Pages

Monday, December 26, 2011

Alcohol New - 52/2011


PsychCentral.com - Alcohol Ups Aggression in Present-Focused Drinkers
Getting drunk increases aggression in people who have one particular personality trait: the inability to consider the future consequences of current behavior, according to new research.
Read more
MarketWatch (USA) - Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY) Charts Alcohol Industry's Digital Marketing, Questions Adequacy of Industry's Self-Regulation to Avoid Exposing Youth to "Alcohol Experience"
The Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health today released a four-part YouTube movie ( http://www.youtube.com/user/JohnsHopkinsSPH ) charting the alcohol industry's push into digital marketing and raising questions whether the industry's self-regulation is adequately protecting underage youth from exposure to the "alcohol experience" available on social marketing platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.
Read more
Reuters (Philippines) - Philippines to review alcohol taxes after WTO ruling
The Philippines will review taxes on foreign alcohol products following a World Trade Organisation decision that the current system was discriminatory and the trade minister said the government will look at how to assist affected local distillers.
Read more
Telegraph.co.uk (UK) - Hidden alcohol problem among elderly
A growing number of older people are exceeding the recommended alcohol limit, many of whom only develop harmful drinking habits when faced with bereavement, tedium and other stresses of retirement.
Read more
aidsmap - Alcohol increases desire for sex without condoms: systematic review
Alcohol consumption has an impact on the intention of individuals to have unprotected sex, according to the results of a systematic review and meta-analysis published in the journal Addiction.
Read more
Scottish Daily Record (Scotland) - Plan for minimum alcohol prices will be contested in court admits Nicola Sturgeon
LEGISLATION for a minimum unit price for alcohol is "almost certain" to meet a legal challenge, the Health Secretary has said.
Read more
Scotsman (Scotland) - One in seven children ‘drinking regularly’
THE scale of Scotland’s under-age alcohol problem was laid bare yesterday when a new survey showed that more than one third of 15 year-olds and one in seven 13 years olds admitted that they had taken a drink in the previous week.
Read more
Vibe Ghana (Ghana) - Chief alarmed at rate of alcohol consumption in Builsa
The Nasuing Naab, Alex Azantilow, Regent of the Builsa Traditional Area, on Wednesday said alcohol consumption among the people is assuming an alarming proportion and affecting the manpower of the area.
Read more
The Stir - Alcohol Hits Women Way Harder Than Men
You know how your husband can drink a few beers and not even blink, whereas you're wearing the proverbial lampshade after only a glass and a half of wine? A new study has underscored what we all know to be true: Alcohol affects women much more dramatically than it does men.
Read more
The New Age Online (South Africa)  - Presidential adviser’s blood ‘free of alcohol’
“The police are in sh*t. Blood sample results are back, alcohol in my blood: zero. I told them, banyile ngekhe ndibayeke.” So tweeted President Jacob Zuma’s adviser, Zizi Kodwa, on Tuesday.
Read more
Daily Mail (UK) - A taste for champers! Cuts-hit BBC ran up a £366,000 bill on alcohol in five years
BBC executives were last night accused of ‘living it up on the licence fee’ after it emerged that the Corporation has spent £366,000 on alcohol in the past five years.
Read more
Irish Times (Ireland) - No cheery side to excessive drinking at Christmas time
HOW OFTEN have you heard it said that drinking is part of our culture, part of our social norm, part of our economy? There’s reality and truth in this. You’re not a bad person if you like a drink, or for that matter if you don’t, and the Irish pub is a venue to be preserved as part of our natural heritage.
Read more
Medscape - Help for Drinking Unpopular During Minor Injury Treatment
Patients presenting at minor injuries units (MIUs) in the United Kingdom may often fit the profile of "hazardous"" drinkers, making such settings ideal for interventions and advice to support problem drinking, according to a pilot study published online December 21 in Emergency Medicine Journal.

