FASD News - 24/2026

University of Salford (UK) - Empowering families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is thought to affect thousands of children across the UK, yet it remains widely under-recognised and poorly understood. Anna Webster, from south Manchester, is helping to change that.
https://www.salford.ac.uk/news/empowering-families-affected-by-fetal-alcohol-spectrum-disorder

Irish Pharmacy Union (Ireland) - Pharmacists advise alcohol‑free pregnancy as the safest choice
The IPU recently issued a press release advising women, partners and families that choosing not to drink alcohol during pregnancy, and when planning a pregnancy, is the safest option for both mother and baby.
https://ipu.ie/ipu-review-article/pharmacists-advise-alcohol-free-pregnancy-as-the-safest-choice/

CBC (Canada) - Bissell Centre formally opens supportive recovery house for people living with FASD in Edmonton
The Bissell Centre’s Den of Willows building has officially opened to offer tailored support for people in Edmonton living with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD).
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/bissell-centre-den-of-willows-edmonton-fasd-9.7229297

Michigan Advance (USA) - House health panel advances bills to combat elevated blood lead levels, fetal alcohol syndrome
The Michigan House Committee on Health Policy voted on Wednesday morning to advance two packages of bills to combat childhood lead exposure and fetal alcohol syndrome.
https://michiganadvance.com/briefs/house-health-panel-advances-bills-to-combat-elevated-blood-lead-levels-fetal-alcohol-syndrome/

SAPeople (South Africa) - ‘Umqombothi is safer’ and other shocking pregnancy-drinking myths in South Africa
Despite South Africa’s Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) crisis, alarming misconceptions about alcohol consumption during pregnancy continue to persist nationwide, according to a new report.
https://www.sapeople.com/south-african-health/fasd-crisis-10-shocking-pregnancy-drinking-myths-in-south-africa/

Eyewitness News (South Africa) - Half of South Africans have seen pregnant women drinking alcohol, study reveals
A new report has found that drinking during pregnancy remains deeply normalised in South Africa, with more than half of respondents saying they have seen pregnant women consuming alcohol.
https://www.ewn.co.za/2026/06/17/half-of-south-africans-have-seen-pregnant-women-drinking-alcohol-study-reveals

FASD – CAN (New Zealand) - FASD-CAN in 'everyday' magazine for educators
We're stoked to see an article by our Principal and Practice Advisor, Kim Milne, appearing in NZ education magazine 'everyday'. It's a multi-page overview of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder for kaiako / teachers and other school support staff.
https://www.fasd-can.org.nz/fasd_can_in_everyday_magazine_for_educators

FASD – CAN (New Zealand) - Inaugural hui of new FASD advocacy group
On Wednesday June 3, a group of seven people with FASD and some of their caregivers gathered in Pōneke, Wellington to take part in an advocacy planning day. The attendees have connections to FASD-CAN through our Tītoki camps and Pizza Clubs, as well as via various support groups.
https://www.fasd-can.org.nz/inaugural_hui_of_new_fasd_advocacy_group

American Family Physician (USA) - Alcohol Use During Pregnancy and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
Alcohol use during pregnancy increases health risks for the developing baby, ranging from miscarriage and sudden infant death syndrome to preterm birth and developmental problems.
https://www.aafp.org/afp/2026/0600/funded-educational-content-alcohol-use-during-pregnancy-fetal-alcohol-spectrum-disorders

 

VIDEOS
University of Salford - Empowering families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is thought to affect thousands of children across the UK, yet it remains widely under-recognised and poorly understood. Anna Webster, from south Manchester, is helping to change that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRGCsFQ-suY

M.I. understanding - The "S" in FASD changes everything
What does the "spectrum" in FASD actually mean? 🤔 It means that same diagnosis, completely different brains! We’re breaking down how everyone with FASD has their own unique mix of strengths and challenges, and bringing the facts straight to your feed in Part 3 of our social series: What is FASD?
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/phI3NUzHIbg

College of Health - The Enduring Impact of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders at Midlife
Dr. Susan Stoner (University of Washington) presents the inaugural Schild Nicholson Neurodiversity Lecture: "Enduring Impact of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure — Research Examining Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders at Midlife."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZyX3tuW6gc

Canadian Child Care Federation CCCF-FCSGE - Understanding FASD in Early Learning: New Online Course
What is FASD and how can early childhood educators support young children who may be affected? In this webinar recording, presenter Kathy Unsworth discusses Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) in early learning environments and introduces CanFASD’s brand-new online training course.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBC6sO9UzPo

VideoParliament Ireland - Sharon Keogan: Calls for Statutory FASD Diagnosis Pathway
Sharon Keogan urged the Department of Health and the HSE to establish a statutory clinical diagnosis pathway for Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) after attending a recent briefing and the FASD conference in Ennis.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAoSJDjI4Yw

FASD United (formerly NOFAS) - Glimpses of FASD - Meet Rylee
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWNWNweNMYY

FASD United (formerly NOFAS) - What the FASD Respect Act Teaches Us About Building Policy - FASD Research Conference 2026
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nwZsPLjmdk

FASD Training Australia - FASD, Complex neurodivergence and Empathy 2026
Learn about the brain domains, skills and abilities underlying empathy and how these can be impacted.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nlUxphJUdQ

Administration for Children and Families (ACF) - From Evidence to Impact: Prevention Education to Address Child Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation
This webinar highlights approaches for researchers and decision-makers in schools, nonprofits, and other institutions who are considering integrating prevention education into existing programming.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JRbqEgqhTA

Neurological warrior – DJP - Dr. Liam Curran on FASD: Social Work Practice; Challenges and Opportunities
Across health, social care, education, and community services, professionals and caregivers are increasingly encountering children, young people, and adults whose needs cannot be understood through a purely medical lens.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JukoKeNLyu8

CanFASD - Emerging Action in Research: CanFASD Trainee Webinar Series 2026 Part 1
In 2026, eleven trainees participated in the CanFASD Trainee Program. This is a chance to learn what the next generation of Canadian FASD researchers and providers are accomplishing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6qCpSTTZ3A

Avoiding the Addiction Affliction – "Proof Alliance, Addressing FASDs" with Mollie O’Brien
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) affect up to 1 in 20 people and is particularly prevalent among young people in the adoption and fostering system. As a hidden brain injury, FASDs can manifest in ways that often lead to challenging behaviors, which makes diagnosis and intervention challenging.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OF-uAZjbjQU

Patricia Kasper, Your FASD Coach - Harrison’s Hope: Building a Lifespan Support System with Mary Byrnes
In this deeply personal and wide-ranging conversation, Patti is joined by Mary Byrnes, founder of Harrison’s Hope, a Canadian charity dedicated to supporting families living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CB_WYS3zz0c

Harrison's Hope FASD - FASD, Polyvagal Theory & Caregiver Support with Tanya Eichler | Harrison’s Hope Webinar
What happens when we stop seeing behavior as “misbehavior” and start understanding it as the nervous system doing its best to survive?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zR0PFFC1L-w

