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Monday, December 27, 2010

Alcohol News - 52/2010

Daily Mail (Finland) - The 'violent' gene: Genetic mutation found only in Finnish men that makes them fight
A genetic mutation that makes men impulsive and aggressive, especially when drunk, has been isolated in Finnish men. Research on violent criminals in Finland has uncovered a genetic variant of a brain receptor molecule that contributes that makes people more likely to be aggressive when they have been drinking.
Bloomberg (Denmark) - Alcoholics May Stop at One Drink With Help From Lundbeck Anti-Abuse Drug
The first pill designed to curb a person’s urge to have more than a few drinks at a sitting is undergoing tests in Europe, promising doctors and public-health authorities a new approach to fighting alcoholism. The drug, nalmefene from H. Lundbeck A/S in Valby, Denmark, blocks brain signals that make activities such as sex and drinking feel good. Should trials succeed, the medicine may win clearance in Europe as early as 2012, becoming the first new alcoholism treatment approved there in more than 15 years.
The Baltic Course (Lithuania) - Alcohol excise tax not to be cut in Lithuania
The Seimas in Lithuania has supported the presidential veto, refusing to reduce the excise duty on alcoholic beverages.
Los Angeles Times (USA) - Infant deaths from SIDS surges on New Year's Day, new study finds
Babies who die from SIDS are 33% more likely to die on New Year's Day than any other day of the year, a new study finds. Researchers say alcohol use the night before by parents or caretakers may play a role in SIDS deaths.
NPR - Parenting Style Plays Key Role In Teen Drinking
For teenagers, friends play a big role in the decision to take that first drink. And by the 12th grade, more than 65 percent of teens have at least experimented with alcohol. But what parents do during the high school years can also influence whether teens go on to binge drink or abuse alcohol.
MedPage Today - Alcohol Linked to Psoriasis in Women
Women who have more than two alcoholic drinks a week -- particularly nonlight beer -- appear to be at increased risk of developing psoriasis, a large prospective study found.
TIME - Even Small Amounts of Holiday Drinking Boost Cancer Risk
More evidence for the conventional wisdom of "everything in moderation": even a small increase in alcohol intake can up the risk of several different kinds of cancer, according to researchers at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Texas, so revelers would be wise not to overindulge this holiday party season.
Daily Nation (Kenya) - Festive season with a difference as new alcohol control law keeps Kenyans sober
It is Christmas once again and, for the first time in Kenya, the father of the house might just be sober, thanks to the new alcohol law. For the first time ever, bars were not allowed to open all night on Christmas Eve. They will also remain closed until 2 pm on Christmas day.
YLE News (Finland) - Finns Willing to Pay More Tax on Alcohol and Tobacco
Finns appear willing to favour increases in taxation on alcohol, tobacco, confectionery and capital gains in order to balance public finances, a survey commissioned by YLE indicates. However, there is little enthusiasm for higher income or energy taxes, the survey carried out by pollster Taloustutkimus reveals.
Voxy (New Zealand) - Kiwis Challenged To Give Up Alcohol In February
We're heading into the silly season, a time when Kiwis drink a lot more than usual. But a new campaign hosted by the Drug Foundation will provide New Zealanders with a much needed opportunity to give their bodies a break in February.
UPI.com (EU) - Europe urged to address excessive drinking
Researchers in Athens for a meeting hosted by the European Association warned Europe has the highest rate of alcohol consumption in the world and 1-in-15 adults suffers serious health conditions as a result.
Economic Times (India) - Delhi to be first city with 2D bar-coding on liquor bottles
In a move to check sale of spurious liquor and bootlegging, all alcohol bottles sold in the city will soon have two-dimensional modern bar coding with Delhi government today deciding to rope in Tata Consultancy Service for the purpose.
AngolaPress (Angola) - Archbishop urges abstinence from exaggerated consumption of alcohol
The archbishop of Lubango, Gabriel Mbiligui, urged Tuesday in this city the population to abstain from exaggerated consumption of alcohol during Christmas and new year.