Monday, December 19, 2011

Alcohol News - 51/2011


The Baltic Course (Latvia) - 40 cigarettes and liter of alcohol allowed to be carried into Latvia without paying taxes only once per week
In 2012, individuals will be able to transport 40 cigarettes and a liter of alcohol across Latvia's borders without paying taxes only once a week, according to amendments to the Law on Excise Tax that Saeima passed in the second and final reading today.
Read more
Gastroenterology & Endoscopy News (Sweden) - Increased Alcoholism Rates Seen After Gastric Bypass Surgery
European researchers have found that gastric bypass patients have an increased risk for postoperative alcohol dependence, according to data presented at the 2011 Digestive Disease Week (DDW) meeting (abstract 266). Based on the findings of a retrospective cohort analysis of more than 12,000 bariatric surgery patients, the investigators are calling for clinicians to examine gastric bypass patients for alcohol-related diagnoses.
Read more
Eurocare (Lithuania) - The President of the Republic of Lithuania and the Lithuanian Parliament do not want a ban of alcohol advertisement
Two years ago, Lithuania showed willingness to protect health of its citizens by restricting alcohol marketing. The Lithuanian Health Program and Alcohol Control Law suggested an alcohol marketing ban from 1 January 2012. However, that situation has now changed, after a regrettable Parliament decision has stopped the process.
Read more
BBC News (UK) - Alcohol 'over provided' in some parts of Highlands
Alcohol is too widely available and harming health in some parts of the Highlands, the area's health board has warned.
Read more
Offlicence News (UK) - Alcohol pricing scheme is illegal, minister says
The government remains convinced that minimum unit pricing for alcohol is illegal under European law, despite the Scottish government’s determination to press ahead with the policy.
Read more
New York Daily News - Loud music makes alcohol taste sweeter: study
At a bar where the music is so loud you can’t hear yourself think? Be mindful of the number of drinks you tip back, as new research suggests that loud environments can make alcohol taste sweeter and impair judgement.
Read more
PsychCentral.com - Texting for Alcohol Intervention in High-Risk Young Adults
A new study explores text messaging as a method to interact with young adults to reduce alcohol consumption and decrease binge episodes.
Read more
HealthCanal.com - New strain of lab mice mimics human alcohol consumption patterns
A line of laboratory mice developed by a researcher from the School of Science at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis drinks more alcohol than other animal models and consumes it in a fashion similar to humans: choosing alcohol over other options and binge drinking.
Read more
The Independent (UK) - Britain's alcohol crisis: Is there a cure for the biggest hangover in Europe?
Minimum pricing on alcohol will not beat Britain's burgeoning drink problem, the Health Secretary insists, defying medical experts.
Read more
Stuff.co.nz (New Zealand) - Alcohol-price finding challenged
Research that claims lifting the price of alcohol will not curb binge drinking has been denounced by a leading alcohol health promotion group.
Read more
AllAfrica.com (Rwanda) - Youth Warned Against Drugs, Alcohol
Abuse of drugs and alcohol are among the main challenges that continue to hinder the development of the youth and could potentially derail the country's economic development, it has emerged.
Read more
Mashable (UK) - British Facebook Users Are Intoxicated in 76% of Their Photos [STUDY]
The average British person is under the influence of alcohol in three-quarters of of his or her tagged Facebook photos, according to a new study.
Read more
Medical Daily - Underage Drinking Boosts Criminal Activity: Researchers
While alcohol has frequently been linked to criminal activity among adults, a new study finds that there is a strong association between childhood drinking and criminal activity.
Read more
Hindustan Times (UK) – Why mums tend to turn to alcohol
More mothers are now getting inclined towards alcohol to cope up with the pressure of becoming Supermums to their kids, a new study has revealed. This lifestyle of mothers is putting their children at risk of depression and anxiety.
Read more
The Atlantic Wire (Egypt) - Egyptian Voters Go to the Polls to Decide the Fate of Alcohol and Bikinis
Egypt's second of three rounds of parliamentary elections began today, and two of the big talking points during this election are booze and beachwear -- at least according to CNN's report.
Read more
Native Times (USA) - Alcohol: The strongest enemy we have ever faced
I have thought long and hard about this dominating thing we have in our lives, the dominating thing that has been used as a weapon, as a means to rob us of not only our lands but also our proud warrior mentality.
Read more
The Press Association (Canada/Scotland) - Minimum booze price 'cuts drinking'
Minimum unit pricing for alcohol has been credited with cutting consumption in part of Canada.
Scottish Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon highlighted the findings of a study into the impact of the policy in British Columbia as evidence that her own pricing plan will tackle Scotland's alcohol problems.
Read more
Irish Times (Ireland) - Drivers warned about alcohol in their system on morning after night out
ANYONE PLANNING to drive the morning after a night out should use an alternative means of travel if they are in any doubt about whether they still have alcohol in their system, Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar said yesterday.
Read more