 

RESEARCH
ERIC - Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Diagnostic Clinics in Canada: "It Wouldn't Happen if Nobody Wanted It to Happen"
We address the question: If you wanted to start a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) diagnostic clinic, what would you need to do, think about, and plan for, from a policy perspective?
https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1505391

Alcohol - The Effects of Developmental Ethanol Exposure & Postnatal Choline Supplementation on Long-Term Choline Metabolism
Although alcohol likely impacts fetal development through many mechanisms, PAE could impact metabolism of choline, an essential nutrient that is important for brain development and function.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0741832926002132

bioRxiv - Epileptiform Discharges Drive Unique High-frequency Oscillations Within the Retrosplenial Cortex of Mice with Third Trimester Alcohol Exposure
We observed a large number of Epileptiform Discharges (EDs) in alcohol-exposed subjects compared to controls, which were found to drive with High-frequency Oscillations (HFOs).
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.06.04.729968v1.abstract

University of Saskatchewan - Advancing National Strategies for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: The Role of Mela et al.’s Research in Supporting Bill S-234
This paper synthesizes research led by Dr. Mansfield Mela to highlight the potential of this framework in addressing systemic inequities, reducing Indigenous over incarceration, and diverting economic resources to prevention.
https://sencanada.ca/Content/Sen/Committee/451/SOCI/briefs/SOCI_S-234_Brief_Dr-Mansfield-Mela_e.pdf

University of Edinburgh - Health professionals’ views and experiences of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD): “If we’re not thinking FASD, we’re not assessing it, we’re not diagnosing it”
Multi-disciplinary approaches and neurodevelopmental assessment pathways/services can support complexity in FASD practice. Clinician roles in diagnostic practice can contribute to positive experiences of diagnosis, disability, and identity for young people.
https://www.research.ed.ac.uk/en/publications/health-professionals-views-and-experiences-of-fetal-alcohol-spect/

Nursing Problems - The impact of smoking and alcohol consumption on fetal development: a review
The review is based on the available Polish literature from the last 16 years, selected by the keywords presented above. Cigarettes and alcohol are the most popular stimulants, used by millions of people around the world every day.
https://www.termedia.pl/The-impact-of-smoking-and-alcohol-consumption-on-fetal-development-a-review,134,57971,1,1.html

SSRN - Neurodevelopmental deficit risk in infants: the role of prenatal alcohol exposure and selected maternal micronutrient mediation
PAE demonstrated sex-specific neurodevelopmental effects. Male infants appeared more vulnerable to direct alcohol-related deficits but also showed measurable compensatory benefit from combined maternal nutrients.
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=6948787

University of Calgary - Cortical Morphology and its Relation to Mental Health in Youth with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure
Youth with PAE experience mental health challenges at disproportionate rates compared to the general population, which are likely rooted in brain differences compared to unexposed youth. Relationships between structural cortical development and mental health outcomes have not been well investigated in the context of PAE.
https://ucalgary.scholaris.ca/items/958548ac-7420-4ced-a3c8-715416c37818

Alcohol Clinical and Experimental Research - A Systematic Review of International Guidelines for Addressing Alcohol Use Disorder in Pregnancy
We systematically reviewed international clinical practice guidelines to examine how they address the full cascade of AUD care during pregnancy, including diagnosis, engagement, treatment initiation, and retention.
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/acer.70330

Neuroscience Letters - Prenatal alcohol exposure differently affects seizure susceptibility and severity depending on its mechanism of induction: role of excitatory synapses and parvalbumin-positive interneurons
These results suggest that PAE promotes increased presence of PV+ interneurons in the somatosensory neocortex, which in turn, may promote a homeostatic enhancement of excitatory circuitry to maintain E/I balance.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304394026001485

medRxiv - Distinct Resting-State Functional Connectivity Profiles in ADHD with and without Prenatal Alcohol Exposure
These results are consistent with other MRI findings indicating that ADHD+PAE is neurally distinct from ADHD-PAE; PAE may be associated with broadly reduced connectivity, especially across cerebellar–cerebral cortical systems.
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.25.26354061v1

American Journal of Preventive Medicine - Neighborhood Deprivation and Contrasting Patterns of Prenatal Alcohol, Cannabis, and Nicotine Use
Neighborhood deprivation showed opposing associations across substances, with lower alcohol use but substantially higher cannabis and nicotine use in more deprived neighborhoods.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S074937972600228X

CDC - Alcohol Consumption During Pregnancy Among Women Aged 18–49 Years — United States, 2021–2024
Clinical approaches, such as routine screening for alcohol consumption and mental health conditions during pregnancy, and community-level approaches, such as point-of-sale warning signs or alcohol sales taxes, might help reduce alcohol consumption during pregnancy and its associated adverse pregnancy and birth outcomes.
https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/75/wr/mm7522a2.htm

 

Alcohol News - 24/2026

CCSA News (Canada) - One out of 10 people admitted to hospital are there because of the impact of substance use on their health: new report
In 2024, there were almost 300,000 hospitalizations related to alcohol or drugs, representing 12% of all hospitalizations in Canada. The majority were related to the broad health effects of substance use including cancers, cardiovascular disease, liver disease, injuries, infectious diseases and other acute and chronic conditions, with only a small portion related to substance use disorders (addictions).
https://ccsa.ca/en/one-out-10-people-admitted-hospital-are-there-because-impact-substance-use-their-health-new-report

EatingWell - Scientists Have Linked Alcohol Consumption to Another Form of Cancer
While previous studies have suggested some benefits of consuming small amounts of alcohol, recent science suggests that no amount of alcohol consumption is risk-free, leading the U.S. Surgeon General to declare that no amount of alcohol is considered safe.
https://www.eatingwell.com/alcohol-pancreatic-cancer-study-11981076

RTE.ie (Ireland) - Alcohol risk guidelines may need to be changed – HIQA
Irish guidelines on what constitutes low-risk alcohol consumption may need to be reconsidered based on latest research, according to a new report from the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA).
https://www.rte.ie/news/health/2026/0617/1578855-alcohol-report-hiqa/

American Hospital Association (USA) - CDC finds 15% of pregnant U.S. women report current alcohol consumption
A report issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention June 11 found that 15.2% of pregnant women in the U.S. reported current alcohol consumption.
https://www.aha.org/news/headline/2026-06-16-cdc-finds-15-pregnant-us-women-report-current-alcohol-consumption

Australian Broadcasting Corporation (Australia) - Move to prevent 'rivers of grog' as NT town camp alcohol bans to be extended
The Northern Territory government is planning to extend alcohol bans in town camps which it says will prevent "rivers of grog" from flowing into Aboriginal communities.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-06-19/nt-government-extends-town-camp-alcohol-bans/106817950