Friday, December 24, 2010

Monday, December 20, 2010

Alcohol News - 51/2010

Views and News from Norway (Norway) - Drunk and disorderly
As Norwegians head into the last weekend before Christmas, the holiday party season known as julebordsesong will hit its climax. It won’t be unusual to see drunken Norwegians staggering along Karl Johans Gate in Oslo, or along Bryggen in Bergen. Sleeping city residents can often be rudely awakened at 4:30am by drunks yelling on the sidewalk outside, even in this winter’s bitterly cold temperatures.
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Statistics Finland (Finland) – Causes of death 2009
The number of alcohol-related deaths has almost doubled in twenty years. The biggest growth was seen half-way into the first decade of the 2000s when the alcohol tax was lowered. In the past few years, the number of alcohol-related deaths has remained almost unchanged and even fallen somewhat.
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North American Studies (Finland/USA) - “MUCH MORE THAN PROHIBITION: AN OVERVIEW OF DIFFERENCES IN ATTITUDES AND POLICY TOWARD ALCOHOL IN FINLAND AND THE UNITED STATES”
The subject of my presentation is “Much more than Prohibition,” because the paper I presented at the conference emphasized the extensive similarities that existed between the two nation’s alcohol policies during the 1920s. Much of the scientific temperance literature used in advocating for Prohibition in Finland originated from American temperance groups.
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European Addiction Research (Sweden) - Alcohol Habits in Sweden during 1997–2009 with Particular Focus on 2005 and 2009, Assessed with the AUDIT: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Study
Earlier increases in drinking levels between 1997 and 2001 may reflect a latent high demand that was restricted by low availability. When availability due to European Union harmonization increased, alcohol consumption followed suit. After a period of adaptation, alcohol consumption appears to have stabilized.
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BMJ (Denmark) - Testing the validity of the Danish urban myth that alcohol can be absorbed through feet: open labelled self experimental study
Our results suggest that feet are impenetrable to the alcohol component of vodka. We therefore conclude that the Danish urban myth of being able to get drunk by submerging feet in alcoholic beverages is just that; a myth. The implications of the study are many though.
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Boston Herald (USA) - Mass. alcohol poisoning deaths soar in past decade
Alcohol poisoning deaths are soaring in Massachusetts, and state health officials are pointing to a number of potential causes — from binge drinking to the sales tax exemption given to alcohol sold in stores.
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BusinessWeek - AA May Help Stem Alcohol Abuse in Female Convicts
Attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings at least once a week increases the likelihood that jailed women and those recently released from jail can recover from alcohol abuse, researchers have found.
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Pediatric SuperSite - Caregiver alcohol consumption increased risk for SIDS
Alcohol consumption by parents appeared to be a risk for sudden infant death syndrome, according to researchers from the University of California, San Diego.
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Medscape - Moderate Alcohol Intake May Raise Risk for Amphetamine Abuse
Research published today provides more evidence that drinking moderate amounts of alcohol may increase an individual's vulnerability to amphetamine abuse.
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Mediapost.com (USA) - Over the Limit: Underage Kids See More Alcohol Ads
A new study claims a rise in TV alcohol advertising to underage young viewers -- and that the distilled spirits industry has breached its self-imposed limits.
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Los Angeles Times (New Zealand) - New Zealand reconsiders laws liberalizing sale of alcoholic drinks
The brightly colored poster for the annual fundraiser at an elementary school in this quaint town tucked into Tasman Bay advertised face painting, a bouncy castle — and a fully licensed bar.