New Zealand Herald (Australia) - New warning labels for pregnant women on NZ liquor products
Warning labels aimed at pregnant women will be added to all alcohol products in New Zealand and Australia.
Read more
Telegraph.co.uk (UK) - Britain will never have a Mediterranean drinking culture
One of the many things I prefer about being in France to England, along with the superior food, beautiful architecture and even more beautiful language, is their civilised attitude to alcohol – cheap, freely available and not used by the authorities as an excuse to constantly tell the population how horrible and rubbish they are.
Read more
openPR (Canada) - Canadian Pharmacies Convinced Alcohol Consumption Causes More Damage than Good
Alcohol consumption has always invited strong debates, some in favor of drinking while others finding potential harm to health far more serious.
Read more

Monday, December 12, 2011

Alcohol News - 50/2011


Mindshare (Lithuania) - Alcohol advertising ban denied
Lithuanian Parliament has abjured complete ban of alcohol advertising. Alcohol advertising details are in constant questioning, as the latter plan oversaw a complete ban of outdoor, internet and print advertising.
Read more
ERR News (Estonia) - Temperance Activists Seek Warning Labels for Pregnant Women on Booze Bottles
The Temperance Union is participating in a Pan-European initiative which aims to introduce labels on liquor bottles, warning women of the hazards of consuming alcohol during pregnancy.
Read more
Copenhagen Post (Denmark) - Drunken Danes
At a friend’s recent birthday party, I had the pleasure of being told by an intoxicated teenager that young Danes hold the record for drinking to excess in Europe. His face lit up as he bragged that his generation drank even more than the Brits and that this was an achievement to celebrate.
Read more
The Independent (UK) - Alcohol diseases double in 7 years
The Health Minister Andrew Lansley was forced to defend his controversial "hands off" approach to public health yesterday as new figures revealed hospital admissions for alcohol-related diseases have doubled in the past seven years.
Read more
Examiner.com - Alcohol leads to unsafe sex – it is now official
Some things in life are a matter of common sense. The idea that the consumption of alcohol would lead to a higher incidence of unsafe sex is such a commonsense concept.
Read more
Wall Street Journal (USA) - New Distracted Driving Measure Shows Alcohol Is Still The Bigger Threat
The safety threat posed by drivers who text and talk behind the wheel generates a lot of heat, but drinking and driving remains the bigger problem, according to the latest highway fatality statistics from the U.S. government.
Read more
AllAfrica.com (Liberia) - Consumers Council Warns Children Against Alcohol
The National Consumers Council of Liberia (NCCL) has warned Liberian children to stay far from alcohol during the Christmas and the New Year seasons. The NCCL said its attention has been drawn to the continuous intake of alcoholic beverages by children despite the Ministry of Commerce and Industry's regulation, prohibiting the sale of alcoholic beverages to children.
Read more
The Press Association (Scotland) - Sales of alcohol down since ban
Alcohol sales have fallen since the ban on multi-buy deals was introduced in October, new figures suggest. Retail analysts Neilsen said sales of wine fell by 5%, spirits 3% and beer 8% during the first eight weeks of the ban, compared with the same period of 2010.
Read more
BBC News (Scotland) - Scottish alcohol sales fall after multibuy ban
The amount of alcohol sold in Scottish shops and supermarkets has fallen since a ban on multi-buy deals was brought in this October, figures show.
Read more
Telegraph.co.uk (UK) - Unhealthy lifestyle responsible for 'half of cancers'
Almost half of cancers are caused by an unhealthy lifestyle that could be avoided by quitting smoking, losing weight, exercising and drinking less alcohol, the most comprehensive study of its kind has found.
Read more
Daily Mail (UK) - Drinks company slammed for handing out free alcohol to student blood donors
A drinks company has been slammed for handing out free alcohol to teenage blood donors.
Photographs posted via Facebook showed students being given cases of Turbo shandy as they queued at a temporary blood bank outside a church in Leeds, West Yorkshire.
Read more
NPR (France) - French Lessons: Why Letting Kids Drink At Home Isn't Tres Bien
Many European parents, and some American ones, too, have long figured if they let their kids drink alcohol at home, they'd be less likely to go hog wild with their friends. But recent studies of teen drinking behavior don't bear that out.
Read more
Telegraph.co.uk - Middle-aged drive to avoid peer pressure of drinking
Middle-aged people regularly volunteer to drive to dinner parties just to resist "mature" peer pressure to drink, according to new research.
Read more
The Daily Telegraph (Australia) - Alcohol labels to warn mums-to-be
THE country's leading health experts will today call on the federal government to impose mandatory warning labels for pregnant women on all alcoholic drinks.
Read more
7thSpace Interactiv (EU) - Drinking behaviours and blood alcohol concentration in four European drinking environments: a cross-sectional study
Reducing harm in drinking environments is a growing priority for European alcohol policy yet few studies have explored nightlife drinking behaviours. This study examines alcohol consumption and blood alcohol concentration (BAC) in drinking environments in four European cities.
Read more
Stuff.co.nz (New Zealand) - Booze and networking meet online
An iPhone cover that counts how many beers you have opened, an app that stops you sending drunken abusive texts, and a program that matches your drinks to your musical tastes are all encouraging a strong link between social media and drinking, researchers say.
Read more
PhysOrg.com - The perils of drunken walking
Drinking and driving is a much-publicized, dangerous combination, but is walking after drinking any safer?
Read more
HGV UK (EU) - Motorists get pan-European drink drive warning
Motorists across Europe, including truck drivers can expect to be tested for alcohol as police officers conduct a week-long enforcement operation starting tomorrow, Monday 12 December.
Read more
Croatian Times (Croatia) - Croatian parents accustomed to giving children alcohol
Some Croatian parents continue to believe in nutritional values of alcohol and give their first graders wine or beer often, recent research shows.
Read more
Malta Independent Online (Malta) - Zero tolerance approach to drink-driving – Health Minister
Health Minister Joe Cassar yesterday urged the public to adopt a zero tolerance mentality to drink-driving and called on society to evaluate whether too much alcohol is being consumed for enjoyment, not just at Christmas but all year round.
Read more