Il Sole 24 ORE (Italy) - Nightlife: mayors take action to enforce the ban on alcohol for under-18s
A number of measures have been introduced to prevent breaches of the law and tackle excessive noise. ‘Anti-Maranza’ measures in Lombardy and fines for children out on their own in Calabria
https://en.ilsole24ore.com/art/nightlife-mayors-campo-enforcing-the-ban-on-alcohol-for-minors-AInvu8hD?refresh_ce=1

CityNews Edmonton (Canada) - Presence of alcohol ‘significantly reduces’ rescue chances in youth drownings: study
A new study by researchers at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver has found that alcohol “significantly reduces” the chance of rescue in a youth drowning accident.
https://edmonton.citynews.ca/2026/06/16/presence-of-alcohol-significantly-reduces-rescue-chances-in-youth-drownings-study/

The Harvard Gazette - A clearer picture of drinking and disease
Studies of alcohol’s effects on health have offered contradictory findings, with some suggesting a glass of red wine a day is beneficial and others saying even a drop of booze is too much. A new review attempting to clarify the risks finds more than 60 diseases, based on the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Diseases, are 100 percent attributable to consuming alcohol.
https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2026/06/a-clearer-picture-of-drinking-and-disease/

University of Victoria - Study strengthens alcohol’s link to deadly pancreatic cancer
A new paper led by researchers at University of Victoria’s Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research (CISUR) contributes to mounting evidence that alcohol use can cause pancreatic cancer.
https://news.uvic.ca/media-release/alcohols-link-to-deadly-pancreatic-cancer/

Movendi International (Nepal) - Nepal Tourism Growth Sparks Concerns Over Alcohol Harm
A massive surge of half a million spring tourists in Nepal’s eastern mountain region has triggered a highly profitable, completely unregulated market for local rhododendron alcohol.
https://movendi.ngo/news-stories/nepal-tourism-growth-sparks-concerns-over-alcohol-harm/

The Lancet Regional Health - Eastern Europe's alcohol-related liver disease crisis is preventable
The WHO European region has the world's highest alcohol consumption and one of the highest burdens of alcohol-attributable liver disease globally. Cirrhosis and liver cancer together cause nearly 780 deaths per day across the region, and liver disease has become a major source of premature mortality and working years lost.
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanepe/article/PIIS2666-7762%2826%2900154-7/fulltext

NordAN (Finland) - Finland’s alcohol law dispute shifts from EU procedure to public health risks
Finland’s controversial Alcohol Act reform has taken another turn, after Parliament moved the proposal forward in a form that would expand alcohol home delivery, online distance sales and Alko’s opening hours.
https://www.nordicalcohol.org/post/finland-s-alcohol-law-dispute-shifts-from-eu-procedure-to-public-health-risks

Alcohol Awareness - Science not fiction: evidence saves lives
This week, World Cancer Research Fund marks Cancer Prevention Action Week 2026 with a clear message: cut through the noise and focus on the evidence. Health information is everywhere, but when advice is oversimplified, taken out of context, or shaped by trends and influencers, it becomes much harder for people to know what to trust. Cancer prevention needs clear, honest and science-based communication.
https://alcoholcampaign.org/2026/06/18/science-not-fiction-evidence-saves-lives/

Alcohol Awareness (Belgium) - Is it always alcohol time? Belgian campaign questions summer drinking habits
As summer approaches, VAD/De Druglijn is relaunching and expanding its campaign “Is het altijd alcoholtijd?” (“Is it always alcohol time?”). The campaign questions the everyday presence of alcohol in social life and highlights a changing attitude among many people in Flanders.
https://alcoholcampaign.org/2026/06/16/is-it-always-alcohol-time-belgian-campaign-questions-summer-drinking-habits/

Alcohol News - 23/2026

Vytautas Magnus University (Lithuania) - Lithuania Presented to the World as a Success Story in Alcohol Policy at an International Conference in Kaunas
The 51st annual symposium of the Kettil Bruun Society (KBS), held in Kaunas from 1–5 June, became a significant event not only for Lithuania but also for the international alcohol research and public health community. For the first time in the Baltic States, the conference brought together more than 150 researchers, scientists, and policy experts from over 25 countries to discuss the latest evidence on alcohol consumption, alcohol-related harm, and effective alcohol control policies.
https://www.vdu.lt/en/lithuania-presented-to-the-world-as-a-success-story-in-alcohol-policy-at-an-international-conference-in-kaunas/

The Conversation - Why drinking alcohol makes you reach for chips and nachos
Have you ever wondered why savoury foods like chips, nachos and salted nuts go so well with a beer or glass of wine? And why sometimes you feel an insatiable appetite for junk food while drinking? Our new study examined the diets and alcohol intake of Australians to find out why.
https://theconversation.com/why-drinking-alcohol-makes-you-reach-for-chips-and-nachos-284540

Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health - New Research Links Even Low Alcohol Consumption to Cancer, Heart Disease, and Premature Death
Even what many Americans consider moderate drinking is linked to an increased risk of death, disability, and chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease, according to a new study published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.
https://www.publichealth.columbia.edu/news/new-research-links-even-low-alcohol-consumption-cancer-heart-disease-premature-death

Pan American Health Organization - PAHO: Health tax levels in the Americas remain too low to curb harmful consumption of alcohol and sugary drinks
Levels of health taxes on alcohol and sugar‑sweetened beverages in the Americas remain too low to significantly reduce consumption and prevent noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), even as the Region records some of the highest consumption levels in the world, according to two reports released by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).
https://www.paho.org/en/news/9-6-2026-paho-health-tax-levels-americas-remain-too-low-curb-harmful-consumption-alcohol-and

STAT (USA) - Alcohol study discarded by Trump officials is published in scientific journal
A report on alcohol’s health effects, commissioned by the federal government but unreleased under President Trump, came out Tuesday — in a scientific journal. The study finds even low levels of drinking may increase the risk of various diseases or even death.
https://www.statnews.com/2026/06/09/suppressed-alcohol-health-study-released-one-drink-or-less-daily/

BBC - My drinking days are over - here are my tips for an alcohol-free World Cup
Sam O'Brien West, 32, always knew he was a problem drinker, often the drunkest person in the room at social events. Now sober, the football fan shares his advice below for having a great alcohol-free World Cup.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czr25ypjrdvo

Medscape - Alcohol Intake Tied to Increased Colorectal Cancer Risk
It is very clear, certainly to those in the public health community and cancer doctors, that there is an association with alcohol intake and the risk of cancer. However, in population-based surveys, there is a very large percentage of individuals who do not appear to see the risk of alcohol intake, particularly excessive alcohol intake, related to cancer, or an even larger segment of population simply doesn’t know.
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/alcohol-intake-tied-increased-colorectal-cancer-risk-2026a1000hjl

STAT (USA) - Drinking during pregnancy rose after 2020, new CDC data suggest
New data released Thursday suggest the prevalence of drinking during pregnancy increased in recent years. National survey data published in a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report show about 15% of adult pregnant women reported current drinking (use in the prior 30 days) between 2021 and 2024. About 13.5% of women reported the same between 2018 and 2020.
https://www.statnews.com/2026/06/11/cdc-report-alcohol-pregnancy-growing-problem/

