Alcohol News - 19/2010

CNN - Drinking alcohol while pregnant can increase childhood leukemia
Drinking mothers increase their unborn babies' risk of developing acute myeloid leukemia (AML) says a study published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers, & Prevention.
http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2010/05/06/drinking-alcohol-while-pregnant-can-increase-childhood-leukemia/

7thSpace Interactive - Focusing on alcohol-attributable illnesses may serve as the strongest catalyst for changing drinking habits
Unhealthy drinking practices are often seen among medical inpatients. While hospitalization is regarded by some as a "teachable moment" for motivating patients to decrease drinking, studies of brief hospital-based interventions have not always found decreases. New findings show that focusing on alcohol-related illnesses may make hospital interventions more effective.
http://7thspace.com/headlines/343856/focusing_on_alcohol_attributable_illnesses_may_serve_as_the_strongest_catalyst_for_changing_drinking_habits.html

Wisconsin State Journal (USA) - Politics Blog: Drunken driving law influenced by alcohol industry, report says
The alcohol industry gave large contributions to legislators in recent years - especially to leaders in the Legislature who control the fate of drunken driving legislation and other bills, according to a report by the Wisconsin Democracy Campaign released Monday.
http://host.madison.com/wsj/news/local/govt_and_politics/blog/article_7fd535e2-5c37-11df-a605-001cc4c002e0.html

Chicago Tribune (USA) - Courts on relatively new ground with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders
As long as his mom could remember, Matthew Link was impulsive, making bad choices and not understanding right from wrong. He required constant supervision and would tell "off-the-wall" stories that made him look tough and powerful.
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-05-09/news/ct-met-fetal-alcohol-justice-20100508_1_fetal-alcohol-spectrum-disorders-fasd-link-family

International Supermarkets (UK) - Alcohol prices fall at supermarkets
Supermarkets are cutting the price of beer to the equivalent of as little as 48p a pint.
http://www.internationalsupermarketnews.com/index.php/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3584:alcohol-prices-fall-at-supermarkets&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=50

Alcolim (Australia) - Alcohol dependence in Australia 'to be tackled by Asbos'
Proposals are being debated in Australia that could reduce the effects of alcohol dependence.
http://www.alcolim.com/Alcohol-Treatment-News/19766333_Alcohol-dependence-in-Australia-to-be-tackled-by-Asbos.html

Washington Post (USA) - What alcohol labeling could do for the military
To the generals' list of strategies to fight obesity in America, which included better school nutrition programs, I would add another: Require the alcohol industry to label the number of calories in beer, wine and hard liquor.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/07/AR2010050704975.html

AsiaOne - Allergic? Stay away from alcohol
If you are sniffling, sneezing and struggling through allergies, you may want to lay off alcohol for a while.
http://health.asiaone.com/Health/News/Story/A1Story20100507-214847.html

BBC News (UK) - Nicola Sturgeon rejects minimum alcohol price call
The health secretary has again rejected calls to reveal the level of the minimum alcohol price which the Scottish government hopes to set.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/8662398.stm

Alcolim (Russia) - Alcohol health risks 'tackled by Russian government'
Russia is to introduce harsher penalties for those who produce and sell alcohol illegally, it has been revealed.
http://www.alcolim.com/Alcohol-Treatment-News/19764261_Alcohol-health-risks-tackled-by-Russian-government.html

BBC News (UK) - Alcohol minimum pricing fears 'unfounded'
Fears that the poorest families could be hardest hit by minimum pricing for alcohol may be unfounded, health campaigners have claimed.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/8660285.stm

CTV.ca (Canada) - Soccer fans want World Cup drinking hours extended
Toronto soccer fans and bar owners are cheering a proposal being kicked around by the city's deputy mayor to extend drinking hours at bars and restaurants during soccer's World Cup.
http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20100507/toronto-world-cup-drinking-100507/20100507/?hub=TorontoNewHome

Fast Company (Japan) - Free Beer Not as Good as It Sounds--Unless You're Pregnant
Kirin's Free beer (as opposed to free beer: that would obviously bankrupt the company PDQ) is a non-alcoholic lager with an interesting marketing campaign attached. Launched last month, the TV spot is filled with young, expectant mothers hanging out in a playground and drinking cans of the amber nectar.
http://www.fastcompany.com/1642975/free-beer-not-as-good-as-it-sounds-unless-youre-pregnant

Irish Independent (Ireland) - What's your real number of units?
Yet another EU survey recently showed Ireland has the highest rate of binge drinkers in Europe but maybe many of those who bemoan this statistic should look at their own drinking habits.
http://www.independent.ie/health/latest-news/whats-your-real-number-of-units-2174007.html

The Epoch Times (Sweden) - Sweden Fighting Teenage Alcohol Abuse
The attitude of parents is a vital factor in the fight against alcohol abuse among teenagers Swedish agencies say. The Swedish National Institute of Public Health has joined forces with national police in a year-long campaign against buying alcohol for teenagers.
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/34641/

Baltic Times (Lithuania) - Record slump in spirits sales shapes new consumer behavior
Though “Eurostat,” the EU Statistics Agency, claims that alcohol retail turnover in Lithuania slumped an EU record-breaking 17.1 percent last year, Lithuanians nonetheless remain on top of alcohol consumption statistics, averaging 11.3 liters of absolute alcohol last year.
http://www.baltictimes.com/news/articles/25857/

nzherald.co.nz (New Zealand) - Alcohol blamed for kick-starting suicide bids
A new study has found that alcohol is to blame for most suicide attempts by overdosing.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10643536