Sunday, December 11, 2011

FASD News - 49/2011


NEWS and ARTICLES

Net Newsledger (Canada) - “Ontario needs to step up and get serious with the prevention of FASD”
Anishinabek Nation Deputy Grand Council Chief Glen Hare says that Ontario needs to step up and get serious with the prevention of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.
Read more
Reno Gazette-Journal (USA) - John Packham: Prevention plays powerful role in fight against Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
Prenatal exposure to alcohol and other drugs is the leading cause of preventable birth defects and intellectual disabilities in Nevada. Children born to women who use alcohol during pregnancy have an elevated risk for a number of lifelong negative health and developmental outcomes.
Read more
PR Web - Film about Preventable Birth Defects Subject of Christmas Release
Award-winning film maker, Tom Monson announced the world-wide release of Last Call, the Sobering Truth about Drinking During Pregnancy. Amazingly, 20% women drink alcohol while they are pregnant. One of the most comprehensive documentaries on the subject, the producer believes a timely release will save babies from a life of pain and unfulfilled dreams.
Read more
The Daily Telegraph (Australia) - Alcohol labels to warn mums-to-be
THE country's leading health experts will today call on the federal government to impose mandatory warning labels for pregnant women on all alcoholic drinks.
Read more
Twin Cities Planet (USA) - Fetal alcohol program takes unique cultural approach
A parenting program developed in Minnesota and aimed at helping Indian families affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder goes national early next year.
Read more
Asian Scientist Magazine (Australia) - Study: Some Pregnant Women Still Smoke And Drink
A recent study by the Australian Institute of Family Studies has found a minority of Australian women still report drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes during pregnancy.
Read more
ERR News (Estonia) - Temperance Activists Seek Warning Labels for Pregnant Women on Booze Bottles
The Temperance Union is participating in a Pan-European initiative which aims to introduce labels on liquor bottles, warning women of the hazards of consuming alcohol during pregnancy.
Read more
Nunatsiaq News (Canada) - KRG wants health board to adopt a “zero-tolerance” for drinking by pregnant women
Women in Nunavik should not drink when they are pregnant. That’s the clear position of counsellors at the Kativik Regional Government.
Read More
The Nation (Nigeria) - ‘First three months of pregnancy are critical’
There are actually many things that can cause heart defects. When we say Hole in the heart, it comprises of a whole bunch of problems. It is just a layman’s terminology to describe congenital heart diseases.
Read more
Detroit Free Press -Risk of disease partially established in womb, scientists say
Pregnant women sacrifice many of life's simple pleasures -- caffeine, sushi, a glass of wine -- in the hope that their babies will be born healthy.
Read more
iPolitics (Canada) - Feds fund study to determine cost of fetal alcohol disorders
The Conservative government is tasking a study to determine the financial toll of various disabilities in children and adults whose mothers drank alcohol during pregnancy.
Read more
The Star (Canada) - Better testing needed to diagnose fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, Canadian expert Sterling Clarren says
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, the leading cause of developmental disability in Canada, is an umbrella term used to describe a range of disabilities that result from prenatal exposure to alcohol.
Read more

MATERIALS
Healthy Child Manitoba - InSight Mentoring Program
InSight is an outreach program where mentors provide intensive support to women who are pregnant or have recently had a baby and are struggling with alcohol or drug use. This is a voluntary program for women who aren’t well connected to community support services.
Read more
CanFASD Northwest - Evaluation of FASD Mentoring Programs
This team is focused on the research and evaluation of Parent Child Assistance Programs (PCAP), or other mentoring support programs, that provide intensive mentorship support services to women considered most at risk to have a child with FASD.
Read more
SAFE Babies program – Caring for Babies with Prenatal Substance Exposure
Check out the 3rd edition of Baby Steps: caring for babies with prenatal substance exposure. The 92-page handbook is for parents and caregivers of babies who have been prenatally exposed to alcohol or other drugs.
Read more
helsenorge.no - Alkoholfritt svangerskap
Watch here

COMING
Eurocare - 2ND International SAFFrance Colloquium, 15- 16 December 2011, Strasbourg, France
The second international conference of SAFFrance to be organised on the 15th and 16th of December in Strasbourg is linked to the first conference organised in the Senate in September 2009 to which the higher head of state participated.
Read more
EUFASD – Second European Conference on FASD
The European FASD Alliance is pleased to announce the Second European Conference on FASD – Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: clinical and biochemical diagnosis, screening and follow-up, which will take place in Barcelona, October 21 to 24, 2012.
Read more

RESEARCH
Alcoholism - Callosal Thickness Reductions Relate to Facial Dysmorphology in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
Structural abnormalities of the corpus callosum (CC), such as reduced size and increased shape variability, have been documented in individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD).
Read more
Alcoholism - Ethanol Exposure During Pregnancy Persistently Attenuates Cranially Directed Blood Flow in the Developing Fetus: Evidence from Ultrasound Imaging in a Murine Second Trimester Equivalent Model
These data show that binge-type maternal EtOH exposure results in rapid and persistent loss of blood flow from the umbilical artery to the fetal brain, potentially compromising nutrition and the maternal/fetal endocrine environment during a critical period for neuron formation and angiogenesis in the maturing brain.
Read more