Alcohol Health Alliance (UK) - One in five alcohol products keep consumers in the dark on health information, new study finds
The study of over 530 alcohol product labels sold in the UK – the biggest study of its kind to date – found that basic nutrition and health information, such as units of alcohol, ingredients, and health and pregnancy warnings, was inconsistent or wholly absent from labels, leaving consumers without important information about what is in their drinks and the associated health risks.
https://ahauk.org/news/alcohol-products-keep-consumers-in-the-dark/

IAS Blog - What is the point of a pint without alcohol? How drinking motives can help our understanding of who is consuming no/lo drinks
Over the last ten years, the “no/lo” drinks market has grown considerably. No/los are alcoholic-type drinks that emulate their standard-strength alcoholic equivalent but have little to no alcohol in them (≤1.2% ABV).
https://www.ias.org.uk/2026/06/09/what-is-the-point-of-a-pint-without-alcohol-how-drinking-motives-can-help-our-understanding-of-who-is-consuming-no-lo-drinks/

Movendi International - Alcohol Marketing Targets Our Children. It’s Time We Talked About It
In this opinion column, concerned mother and child rights and public health advocate Linda de Keyser combines that evidence with lived experience of alcohol marketing at her son’s football matches to make a compelling case for bans of alcohol advertising and sponsorship.
https://movendi.ngo/blog/2026/06/05/alcohol-marketing-targets-our-children-its-time-we-talked-about-it/

Movendi International - Movendi Movement Launches Global Campaign to Document Alcohol Marketing During the World Cup
Movendi International together with our members is launching an initiative we have built together as a movement, with young people at the heart. An estimated 6 billion people will watch the football tournament, including up to 1.7 billion children and young people. Alcohol companies know this, and they are gearing up to push their harmful product to as many people as possible.
https://movendi.ngo/community-latest/movendi-movement-launches-global-campaign-to-document-alcohol-marketing-during-the-world-cup/

New Mobility News (Belgium) - From July: 12-hour driving ban after positive alcohol test
Starting in July, anyone caught driving drunk will be given a twelve-hour driving ban. Until now, a driving ban following a positive alcohol test could last two, three, six, or twelve hours.
https://newmobility.news/en/2026/06/11/from-july-12-hour-driving-ban-after-positive-alcohol-test/

Sante Publique France (France) - “Protecting the Public from the Risks of Alcohol.” The special report in *La Santé en action* No. 473, April–June 2026
In a new issue of its journal *La Santé en action*, Santé publique France has published a special report on alcohol as a public health issue, given the health and social harms caused by its consumption.
https://www.santepubliquefrance.fr/en/news/protecting-public-risks-alcohol-special-report-la-sante-en-action-no-473-april-june-2026

NordAN (Finland) - Alcohol Act amendments made in committee support the health of people in Finland: changes must be notified to the EU before the plenary sessioon
The Finnish Association for Substance Abuse Prevention EHYT considers the amendments made by Parliament’s Social Affairs and Health Committee to the Alcohol Act proposal to be steps in the right direction.
https://www.nordicalcohol.org/post/alcohol-act-amendments-made-in-committee-support-the-health-of-people-in-finland-changes-must-be-no

Alcohol News - 22/2026

AgriLife Today - New research connects father’s alcohol use to children’s long-term health
A growing body of research suggests that a father’s health before conception may play a larger role in child development than previously understood — and Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, VMBS, researchers are working to understand how a father’s drinking before conception may affect offspring health and development.
https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/2026/06/01/new-research-connects-fathers-alcohol-use-to-childrens-long-term-health/

NordAN (Finland) - On-premise and retail consumption of alcoholic beverages in Finland decreased in 2025, no estimate of total consumption due to methodological change
Based on recorded consumption in Finland, meaning on-premise and retail consumption, alcohol use has continued to decline. In 2025, recorded consumption was around 6.9 litres of 100% alcohol per resident aged 15 and over, which is 4.5% less than in 2024. At the national level, consumption totalled around 33.3 million litres of 100% alcohol.
https://www.nordicalcohol.org/post/on-premise-and-retail-consumption-of-alcoholic-beverages-in-finland-decreased-in-2025-no-estimate-o

The Korea Times (South Korea) - Alcohol spending posts sharpest decline in 7 years in Q1 amid changing drinking culture
Alcohol expenditures in South Korea fell at the fastest pace in seven years in the first quarter amid declining alcohol consumption brought on by changing drinking habits and growing health consciousness, government data showed Tuesday.
https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/business/20260602/alcohol-spending-posts-sharpest-decline-in-7-years-in-q1-amid-changing-drinking-culture

Medical Xpress - Alcohol linked to higher risk across multiple cancers, even below one drink daily
A new study from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington provides the most comprehensive and conservative analysis to date of alcohol's complex relationship with health, showing clear cancer risks and chronic liver diseases at any level, along with mixed evidence for other cardiometabolic conditions.
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-06-alcohol-linked-higher-multiple-cancers.html

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health - Alcohol is the root of 62 diseases and a partial cause of dozens more
Dozens of diseases are partially if not entirely attributable to alcohol consumption—but many can be slowed or reversed by cutting down on or quitting drinking, according to a new review co-authored by researchers at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
https://hsph.harvard.edu/news/alcohol-is-the-root-of-62-diseases-and-a-partial-cause-of-dozens-more/

Croatia Week (Croatia) - Croatia passes law allowing local authorities to restrict alcohol sales hours
Croatia’s Parliament has adopted amendments to the Trade Act that will allow local authorities to regulate the hours during which alcohol can be sold in shops and strengthen restrictions on sales to minors.
https://www.croatiaweek.com/croatia-alcohol-sales-hours-law-energy-drinks-minors-2026/

JAPAN Forward (Japan) - Cancer Institute Updates Alcohol Guidance From Moderation to Avoidance
Japan's national cancer body now advises avoiding alcohol, citing evidence that even small amounts raise cancer risk, and lowers the BMI cap for men to 25.
https://japan-forward.com/national-cancer-center-updated-alcohol-guidelines-avoidance/

American College of Cardiology (USA) - Uncorking the Evidence: The Relationship Between Alcohol and CV Health
As cardiovascular physicians, we've all had patients who believe they are social drinkers but end up with cardiovascular complications. This raises some widely debated questions.
https://www.acc.org/latest-in-cardiology/articles/2026/06/01/01/prioritizing-health-uncorking-the-evidence

RNZ (New Zealand) - Community calls for Ōtara bottle stop to close, alcohol-related harm only getting 'worse'
There are calls for the only liquor store in Ōtara's Town Centre to be shut down. It comes as Auckland's Local Alcohol Policy temporary freeze on new off-licences in several suburbs, including Ōtara, is set to be lifted in September.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/community/597205/community-calls-for-otara-bottle-stop-to-close-alcohol-related-harm-only-getting-worse

