking during pregnancy causes more harm to the unborn child than tobacco smoke or cannabis, according to senior doctors.
The Telegraph - I drank alcohol throughout my three pregnancies, but should I have done?
As new research show more babies are born damaged because their mothers drank during pregnancy, Beverley Turner candidly explains why women with bumps are glugging more wine than ever before and confronts some awkward truths.
Newsminer - Group of lawmakers fighting fetal alcohol syndrome
Fetal alcohol syndrome is a damaging, costly and ultimately preventable disorder that affects hundreds of babies a year. It’s also in the crosshairs of a new public health campaign.

RESEARCH
PLOS - Risky Drinking Patterns Are Being Continued into Pregnancy: A Prospective Cohort Study
Over a third of women continued risky drinking into pregnancy, especially binge drinking, suggesting a need to address alcohol consumption prior to pregnancy.
NBER Working paper series - ALCOHOL EXPOSURE IN UTERO AND CHILD ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT
These results are very robust to an extensive set of model specifications. In addition, we show that that the effects are solely driven by the maternal genotype, with no impact of the child’s genotype.
BMC Public Health - Messages that increase women’s intentions to abstain from alcohol during pregnancy: results from quantitative testing of advertising concepts
This study provides important insights into the components that enhance the persuasiveness and effectiveness of messages aimed at preventing prenatal alcohol exposure. The recommended concept has good potential for use in a future campaign aimed at promoting women’s intentions to abstain from alcohol during pregnancy.
University of Toronto - Screening for Prenatal Alcohol Exposure using Fatty Acid Ethyl Esters as Biomarkers
Diagnosis of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) is challenging and typically requires confirmation of in utero alcohol exposure. Due to the poor reliability of maternal self-reports, biomarkers have emerged to address the problem of obtaining exposure history.
The International Journal of Alcohol and Drug Research - Combining visual methods with focus groups: An innovative approach for capturing the multifaceted and complex work experiences of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder prevention specialists
A multi-methods approach (focus groups with a quilting activity) provided an appropriate and trustworthy means of accessing the prevention specialists’ programmatic experience; that experience has the strong potential for informing future FASD policy, strategic planning, and programming.
Current opinion in Psychiatry - Foetal alcohol spectrum disorder: identifying the neurobehavioural phenotype and effective interventions
The neurobehavioural screening test can facilitate screening for FASD and is an official screening tool in the FASD toolkit of the Public Health Agency of Canada. Promising new interventions may attenuate the long-term outcome of these children.

UPCOMING EVENTS
The 6th National Biennial Conference on Adolescents and Adults with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
The conference will bring together a diverse group of professionals, families and individuals with FASD to discuss research, evidence, model practice and ideas to expand how we sustain and enhance the lives of individuals with FASD.

VIDEOS and MATERIALS
CenturaHealth - Exploring Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder with Jeff Noble
On this Adoption Perspectives, Rebecca welcomes Jeff Noble. Jeff provides hope and education to people caring for someone living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) through online applications and in-person training sessions, demonstrations and consultations.
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Prevention PSA
The health of an unborn child is of top concern to women while pregnant. An estimated 40,000 babies are born each year with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), which can affect their physical, mental, behavioral and cognitive development for a lifetime.
YourAlberta - Corrections to Community
Dr. Sharon Britnell reviews the bridge between correction and community settings for individuals with FASD and gives recommendations for future practice.

IN OTHER LANGUAGES
West - Welfare Society Territory (Italy) - Bere in gravidanza potrebbe diventare un reato
È perseguibile penalmente una donna incinta, che consuma tanto alcool da causare danni al nascituro? Un dibattito che sta coinvolgendo media e opinione pubblica britannici, in seguito alla controversia legale di cui è protagonista una giovane madre.
Le Quotidien du Médecin (France) - Des distributeurs automatiques de tests de grossesse bientôt installés dans les pubs anglais
Une association britannique veut proposer des tests de grossesse dans les toilettes des bars afin de lutter contre les troubles causés par l’alcoolisation fœtale (TCAF).
Mamme Domani (Italy) - Una donna in gravidanza che beve alcol potrebbe essere una criminale
Una donna incinta che beve alcol potrebbe commettere un reato: la questione è emersa dopo il caso riconosciuto di una bambina di 6 anni che ha subìto danni cerebrali a causa dell’esposizione all'alcol nel grembo materno, il caso è stato portato ora davanti alla Corte d’Appello inglese.