IN OTHER LANGUAGES
De Stentor (Netherlands) - 'Verplicht logo alcohol en zwangerschap'
Een zwangere vrouw in silhouet met daaromheen een rode cirkel en een streep erdoor. Dat logo moet op alle alcoholhoudende dranken worden aangebracht. Dat vinden de FASstichting, de European FASD Alliance en het Nederlands Instituut voor Alcoholbeleid.
Read more
BarniMagen (Norway) - Slik kommer gravide seg unna drikkepresset
Fest er forbundet med moro og hygge, men for gravide kan det være vanskelig. Særlig i julebordsesongen opplever de drikkepress.
Read more
Delfi (Estonia) - Üleeuroopaline aktsioon nõuab pudelitele silte: rasedad peaksid alkoholist loobuma
Organisatsioonid enam kui 20 Euroopa riigist kutsuvad üles edastama sõnumit, et lapseootuse perioodil peaksid naised alkoholist täielikult hoiduma.
Read more
Kehitysvammaliitto (Finland)  - Kehitysvammaliitolta lyhytelokuva Alkoholin synnyttämät
Odottavan äidin alkoholinkäyttö voi aiheuttaa syntyvälle lapselle pysyvät vauriot. Vakavasti vaurioituneet lapset päätyvät usein sijaisperheeseen asumaan.
Read more
Kehitysvammaliitto (Finland) - Kun äiti joi raskauden aikana
Tälle sivulle tallennetaan Kehitysvammaliiton järjestämien seminaarien ja asiantuntijatapahtumien aineistoja. Aineistot julkaistaan tilaisuuden jälkeen ja ne ovat sivulla kolmen kuukauden ajan.
Read more

Monday, December 5, 2011

Alcohol News - 49/2011


Medscape (Sweden) - Alcohol Abuse More Detrimental to the Female Brain
Alcohol abuse appears to be much more detrimental to the female brain than to the male brain, new research suggests. Investigators from the multidisciplinary Gothenburg Alcohol Research Project in Sweden found that after 4 years of excessive drinking, women experienced the same loss of serotonergic function that occurred in men who had been abusing alcohol for 12 years.
Read more
The Local.se (Sweden) - Half of Swedes 'unsure' if they have driven drunk
Some 46 percent of Swedes are uncertain whether they have drunk too much when they get behind the wheel, according to a new survey carried out by a major insurance company.
Read more
Stockholm News (Sweden) - Police: We can’t get rid of pub violence
The police can not reduce pub violence more than marginally. This because of Swedish drinking culture and the availability of alcohol. Efforts are now concentrated on keeping such crime at a "reasonable" level.
Read more
Baltic Business News (Estonia) - Researcher: Estonia should triple alcohol excise duty
Indrek Saar writes in his doctor’s thesis that the alcohol taxation rate that was introduced in 2009 is notably below the optimum level.
Read more
The Guardian (UK) - Alcohol-induced liver problems soar among young adults
There has been a huge increase in the number of young adults treated in hospital for serious liver problems brought on by drinking too much, NHS figures show.
Read more
American Medical News - Avoiding alcohol in adolescence may reduce breast cancer risk
Drinking alcohol during adolescence has been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer, especially for girls with a family history of the disease, a study says.
Read more
RTE.ie (Ireland) - Alcohol tops drug-related deaths
Alcohol accounted for the greatest number of drug-related deaths in Ireland between 2004 and 2009.