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Times LIVE (South Africa) - New law might ban Alcohol adverts
New legislation might ban alcohol brands from advertising, place a moratorium on new liquor licenses and make any drinking before driving illegal, Beeld reported on Thursday.
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BBC News (UK) - High income households among biggest alcohol drinkers
Top earners are more likely to drink alcohol frequently than adults in poorer households, a survey says. The Health Survey for England 2009 found that 29% of men and 17% of women in the highest-earning group consumed alcohol on five or more days a week.
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Montreal Gazette (Canada) - Make booze cheap for homeless, costly for everyone else: Study
Rock-bottom liquor prices should be raised to limit excess drinking among young people and heavy drinkers, but liquor should be given free to homeless drunks to manage their consumption, a new University of Victoria study says.
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PR Newswire (USA) - Fed Delays on Alcohol Labeling Stymieing National Policies on Alcohol and Obesity
The National Consumers League (NCL) has once again called on the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) to issue a final rule to improve alcohol beverage labeling.
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Vancouver Sun (Canada) - Walking while intoxicated can be a high-risk activity
Heading into the two deadliest days of the year for pedestrians, experts say dangers of 'drinking and walking' should be taken seriously.
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msnbc.com - Liquor store density linked to domestic violence
Opening more neighborhood pubs and liquor stores could lead to more violence in local residents' homes, hints a new Australian study.
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Internal Medicine News Digital Network - Changes in Cigarette Prices Affect Alcohol Consumption
Raising cigarette taxes has the unwanted effect of increasing alcohol consumption, including binge and heavy drinking.
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PhysOrg.com - Individuals who are victimized -- especially in childhood -- likely to abuse alcohol and other drugs
A new study finds strong associations between victims' experiences -- such as unwanted sexual activity, neglect and physical violence -- and substance use disorders.
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BBC News (UK) - Debate called for on alcohol ban on public transport
Rail and bus operators have been urged to consider an alcohol ban by a drinks awareness charity. Alcohol Concern said the majority of assaults on the staff of one train company in Wales were alcohol-related.
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PR Newswire - Preconceived Notions About Alcohol Lead to Trouble for Students Traveling Abroad, LMU Study Finds
American college students participate in study abroad programs to expand their horizons and experience life among different cultures. But their attitudes toward alcohol use in other countries can create negative consequences, a Loyola Marymount University study has found.
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Online News Website (EU) - Excessive Alcohol Consumption Growing Problem in Europe
Europe is dealing with the problem of excessive alcohol consumption and the life-threatening effects it is having on it’s citizens.
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NW Evening Mail (UK) - ‘Bigger killers than banned narcotics’
A LEADING Cumbrian drugs expert says alcohol and tobacco are bigger killers than any banned narcotic.
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Eurasia Review (Russia) - Russia: Binge Drinking and Sudden Death
Alcohol is a major cause of unnecessary death among Russian men. That fact is unlikely to surprise even the most casual observer of Russia. But after crunching several years’ worth of data, a leading researcher expressed a sense of surprise over the extent of reckless drinking in Russia and its impact on heart disease.
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Friday, December 17, 2010