National Indigenous Times (Australia) - Community safety at risk if alcohol protections lapse, NT Aboriginal health body warns
The Northern Territory Government must provide certainty about how it will maintain alcohol restrictions when Interim Alcohol Protected Areas (IAPAs) expire next year.
https://nit.com.au/04-06-2026/24649/community-safety-at-risk-if-alcohol-protections-lapse-nt-aboriginal-health-body-warns

Nordisk Post (Sweden) - The Moderates want 18-year-olds to buy alcohol at Systembolaget
Systembolaget age limit has become a new campaign issue in Sweden ahead of the September election, after the Moderate Party proposed allowing 18-year-olds to buy beer, wine and other alcoholic drinks below 22 percent alcohol at the state-owned alcohol monopoly. The current age limit is 20, while 18-year-olds can already buy alcohol in bars and restaurants.
https://www.nordiskpost.com/2026/06/04/systembolaget-age-limit-enters-sweden-election-campaign-moderates/

NordAN (Sweden) - Movendi: how many votes is a life worth?
Movendi Sweden has issued a sharp statement in response to recent and proposed changes in Swedish alcohol policy. The organisation warns that decisions such as abolishing the food requirement, extending serving hours, introducing farm sales and now Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s proposal to lower the Systembolaget age limit from 20 to 18 risk weakening one of the world’s strongest alcohol policy models.
https://www.nordicalcohol.org/post/movendi-how-many-votes-is-a-life-worth

NordAN (Denmark) - 7 out of 10 never count weekly alcohol units
If you do not know your alcohol consumption, you do not know whether it is too high, the Danish Cancer Society warns. According to Mette Lolk Hanak, Director of Prevention at the Danish Cancer Society, many Danes are not aware of how much they drink, or whether they stay on the right side of the Danish Health Authority’s recommendations. Photo: Danish Cancer Society.
https://www.nordicalcohol.org/post/7-out-of-10-never-count-weekly-alcohol-units

Alcohol News - 21/2026

The Lancet (Ireland) - Failure to introduce alcohol health-warning labels in Ireland
May 22, 2026, marks a disappointing day for those attempting to implement evidence-based alcohol public health policy. This is the date when Ireland's new alcohol labelling regulations, part of the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018, were due to be implemented.
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736%2826%2900914-1/fulltext

EMJ (UK) - Alcohol deaths drop as treatment landscape expands
Alcohol-specific deaths in the UK are declining for the first time since 2018, the latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) report has revealed. There were 9,809 alcohol-specific deaths registered in 2024 – a decrease from 10,473 in 2023 and the lowest figure since 2021.
https://www.emjreviews.com/emj-gold/news/alcohol-deaths-drop-as-treatment-landscape-expands/

CBC (Canada) - Report recommends warning labels on booze as B.C. alcohol use above national levels
Alcohol use in British Columbia has reached a 20-year low after spiking during the COVID-19 pandemic, but a new report from the provincial health officer says consumption is still above both national and recommended levels.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-alcohol-use-report-9.7214631

www.apd.cat (Spain) - Alcohol accounts for 60% of first visits for addiction in L'Hospitalet despite its normalization
Alcohol, cannabis, and cocaine account for the highest demand for therapeutic attention at the Centre d'Atenció i Seguiment a les Drogodependències of L'Hospitalet de Llobregat. During 2025, the service attended to more than 1,500 people, and in more than 200 cases, alcohol appeared as the primary substance of consumption.
https://www.apd.cat/en/barcelona/hospitalet-llobregat/alcohol-accounts-for-60-of-first-visits-for-addiction-in-l-hospitalet-despite-its-normalization_13706_102.html

Euronews.com (Poland) - Night-time alcohol ban in Warsaw: will the capital be safer?
From 1 June, a ban on night-time alcohol sales will apply across Warsaw. The measure, part of the Safe Night programme, aims to boost safety and curb late-night public disorder.
https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2026/05/25/night-time-alcohol-ban-in-warsaw-will-the-capital-be-safer

UVic News (Canada) - New report by BC health officer calls for stronger public-health approach to alcohol
The Office of the Provincial Health Officer on Wednesday released Living Well, Drinking Less: Reducing Alcohol Harms in BC, a report documenting alcohol’s impact on British Columbians that drew on research expertise and data from the University of Victoria’s (UVic) Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research (CISUR).
https://news.uvic.ca/media-release/bc-health-officer-calls-for-stronger-public-health-approach-to-alcohol/

EMJ - EASL 2026: Alcohol Policy Efforts Sharpens Focus on Liver Disease Harm
ALCOHOL policy, liver disease prevention and alcohol risk communication were central themes during a session at European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL) 2026. The session brought together clinicians, policymakers and public health advocates to examine efforts to reduce alcohol-related harm across Europe.
https://www.emjreviews.com/hepatology/news/alcohol-policy-efforts-sharpens-focus-on-liver-disease-harm/

Medical Xpress (Finland) - Kids exposed to prenatal alcohol lack diagnosis and aid, Finnish study finds
The Finnish Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities estimates that between 600 and 3,000 children are born in Finland each year with permanent developmental damage caused by maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy. Many children remain without a diagnosis and the support they need.
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-kids-exposed-prenatal-alcohol-lack.html

Medical Xpress - Prenatal alcohol exposure linked to 45% higher hazardous drinking risk at 16
Teens who were exposed to alcohol in utero are more likely than their peers to engage in risky behaviors—most notably, hazardous drinking and underage sex, a combination that could perpetuate the intergenerational transmission of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE).
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-05-prenatal-alcohol-exposure-linked-higher.html

themercury.co.za (South Africa) - 'The more alcohol we consume, the more violence we will suffer': Cachalia demands action on alcohol-related crime
Acting Police Minister Professor Firoz Cachalia has called for tougher action against alcohol abuse and its contribution to the wave of crime that has swept through the country in recent years.
https://themercury.co.za/news/south-africa/2026-05-22-the-more-alcohol-we-consume-the-more-violence-we-will-suffer-cachalia-demands-action-on-alcohol-related-crime/

O´Neill Institute (USA) - Rethinking Alcohol: Societal Costs, Health Risks, and Recovery
More than 178,000 deaths each year are linked to alcohol use in the United States. Excessive alcohol use contributes not only to individual health conditions, but also to substantial social and economic costs affecting health care systems, workplaces, families, and communities.
https://oneill.law.georgetown.edu/rethinking-alcohol-societal-costs-health-risks-and-recovery/

PopNAD (Finland) - Public opinion in transition: tightening attitudes and the future of Finnish alcohol policy
Alcohol policy in Finland has long been shaped by a balancing act between public health concerns and pressures for market liberalization. Over the past decades, incremental reforms have increased alcohol availability, often justified by changing consumer preferences and broader ideological shifts toward deregulation.
https://nordicwelfare.org/popnad/en/artiklar/public-opinion-in-transition-tightening-attitudes-and-the-future-of-finnish-alcohol-policy/