Read more
The Atlantic (Italy) - A Sobering Look at Alcohol: 10-Year Study Finds High Death Rate
A number of studies in the past few years have suggested health benefits from drinking small or moderate amounts of alcohol. This can encourage people to look at alcohol almost as if it's medicine. A recent study of alcohol use in Italy paints a much more sobering picture.
Read more
CBC.ca (Canada) - B.C. drunk-driving law could be overturned
The B.C. Supreme Court is expected to rule Wednesday on whether the province's tough new drunk-driving law violates constitutional rights. Described as the strictest impaired driving law in Canada, the B.C. Motor Vehicle Act's automatic roadside driving prohibition clause allows police to issue roadside suspensions, impound cars and levy fines in the hundreds of dollars for drivers with a blood alcohol level of 0.05 or higher.
Read more
The Economist (Scotland) - The battle of the bottle
SATURDAY nights in most British cities are high-spirited, but in Glasgow they are the stuff of legend. Some 75,000 people stream through its streets, crowding into pubs and clubs. After the bouncers push their last all-but-senseless clients out of the door, and the last punch-up outside a chippy is dispersed by the Strathclyde police, pavements lie deserted under a dense coating of fag ends and glass shards. Over a thousand people will have been admitted to accident and emergency units.
Read more
Fin24 (South Africa) - Minister calls for alcohol ban at functions
Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini has called on her government colleagues to lead by example and ban alcohol at all state functions, City Press reported on Sunday.
Read more
New Zealand Herald (Australia/New Zealand) - Fetal harm warnings likely for alcohol labels
Alcoholic drinks in New Zealand and Australia could soon carry health warnings aimed at pregnant women and their unborn babies. The Australian Government indicated this week that it will aim for compulsory warnings in two years as part of a transtasman agreement on food labelling standards.
Read more
RIA Novosti (Ingushetia) - Ingushetia MPs seek alcohol ban on Thursdays, Fridays
Lawmakers of Ingushetia’s outgoing parliament voted for the first reading of a bill to ban alcohol sales in the predominantly Moslem Russian republic on Friday, the local government’s spokeswoman said.
Read more
Irish Independent (Ireland) - Alcohol locks and tracking devices planned for drivers who flout law
DRIVERS who repeatedly flout road-traffic laws face the prospect of having tracking devices and alcolocks installed in their vehicles.
Read more
ABC Online (Australia) - Declaring homes alcohol free could reduce violence
For some, it's an everyday reality - the walls are smashed as a fist goes through or there are holes or marks where a chair has been thrown.
Read more
The Independent (UK) - Editor-At-Large: Let's sober up – and stand up to booze industry bullies
It's that time of year again – pubs and pizzerias full of gurning office workers wearing paper hats and pulling crackers, downing house plonk by the bucket load, all in the name of seasonal good cheer. Later there'll be puke in the gutters and piss on the back walls of buildings up and down the land.
Read more