Monday, December 13, 2010

Alcohol News - 50/2010

BNN News (Lithuania) - Lithuania lowers excise tax on alcohol
The Lithuanian Parliament has supported the reduction of excise tax on alcohol by 27.5%. The new tariff will enter into force on January 1, next year.
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SIRUS.no(Norway) - Alcohol and Drugs in Norway 2010
This publication presents a selection of statistics related to alcohol and other substances. The National Institute for Drug and Alcohol Research (SIRUS) obtain the data from public statistics and our own studies. This is twenty-second edition of Alcohol and Drugs in Norway.
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UmeƄ University (Sweden) - Social marketing design and evaluation of responsible drinking: A case study of the Swedish organization IQ-initiativet AB
The field of marketing does not only consist of traditional marketing and the focus on promoting products and services to increase sales. In recent years a new branch within the marketing field has been established with the focus of promoting behaviours that will benefit the individual and the society as a whole; social marketing. Our purpose with this paper is not only to introduce the reader to social marketing but to describe and explain how social marketing campaigns are created and how the campaigns can be evaluated.
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URA-Inform (Ukraine/Estonia) - Ukraine bypassed Estonia on mortality rates from alcoholism
Ukraine has the second highest death rate from alcohol abuse (including alcoholic psychosis) in the whole WHO European Region and gives primacy only in Estonia.
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ECL (EU) - ALCOHOL AND CANCER: RESEARCH EVIDENCE AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS
For the first time in the European Parliament, the MEPs Against Cancer (MAC) interest group hosted a meeting to evaluate the cancer hazards of alcoholic beverages, and the potential impact of this knowledge on alcohol-related policy in order to address concerns over a lack of public awareness about the carcinogenicity of alcohol.
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BusinessWeek (USA) - 40 Million in U.S. Driving Drunk or Drugged
Despite massive efforts to curb drunk driving, some 30 million Americans are driving drunk and another 10 million are driving drugged each year, federal officials report.
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The Daily Princetonian (USA) - Lower legal age would not curb binge drinking, study says
A new research study challenges the idea that lowering the legal drinking age from 21 to 18 will help lower binge drinking on college campuses.
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WalesOnline (Wales) - Hospital alcohol admissions highest for a decade
THE number of people admitted to hospital with an alcohol-related health problem in Wales has reached a 10-year high.
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ABC News (Australia) - Dry areas just send grog trouble elsewhere: study
Controls on price, trading hours and the number of alcohol outlets are among the most effective strategies for reducing alcohol harm in Indigenous communities, a report from the National Drug Research Institute says.
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Daily Nation (Kenya) - Alcohol law all set to limit drinking hours
Kenyans should not expect their local pubs to operate round the clock this festive season as the regulations of the alcohol law may be published in a week.
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Sify (China) - Alcohol ups risk of coronary artery disease in Chinese men
A Chinese study has suggested that moderate-to-heavy alcohol consumption increases angiographically significant coronary artery disease.
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EASL (Europe) - Liver experts’ consensus: European citizens are drinking themselves to death
New research and measures to tackle societal alcohol consumption are to be announced at liver disease conference Athens, Greece, Saturday 11th December 2010: Europe is failing to deal with the life-threatening effects of excessive and regular alcohol consumption on its citizens’ health.
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Vancouver Sun (Canada) - Quebec drops plan to lower blood-alcohol level for drivers
The Quebec government caved in to popular resistance and political opposition Monday by dropping a measure to lower its legal blood-alcohol level for drivers.
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DI-VE (Malta) - Maltese alcohol consumption lowest in EU, report maintains
Malta has the lowest rate of alcohol consumption in the EU, and the lowest proportion of 15-year-old who have been drunk, a European report claims.
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UPI.com (EU) - WHO: Europe has heart lifestyle issues
About 4 million people die annually in Europe from cardiovascular disease attributed to lifestyle rather than underlying medical conditions, a researcher says. Dr. Lars Moller of the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe says public awareness and education campaigns have not succeeded in reducing cardiovascular disease.
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OECD (EU) - Health at a Glance: Europe 2010
This special edition of Health at a Glance focuses on health issues across the 27 European Union member states, three European Free Trade Association countries (Iceland, Norway and Switzerland) and Turkey. It gives readers a better understanding of the factors that affect the health of populations and the performance of health systems in these countries.
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HGV UK (EU) - European police issue drink drive warning
Police officers across Europe will be running their one-week campaign to mount a crackdown on drivers impaired by alcohol or drugs. The European Traffic Police Network (TISPOL) is again warning drivers of the dangers of driving while impaired by alcohol, or drugs, or a combination of the two.
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Terra.com (Spain) - Spaniards Use Less Cocaine, but Get More Drunk
A study indicates that alcohol and tobacco consumption in Spain are lower than 3 years ago. It also shows that drug usage went down for the first time.
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Washington Post (USA) - Experts debate merit of making drinking age 21
What role does the 21-year-old drinking age play in the phenomenon of young adults bingeing on alcohol? This has become a fiercely debated topic in the past few years.
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Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Alcohol News - 49/2010