Newcastle University - Healthy lifestyle shown to lower risk of death after cancer diagnosis
New evidence shows that sticking to five lifestyle recommendations improves survival after a later cancer diagnosis.
https://www.ncl.ac.uk/press/articles/latest/2026/05/healthylifestylelowersriskofcancerdeath/

Alcohol and Cancer - Ohio State study targets alcohol marketing that downplays breast cancer risk
Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start of summer, is a peak holiday for alcohol consumption, with nearly half of celebrants reporting they plan to buy alcoholic beverages. Public health experts are raising concern that only about 28% of people are aware that regular alcohol consumption increases risk for at least seven forms of cancer.
https://www.alcoholandcancer.eu/post/ohio-state-study-targets-alcohol-marketing-that-downplays-breast-cancer-risk

NordAN (Finland) - Minors find it easy to obtain alcohol, one third get alcohol through a sibling or guardian
Obtaining alcohol as a minor is seen as very easy, according to the new Youth culture and substances 2026 survey by the Finnish Association for Substance Abuse Prevention, EHYT ry.
https://www.nordicalcohol.org/post/minors-find-it-easy-to-obtain-alcohol-one-third-get-alcohol-through-a-sibling-or-guardian

FASD News - 20/2026

CanFASD (Canada) - New resource uses puppets to teach about FASD
We’re excited to share a unique, child-friendly way to learn about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) – through puppets!  FASD Understanding is an education initiative designed to increase awareness, reduce stigma, and provide practical support for individuals and families.
https://canfasd.ca/2026/05/13/new-resource-uses-puppets-to-teach-about-fasd/

Michigan State Medical Society (USA) - Health Policy Committee Reviews FASD and Lead Exposure Bills
The House Health Policy Committee heard testimony Wednesday on bills aimed at improving early intervention services for children affected by fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) and lead exposure.
https://www.msms.org/news/health-policy-committee-reviews-fasd-and-lead-exposure-bills

PNI Atlantic News (Canada) - WENDY ELLIOTT: More support needed for people with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
There’s always more to learn. In the last couple of years, I’ve been educated about fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) by a young woman in the community. Sally (not her real name) is fun and feisty. She lives with distinct challenges that I can now label.
https://www.saltwire.com/nova-scotia/annapolis-valley/wendy-elliott-more-support-needed-for-people-with-fetal-alcohol-spectrum-disorder

Streamline (Kenya) - One In Eight Women Drink During Pregnancy, Fueling Hidden Crisis
A silent epidemic is unfolding in maternity wards across the globe, heavily masked by deep societal stigma and catastrophic diagnostic failures.
https://streamlinefeed.co.ke/news/one-in-eight-women-drink-during-pregnancy-fueling-hidden-crisis

Midwest radio (Ireland) - New HSE safe pregnancy campaign
A new HSE campaign is letting the public know that avoiding alcohol completely is safest when planning a pregnancy and during pregnancy.
https://www.midwestradio.ie/news/new-hse-safe-pregnancy-campaign/

Lifestyle & Tech (South Africa) - Alcohol harm during pregnancy is about more than individual choices
As pressure grows on South Africa’s healthcare, education and social support systems, more attention is needed on the long-term impact that alcohol exposure can have on children and families through Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).
https://lifestyleandtech.co.za/smart-living/article/2026-05-19/alcohol-harm-during-pregnancy-is-about-more-than-individual-choices

NACCHO (Australia) - Share your story to raise awareness of FASD
FARE is inviting expressions of interest from individuals and families who would like to share their lived experience as part of a new national project. This work aims to strengthen awareness and understanding of FASD, while supporting healthy, alcohol‑free pregnancies and breastfeeding across Australia.
https://www.naccho.org.au/share-your-story-to-raise-awareness-of-fasd/

FASD United - FASD United Welcomes the Ohio Department of Behavioral Health to the Affiliate Network
We are thrilled to welcome the Ohio Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) as the newest member of the FASD United Affiliate Network, now comprised of 49 organizations united to further FASD awareness, provide support, and improve the quality of life for those affected by prenatal alcohol exposure.
https://fasdunited.org/fasd-united-welcomes-the-ohio-department-of-behavioral-health-to-the-affiliate-network/

FASD Hub (Australia) - Inquiry into the health impacts of alcohol and other drugs in Australia opening statement
The House Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Disability has held a public hearing as part of its inquiry into the health impacts of alcohol and other drugs in Australia.
https://fasdhub.org.au/news/inquiry-into-the-health-impacts-of-alcohol-and-other-drugs-in-australia-opening-statement/

Irish Medical Times (Ireland) - Ghosts in the Machine
Ireland’s historic relationship with alcohol, romanticised in folklore and lubricated by commerce, has produced a crisis hidden in plain sight, writes Terence Cosgrave.
https://www.imt.ie/opinion/comment/who-are-the-slow-learners-in-foetal-alcohol-spectrum-disorder-21-05-2026/  

VIDEOS
TEDx Talks - The Invisible Disease: FASD | Addie Broxterman
Addie Broxterman will ring awareness to the invisible disease of FASD. She will be using personal experiences to convey the importance of being informed.  Addie is a student at Pittsburg High School This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdpV0T5Mzrk

Administration for Children and Families (ACF) - Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: Data, Systems, and Strategies for Change
This webinar explores fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) through the lens of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA), focusing on Plans of Safe Care (POSC) for infants.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hip20IIuYZA

Australian Teacher Aide - Supporting Students with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder FASD
Explore planning strategies, underpinning principles, and non-typical impairment patterns to better support students with FASD.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CPSFj_-TQI

Foster Care Association of Victoria - Understanding FASD Webinar
Join the Foster Care Association of Victoria (FCAV) and Simone McKenry from NoFASD Australia for an informative and practical webinar exploring Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and its impact on children and young people in out-of-home care.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59L00A6k7VY

Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint - Understanding Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: A Discussion with Jenn Wisdahl and Kristen Eriksen
Jenn Wisdahl leads strategy and operations at FASD United, the national organization supporting people with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) and promoting healthy pregnancies.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFMO4vmJWeA

Patricia Kasper, Your FASD Coach - The Neurobiology of Migraines in FASD: What You Need to Know
This episode features Dr. Jerrod Brown, Jodee Kulp, and host Patti Kasper discussing the complex relationship between migraines and FASD. They explore neurobiological mechanisms, triggers, co-occurring conditions, and practical interventions to manage migraines, especially in individuals with FASD.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeHN-rFc8PM

Patricia Kasper, Your FASD Coach - Unlocking Emotional Intelligence for Neurodivergent Minds: A Conversation with Morgane Borzee
In this episode, Patti Kasper chats with Morgane Borzee about a groundbreaking visual system that revolutionizes how we understand and regulate emotions, especially in neurodivergent communities like those affected by FASD.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hrn0T4vMK1s

FASD Florida Center - FASD Collective: Shifts for Summer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Re0hHYE0MA