Sunday, November 27, 2011

FASD News - 47/2011


NEWS AND ARTICLES
The Journal (Ireland) - Drugs, drink, and sex – Irish teenagers on their experiences
THE EXTENT OF Irish teenagers’ experiences with drugs, alcohol and sex are unveiled in two new reports from UNICEF. UNICEF Ireland has launched the final two reports in its Changing the Future series, which address the themes of drugs and alcohol and sexual health and behaviour respectively.
Read more
Malaysia Star (Malaysia) - A doctor’s perspective
MALAYSIA has no official definition for rare diseases. However, according to University Malaya Medical Centre consultant paediatrician and clinical geneticist Prof Dr Thong Meow Keong, the unofficial working definition is diseases that strike less than one in 4,000 people in the population.
Read more
Toronto Star (Canada)  - Better testing needed to diagnose fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, Canadian expert Sterling Clarren says
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, the leading cause of developmental disability in Canada, is an umbrella term used to describe a range of disabilities that result from prenatal exposure to alcohol.
Read more
The West Australian (Australia) - Detention 'fails' to solve foetal alcohol problems
Locking up persistent juvenile offenders is like "beating a blind child for not reading the blackboard" and alternative sentencing options to detention must be explored, an international foetal alcohol spectrum disorder expert says.
Read more
Sunderland Echo (UK) - Pregnant mums warned over drinking
A MEDICAL expert has spoken out over the dangers of pregnant Wearside women drinking. Dr Shonag Mackenzie, of Northumbria Healthcare Trust, is warning mums-to-be that Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), can greatly affect babies physical, mental and behavioural well-being.
Read more
Canada First Perspective (Canada) - First Nations taking the lead in addressing developmental disabilities
Anishinabek Nation Deputy Grand Council Chief Glen Hare says that Ontario is leagues behind the Western Provinces in addressing Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.
Read more
iPolitics.ca (Canada) - Feds fund study to determine cost of fetal alcohol disorders
The Conservative government is tasking a study to determine the financial toll of various disabilities in children and adults whose mothers drank alcohol during pregnancy.
Read more
Houston Chronicle (USA) - Study links Latino assimilation, drinking while pregnant
Hispanic women who have been in the U.S. longer are more likely to drink during pregnancy than those who haven't lived here as long or assimilated as much, according to interviews conducted through a health department program.
Read more
My SA (USA) - Alcohol poses a special danger in San Antonio
Local Hispanic women who have been in the U.S. longer are more likely to drink during pregnancy than those who haven't lived here as long or assimilated as much, according to interviews conducted through a health department program.
Read more
MyIndia Living - Is Alcohol A Cause For Miscarriage?
The moment you plan for pregnancy or confirmed, the first advice your pals would give is not to drink. But how drinking or alcohol consumption can affect the baby development? Our attempt for today is to help you understand the effects of drinking specially during pregnancy. Do not miss to have a look.
Read more
The Star - Her 15-year-old son couldn't read and he couldn't add. She knows she caused this
“I binge drank through my pregnancy,” says Janet Christie, matter-of-factly. “I really loved drinking. I knew when I was pregnant that it wasn't good to drink. I was so ashamed. But I had no one to talk to about it.”
Read more
COMING UP
Smithers Community Services (Canada) - Regional FASD Conference Hope in Action – FASD, A Caring Community
We have selected a panel of speakers that will help us take a look at the broader context in which FASD often exists, and in this way, help break the silo that has been built around FASD as an emotionally charged disability.
Read more
RESOURCES
Best Start - Be Safe: Have an Alcohol Free Pregnancy Tear-off Pads
Pad of tear-off colour sheets (10 cm by 10 cm) with information for expectant parents about alcohol use in pregnancy. One side says "Be Safe: Have an alcohol-free pregnancy" and includes visuals that illustrate the dangers to the baby from alcohol use in pregnancy. The other side includes phone contact information for Motherisk, Telehealth etc.
Read more
RESEARCH
Neuroscience - Alterations in neural aneuploidy by drugs of abuse during fetal brain development
Mosaic aneuploidy, defined as coincidental chromosome losses and/or gains to deviate from the haploid chromosome complement, has been identified in both the developing and the adult mammalian central nervous system, including neural progenitor cells and functionally integrated mature neurons.
Read more
Substance Use and Misuse - Subtypes of Alcohol Dependence and Their Effect on Sexual Behavior Change
This study utilized data from a National Institute on Drug Abuse and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism funded community-based HIV prevention program in the Midwest in 2000.
Read more