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Alcohol News - 5/2014

The Guardian - Alcohol, smoking and obesity fuel 'alarming' global cancer surge
A global drive to tackle the causes of cancer linked to lifestyle, such as alcohol abuse, sugar consumption and obesity, has been urged on Monday by the World Health Organisation as it predicted the number of new cases could soar 70% to nearly 25 million a year over the next 20 years.
The Daily Star (Lebanon) - Authorities ban all energy drinks containing alcohol in Lebanon
Merchants have four months to comply with a new ban on the import, manufacturing and marketing of all energy drinks containing alcohol, caretaker Economy Minister Nicholas Nahas and caretaker Health Minister Ali Hasan Khalil announced Monday.
Reuters - All alcohol, even wine, raises risk of gout flare-ups: study
Bad news for gout sufferers who enjoy drinking the fruit of the vine - new research finds that all types of alcohol, even previously exempt wine, can bring on attacks of the painful condition.
News-Medical.net (Russia) - Vodka contributes to high death rates in Russia, new study confirms
The high and sharply fluctuating death rates in Russia are due mainly to alcohol, particularly vodka, a new prospective study of 151 000 adults confirms.
Scotsman (Scotland) - Leaders: Scots’ affair with alcohol is no joke
SNP MSP Alex Neil is not above playful mischief. It is in this light that his extraordinary assertion that Margaret Thatcher was to blame for Scotland’s destructive relationship with alcohol could be viewed. Did our serious drink problem really first take off in the 1980s? And was it really “all Mrs Thatcher’s fault”?
OnMedica (UK) - Workplace drug and alcohol problems growing concern
The impact of drugs and alcohol misuse is a growing problem in the workplace, says the BMA in new guidance for clinicians designed to help employers better tackle the issues.
U.S. News & World Report (USA) - Alcohol Tied to Domestic Violence on College Campuses
Among college students, alcohol use is more likely than marijuana use to lead to domestic violence, new research finds.
Irish Independent (Ireland) - 70pc of sex victims 'had drunk 12 units of alcohol'
More than seven in 10 alleged victims of sexual assault who attended the country's busiest treatment unit had consumed the equivalent of six pints of beer.
The Argus (UK) - Councillors recommend booze ban for council parties
The annual Brighton and Hove mayor’s Christmas party and other council-run events should become alcohol-free, a report says.
stv.tv (Scotland) - Government 'absolutely committed' to alcohol minimum pricing
Evidence that alcohol costs as little as 20p a unit is proof that minimum pricing is needed to battle Scotland's unhealthy relationship with drink, the Health secretary has said.
SYS-CON Media (USA) - Building Momentum to Prevent Alcohol Advertising On Public Property
"The research and support provided by Alcohol Justice was a tremendous resource in our efforts to prevent alcohol advertising on public land in Vista," said Erica Leary, Program Manager, North Coastal Prevention Coalition.
Alaska Dispatch (USA) - Alaska group hopes to end fetal alcohol syndrome
It’s one of the more persistent yet preventable afflictions in Alaska. Every year hundreds of babies are born with brain damage to mothers who abused alcohol during pregnancy.
European Voice (EU) - EU legislation needed on drink-driving
The town of Kamienn Pomorski in Poland is still in shock following a tragedy that took place on New Year's Day. A 26-year-old drunk driver drove his BMW into a crowd of people, killing six. One boy who was seriously injured lost both his parents and his brother.
Irish Times (Scotland) - Thatcher drove Scots to drink and drugs, claims health minister
Scottish health minister Alex Neil has said Margaret Thatcher’s destruction of Scotland’s heavy industries and coal mining was responsible for the country’s appalling drug and alcoholism figures.