Harrison's Hope FASD - Nate Sheets on Supporting Adults with FASD: Autonomy, Regulation & Lifelong Support
In this insightful webinar, Nate Sheets explores what meaningful, brain-based support can look like for adults with FASD—focusing on autonomy, emotional regulation, collaboration, relationships, routines, and lifelong support needs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0B0R4CPYuFs

 

RESEARCH
University of Toronto - Hidden harm: Unearthing the Roots of Alcohol Use Among Indigenous Mothers
This paper is a literature review which examines how alcohol affects fetal development and evaluates current prevention strategies in North America.
https://utoronto.scholaris.ca/items/9a7b8981-4254-442c-9377-84b06a444c1d

Neuroscience - Executive functioning-related behavior and neuronal activation in the thalamic nucleus reuniens in a combined intubation and alcohol third-trimester binge exposure in rats
This study underscores Re’s vulnerability to AE and the need for research into sex-specific mechanisms and interventions for AE-related cognitive deficits.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306452226003258

Adoption & Fostering - Looking beyond the deficits: The importance of a strengths-based approach to fetal alcohol spectrum disorders
The UK is, with a rate of 41%, amongst the countries with the highest prenatal alcohol exposure rates in the world (Popova et al., 2017). Alcohol can cross the placenta and negatively affect fetal development, which can lead to fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) (Dejong et al., 2019).
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/03085759261448241

Physiology & Behavior - Linking prenatal alcohol-induced transcriptomic alterations to hippocampal-associated structural and behavioral deficits
This review seeks to connect early developmental vulnerabilities to later life phenotypes of hippocampal damage to support the discovery of prenatal alcohol exposure biomarkers and the development of potential therapeutics for alcohol-related impairments.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0031938426001617

bioRxiv - Unraveling a comparative landscape of protein-coding genes linked to neuroimmune function during adulthood consequent of prenatal alcohol exposure
AE creates a unique inflammatory signature in the adult brain, even in the absence of secondary injury, with novel patterns of region-specific changes in genes implicated in glial-immune function.
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.11.724451v1.abstract

International Journal of Molecular Sciences - Does a Biochemical Approach Facilitate the Diagnosis of Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder in Neonatal Period?
We aimed to review the existing literature on PAE assessment methods. Analysis of alcohol metabolites in neonatal meconium is the most widely studied and appears to be feasible for routine use, but it has some limitations.
https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/10/4357

Alcohol and Alcoholism - Alcohol use during pregnancy and public awareness of harms: findings from the CAMH Monitor Survey, Ontario, Canada
Public health messaging and maternal alcohol use prevention strategies must address persistent misconceptions about alcohol use in pregnancy and engage not only women and expectant mothers, but also men, partners, and broader social networks.
https://academic.oup.com/alcalc/article-abstract/61/4/agag029/8677363?redirectedFrom=PDF

Child Psychiatry & Human Development - Teacher-Reported Prevalence of FASD in Kindergarten and Association With Home Problems and Early Intervention in 2010–2015 and 2016–2020
Given that the Canadian FASD diagnostic guidelines were updated in 2016, we aimed to determine changes to kindergarten FASD prevalence as well as the association of FASD with home problems and early intervention compared to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other conditions with neurodevelopmental origins (NDO) in the 2010–2015 period versus 2016–2020.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10578-026-02025-3

medRxiv - Estimated incidence and number of new cases with prenatal alcohol exposure and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders in Finland 1990-2025
PAE remains common in Finland, and the burden of FASD is substantial despite declining trends. Additional biomarker-based studies of PAE and active case ascertainment of FASD are needed to refine current estimates.
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.05.09.26352787v1

European Journal of Pediatrics - Navigating complexity: a retrospective review of pre-diagnostic healthcare trajectories of youth diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
The findings highlight the extensive and varied pre-diagnostic healthcare journeys of youth with FASD. Despite growing policy attention, timely access to FASD diagnosis remains limited.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00431-026-07034-x

BMC Medical Education - Alcohol use disorders and Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder in a South African dental school curriculum: a curriculum mapping study
Current oral health curricula at UWC insufficiently address the management of patients with FASD and alcohol misuse, reflecting a broader gap in context-responsive education.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12909-026-08924-2

Neurobiology of Stress - From teratogens to trajectories: Integrating teratology and Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) frameworks for a new take on fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD)
Prenatal exposure to alcohol is an adverse early life exposure known to have serious and long-lasting effects on development. The concept that early life experiences, whether positive or negative, can have long-term impacts on adult physiological, behavioral, cognitive and health outcomes is not new. However, this concept gained greater recognition beginning in the 1950's, largely through the seminal contributions of Seymour (Gig) Levine, a founding father of the early experience concept, which changed our understanding of how experiences in early life can impact adult outcomes.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352289526000433

Behavioral sciences - Prenatal Alcohol Exposure Predicts Academic Outcomes from Childhood to Adolescence: A Prospective Longitudinal Study Based on Meconium Ethyl Glucuronide
PAE is associated with reduced real-life academic outcomes across development. School performance represents a sensitive functional outcome of neurodevelopmental vulnerability following PAE.
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/16/5/715

Archives of Disease in Childhood - Prevalence of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and its relationship with levels and patterns of alcohol consumption: a scoping review
FASD prevalence estimates in high-income countries and the risk of different levels and drinking patterns varied widely due to the use of different diagnostic criteria, sampling and alcohol consumption collection methods. Improving alcohol consumption collection methods will help enhance diagnostic certainty and the identification of at-risk groups.
https://adc.bmj.com/content/early/2026/05/03/archdischild-2025-329287.abstract

 

IN OTHER LANGUAGES
Helsingin Sanomat (Finland) - FASD-diagnoosi muutti elämäni suunnan
Suomessa syntyy vuosittain suuri joukko alkoholialtistuksen vaurioittamia lapsia, mutta vain murto-osa heistä saa FASD-diagnoosin. Missä ovat ne, jotka ovat jääneet tunnistamatta? He ovat aikuisia, kuten minä.
https://www.hs.fi/mielipide/art-2000012002109.html

Läkartidningen (Sweden) - Ska kvinnan vara nykter när hon försöker bli gravid?
De första veckorna av en graviditet är fostret särskilt känsligt för alkohol. Detta behöver uppmärksammas mer, så att kvinnor kan välja att avstå från alkohol redan innan graviditeten konstaterats.
https://lakartidningen.se/opinion/debatt/ska-kvinnan-vara-nykter-nar-hon-forsoker-bli-gravidae/

Uniwersytetu Medycznego (Poland) - Spektrum płodowych zaburzeń alkoholowych (FASD). Aktualizacja polskich wytycznych diagnozowania
Dziecko może mieć trudności z nauką, kontrolowaniem emocji i budowaniem relacji przez całe życie, mimo że na pierwszy rzut oka rozwija się „normalnie”.
https://www.umw.edu.pl/pl/aktualnosci/spektrum-plodowych-zaburzen-alkoholowych-fasd-aktualizacja-polskich-wytycznych