Monday, November 21, 2011

Alcohol News - 47/2011


Helsingin Sanomat (Finland) - Accident Investigation Board calls for alcohol limit for rowing boats
Tragically, "messing about in boats" in the Finnish context all too often involves the excessive consumption of alcohol, an open zipper, a tumble backwards off the stern of a rowing boat, and ugly drowning statistics in the newspapers, particularly over the Midsummer weekend.
Read more
Times of India (Sweden) - Alcoholic women suffer quicker brain damage
Swedish scientists have found that high alcohol consumption damages the serotonin system in women's brains more readily than that in men's brains.
Read more
EurekAlert (Sweden) - Gene impedes recovery from alcoholism
People who are alcohol-dependent and who also carry a particular variant of a gene run an increased risk of premature death. This is a recent finding from the interdisciplinary research at the Department of Psychology and the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
Read more
HealthCanal.com (Norway) - One in thirty drivers tested positive in saliva samples
About one in 30 car drivers on Norwegian roads has alcohol, illegal drugs or psychoactive medicines in their blood.
Read more
Views and News from Norway (Norway) - Bars may be forced to close earlier
The rise in alcohol-related violence in Norway means that bars, also in Oslo, may be ordered to stop serving at 2am. Many now keep pouring much later than that.
Read more
Toronto Star (Canada) - Women are the new face of alcohol advertising
She's the image of poised perfection: a come-hither blonde in a sexy gold dress, balancing a martini between polished red nails, painted just a shade darker than the swizzle stick perched jauntily through the “o” in “Classic Cocktails” above her head.
Read more
PhysOrg.com - Research shows travel combined with alcohol, weather can be deadly
How have driving patterns during the Thanksgiving holidays changed during recent years? The answer to this question may help you avoid a crash, or at least the congestion that goes with most holiday travel.
Read more
BBC News (Scotland) - Alcohol could be banned on Scottish trains, report says
Passengers in Scotland could be banned from drinking alcohol on trains, a report into the radical overhaul of rail travel has suggested.
Read more
Gant Daily (USA) - