Alcohol News - 5/2023

Public Broadcasting of Latvia (Latvia) - Latvia number one in Europe for household booze spending
While it's sometimes nice to be number one in Europe, this may not be one of those times. Fresh statistics published February 1 by Eurostat are likely to lead to a hangover.
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National Indigenous Times (Australia) - Report recommends return to blanket alcohol bans in and around Alice Springs
A return to strict alcohol bans in Alice Springs and surrounding areas is expected to be considered following the handing-down of review of restrictions in the town.
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NICE (UK) - NICE urges professionals to correctly gather information on people’s alcohol drinking habits to ensure those who need help are not missed
To help address this NICE is recommending that people being asked about how much and how often they drink alcohol should have the information added to a validated questionnaire to identify if they need help, NICE has said.
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The Toronto Star (Canada) - Alcohol-related health care visits spiked during pandemic in Ontario: study
A new Ontario study suggests there was a spike in health-care visits related to alcohol during the pandemic, both among people with a history of problems with alcohol as well as those confronting drinking issues for the first time.
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SAMHSA - Cancer Prevention and Heart Health — What Role Does Alcohol Play?
February is Cancer Prevention Month and Heart Health Month. Many people are aware of risks (such as tobacco, unhealthy foods and beverages, and lack of exercise) for cancer and heart disease. Do you also know about the risks posed by alcohol?
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The Germany Eye (Germany) - Offenbach considers ban on alcohol in public places
Already in the past year, the city of Offenbach has received repeated complaints from residents and passers-by because a group of people has regularly gathered on the area Geleitstraße, corner Herrnstraße, for sometimes noisy meetings.
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EU NEIGHBOURS east (Ukraine) - EU and Ukraine restart cooperation on drug and alcohol monitooring
A new phase of cooperation between the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA) and Ukraine launched in January.
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Cancer Health - Abstaining From Alcohol Improves Outcomes in People With Cirrhosis
Alcohol abstinence was linked to fewer complications and longer survival irrespective of disease stage in people with alcohol-related cirrhosis, according to study findings published in Clinical Gastroenterology & Hepatology.
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The Munich Eye (Germany) - More youth protection for alcohol and Tobacco
The Federal Commissioner for Drugs, Burkhard Blienert, is urging greater protection, especially for children and young people, against damage to health caused by alcohol and smoking.
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New Mexico In Depth (Mexico) - Proposed Office of Alcohol Prevention steps up ambition, but is short on vision
The New Mexico Department of Health has asked the legislature for $5 million to build an Office of Alcohol Prevention, which would expand the staff focused on reducing excess drinking from a single epidemiologist to a team of 13.
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RNZ (New Zealand) - Māori leaders on alcohol policy: 'We should stop pretending this isn't about money'
"We should stop pretending that this isn't about money. I know there are commercial international trade laws that will be really pissed off if you start curtailing the power of the alcohol industry so it really comes down to what is the value of life."
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LCP (UK) - Urgent action is needed to tackle the sharp rise in alcohol-related deaths
Deaths caused directly by alcohol are rising sharply in the UK, and other conditions exacerbated by alcohol use are projected to increase.
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IAS Blog (UK) - What happened with UK alcohol consumption and harm in 2022?
In January 2022, I wrote that there were no signs of the ‘return to normal’ in drinking patterns that was hoped for in the wake of the pandemic.
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BBC (Scotland) - Minimum alcohol pricing impact on drinks sector 'minimal'
Minimum unit pricing (MUP) has had little economic impact on Scotland's drinks industry, a report has found.
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Breaking News (Ireland) - Longer drinking hours would harm public health, committee is warned
An extension of drinking hours in Ireland would be harmful to public health and safety, TDs have been told.
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Deutsche Welle (Germany) - German drugs czar wants alcohol, tobacco ads restricted
Berlin's anti-drug czar says no other country is as liberal as Germany when it comes to alcohol. He says "a real paradigm shift" is needed to tackle issues such as addiction.
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The First News (Poland) - Poles tend to reach for stronger spirits report shows
Poles' alcohol consumption pattern is changing towards more frequent use of strong spirits, according to the latest report.
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Mayo Clinic Press - Alcohol is not your breast’s friend: Busting myths about drinking and breast cancer
Most women are not aware that alcohol is a cause of breast cancer, though the link between alcohol and breast cancer has been known since the 1980s. The statistics are sobering: Alcohol alone is responsible for an estimated 14,000 to 23,000 cases of breast cancer yearly.
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