Polskie Radio (Poland) - NIE dla alkoholu w ciąży - apelują specjaliści! „Każda dawka jest szkodliwa”
FASD, czyli Spektrum Poalkoholowych Uszkodzeń Płodu powstaje na skutek spożywania alkoholu przez kobietę w czasie ciąży. - Każda dawka jest szkodliwa - przypominają specjaliści z toruńskiej Fundacji „Daj Szansę”, która prowadzi w regionie diagnozę FASD.
https://www.radiopik.pl/2,138454,nie-dla-alkoholu-w-ciazy-apeluja-specjalisci-kazda-dawka-alkoholu-w-ciazy-jest-szkodliwa

Alcohol News - 20/2026

RUV (Iceland) - Online alcohol sales “open tap” for children and teenagers
A survey by landlæknir (Directorate of Health) shows that children and young people can easily buy alcohol in online shops. A prevention specialist says increased activity by such shops undermines prevention work and leads to increased consumption.
https://www.ruv.is/english/2026-05-21-online-alcohol-sales-open-tap-for-children-and-teenagers-476080

The Brussels Times - Alcohol marketing: profiting from vulnerability
Despite declining alcohol consumption in Europe, alcohol remains significantly overproduced in the EU. In 2026 alone, the EU spent €40 million managing surplus wine production—funds that could instead have gone to public health, social support, or community wellbeing.
https://www.brusselstimes.com/2093305/alcohol-marketing-profiting-from-vulnerability

News-Medical - Smartphone overdependence may signal higher alcohol and smoking risk in teens
A large Korean adolescent study links problematic smartphone dependence with higher odds of lifetime drinking and smoking, raising new questions about how digital behaviors, reward-seeking, and substance-use risks may cluster during teenage development.
https://www.news-medical.net/news/20260521/Smartphone-overdependence-may-signal-higher-alcohol-and-smoking-risk-in-teens.aspx

BU Today (USA) - Boston University–Trained High Schoolers Educate Lawmakers About Taxing Alcohol
Boston University–trained high school students visited the Massachusetts State House to share personal stories and data urging lawmakers to support a proposed 10‑cent‑per‑drink alcohol tax increase.
https://www.bu.edu/articles/2026/boston-university-trained-high-schoolers-educate-lawmakers-about-taxing-alcohol/

STAT - Why isn’t alcohol seen as a public health emergency?
Alcohol kills more Americans than any other drug by a wide margin. But discussions about substance use epidemics in the U.S. are usually centered around drugs like fentanyl or meth. In fact, most people in the U.S. do not see alcohol is as much of a public health problem.
https://www.statnews.com/2026/05/15/alcohol-as-public-health-emergency-status-report-alex-hogan/

Nation Thailand (Thailand) - Thailand alcohol controls take effect pending advertising criteria
Thailand's new Alcoholic Beverage Control Act has taken effect, introducing updated restrictions on alcohol. The new controls immediately ban the sale and consumption of alcohol in eight specific types of locations, including public transport hubs, government properties, and public parks.
https://www.nationthailand.com/news/general/40066499

PsyPost - A healthy diet doesn’t cancel out the inflammatory effects of alcohol, study finds
New research published in the journal Alcohol and Alcoholism suggests that moderate to heavy drinking tends to be associated with increased bodily inflammation, even for individuals who maintain a highly nutritious diet.
https://www.psypost.org/a-healthy-diet-doesnt-cancel-out-the-inflammatory-effects-of-alcohol-study-finds/

The Dubrovnik Times (Croatia) - Croatian Parliament Debates New Restrictions on Alcohol Sales
The Croatian Parliament is set to debate urgent amendments to the Trade Act that would allow cities and municipalities to regulate the hours during which alcohol can be sold in shops.
https://www.thedubrovniktimes.com/news/croatia/item/19822-croatian-parliament-debates-new-restrictions-on-alcohol-sales

PopNAD (Sweden) - Sweden opened the door to farm sales of alcohol – here’s who walked in
Who buys alcohol straight from Swedish producers? In this article, Björn Trolldal (CAN) presents findings from a new study based on national survey data, offering a first look at consumer characteristics following the introduction of farm sales in 2025.
https://nordicwelfare.org/popnad/en/artiklar/sweden-opened-the-door-to-farm-sales-of-alcohol-heres-who-walked-in/

University of Sheffield (UK) - What do people with experience of alcohol dependence think about alcohol pricing policy?
Alcohol pricing and tax policies are among the most effective and well-evidenced options for tackling alcohol-related harms1. However, it is less clear how effective they are in reducing alcohol consumption among people with alcohol dependence.
https://sarg-sheffield.ac.uk/blog/what-do-people-with-experience-of-alcohol-dependence-think-about-alcohol-pricing-policy/

IAS - The more you look, the more you drink: how attention to alcohol adverts drives consumption
Alcohol adverts are everywhere: on television, online, at sporting events, and on billboards. We know that exposure to alcohol advertising is linked to increased drinking.
https://www.ias.org.uk/2026/05/19/the-more-you-look-the-more-you-drink-how-attention-to-alcohol-adverts-drives-consumption/

Movendi (Brazil) - Internal Survey on Beer Price Attitudes Reaches Lula’s Inner Circle and Delays Alcohol Tax Reform
An internal survey by Instituto Locomotiva – with framing of questions that mirrors the beer industry’s lobbying messaging – has reached Lula’s advisers and contributed to the government’s decision to postpone the Selective Tax bill until after the October 2026 elections, delaying the centrepiece of Brazil’s alcohol tax reform by at least a year.
https://movendi.ngo/media-snapshot/internal-survey-on-beer-price-attitudes-reaches-lulas-inner-circle-and-delays-alcohol-tax-reform/

The National Law Review - Ohio State Study Targets Alcohol Marketing That Downplays Breast Cancer Risk
A new study at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) seeks to raise awareness of alcohol as a risk factor for cancer specifically among young women.
https://natlawreview.com/press-releases/ohio-state-study-targets-alcohol-marketing-downplays-breast-cancer-risk

NordAN (Greenland) - Greenland debates national alcohol policy with children’s rights at the centre
Greenland’s parliament, Inatsisartut, has held a debate on whether the country should develop a national alcohol policy with children’s rights as the guiding principle. The debate, held on 13 May 2026, was proposed by Nivi Rosing from Inuit Ataqatigiit and asked how Greenland should balance adults’ individual freedom with the protection of children from alcohol-related harm.
https://www.nordicalcohol.org/post/greenland-debates-national-alcohol-policy-with-children-s-rights-at-the-centre

NordAN (Iceland) - Icelandic government confirms online alcohol sales from domestic warehouses are not private importation
A coalition of Icelandic prevention organisations has welcomed the Icelandic Government’s response to the EFTA Surveillance Authority (ESA), saying it clearly confirms that online alcohol sales, as currently carried out in Iceland with domestic warehousing and delivery, are illegal.
https://www.nordicalcohol.org/post/icelandic-government-confirms-online-alcohol-sales-from-domestic-warehouses-are-not-private-importat