Bertelsmann Stiftung (Finland) - An attempt to ban evocative alcohol advertising
In summer 2009 the Finnish Government set up a working group to evaluate, among others, whether restrictions on evocative (visual) alcohol advertising were necessary. The working group finished its work in summer 2010 and concluded that no additional measures were needed concerning evocative alcohol advertising. This raised opposition, and consequently a bill proposing that only product information would be allowed to be shown in the commercials was introduced in Parliament in September 2010.
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Stylish Classic (Denmark) - Alcohol may affect sperm health
The decrease in sperm count seen in men, in Europe and the United States in recent decades could be due, at least in part, to exposure to alcohol in utero. In a study published recently in the journal Human Reproduction, Cecilia Ramlau-Hansen and colleagues at the University Hospital of Aarhus (Denmark) show that men whose mothers drank more than one drink per day during pregnancy have sperm production reduced by one third, and the effects are already noticeable after only two drinks per week, or 24 grams of alcohol. This is the first time such a link is highlighted.
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Baltic News Network (Lithuania) – Lithuania extends alcohol sale time
Starting from January 1, spirits will be sold from 8.00 AM to 12.00 AM, reports Runet.lt. 60 Parliament deputies voted for the amendments, while 40 were against, nine deputies refrained.
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UPI.com (Canada) - Quebec nixes lower drivers' alcohol limit
Quebec's government has reversed itself on a plan to lower the maximum blood-alcohol limit for drivers to 0.05 per cent from 0.08 per cent, officials said.
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WebProNews - Google Adjusts AdWords Alcohol Policy
Google has made changes to its advertising policy on alcohol for AdWords. The company now allows ads to promote the sale of hard alcohol and liquor.
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Renal and Urology New - Alcohol May Adversely Affects Vision in Type 2 diabetics
Moderate and heavy alcohol consumption may be associated with an increased risk of declining visual acuity, but not diabetic retinopathy, in patients with type 2 diabetes, data suggest.
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Fiji Broadcasting Corporation Ltd (Fiji) - Cigarettes and alcohol abuse kills: Ministry
More then 82% of Fiji’s population die of non-communicable diseases says the Health Ministry and two major contributing factors are the excessive use of cigarettes and alcohol.
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Herald.ie (Ireland) - Teens' horror at seeing mums and dads being drunk
THE vast majority of teenagers believe parents should not get drunk in front of their children, new research has shown.
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WalesOnline (Wales) - North Wales: ‘Smoking, alcohol and drugs are key concerns’
The lifestyles of people living in the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board area, which covers Anglesey, Gwynedd, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire and Wrexham are generally in line with the Welsh average.
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Medical Daily - Stigma discourages those with alcohol disorders from receiving treatment
Despite the existence of effective programs for treating alcohol dependencies and disorders, less than a quarter of people who are diagnosed actually seek treatment. In a recent study by Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health researchers report that people diagnosed with alcoholism at some point in their lifetime were more than 60% less likely to seek treatment if they believed they would be stigmatized once their status is known.
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The Korea Herald (South Korea) - Share of household spending on alcohol, cigarettes drops
The ratio of Koreans’ spending on alcohol and cigarettes to their total spending fell to a record low in the third quarter as people grew concerned about their health, data showed Monday.
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TMCnet (WHO) - Itransition Helps WHO Launch Initiative to Prevent Alcohol and Substance Abuse
Itransition Software Development Company, an international software development company, along with the World Health Organization (WHO), the Dutch Ministry of Health, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction (the Trimbos), have launched a new pilot project with the objective to prevent alcohol and substance abuse in Brazil, India, Mexico and Belarus.
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InsideVandy (USA) - STUDY: Alcohol consumption has an impact on final grades
Final exams are less than a week away, and students will be confronted with choices that will have an impact on their academic performance. A recent study conducted at the U.S. Air Force Academy found that alcohol consumption before and during final exam period is detrimental to students’ performance.
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The Guardian (UK) - David Nutt: 'The government cannot think logically about drugs'
If someone were to invent a perfectly safe ecstasy pill, what would be done about it? It's the sort of scenario clubbers like to speculate about, usually at around 6am, a little the worse for wear after a big night out. It's less common to hear it from a neuropsychopharmacologist and former government scientist – but it is, Professor David Nutt says earnestly, "the key question". So what does he think the government would do?
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Radio New Zealand (New Zealand) - Full strength beer ban at all cricket internationals
New Zealand Cricket says full-strength beer will not be sold at any venue during international matches this summer.
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Irish Medical Times (Ireland) - Ireland paying heavy price for alcohol
“We are all paying a high price for cheap alcohol,” the national charity for alcohol-related issues, Alcohol Action Ireland, has warned, while calling on the Government to implement budgetary measures it says could earn the Exchequer up to €182 million additional revenue and help reduce the estimated €3.7 billion in avoidable costs caused by alcohol-related harm each year.
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WalesOnline (Wales) - Call for zero alcohol drink-drive limit
PARENTS who have lost children to drink-drivers last night attacked the Government for failing to introduce an immediate “zero” alcohol limit for motorists.
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Jerusalem Post (Israel) - Many women unaware alcohol and pregnancy don’t mix
Less than a quarter of Israeli women are aware of the risk of drinking alcohol during pregnancy, according to a study conducted by pediatrician Dr. Yehuda Santzky and the Schneider Children’s Medical Center in Petah Tikva.
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Washington Post (USA) - Experts debate merit of making drinking age 21
What role does the 21-year-old drinking age play in the phenomenon of young adults bingeing on alcohol? This has become a fiercely debated topic in the past few years.
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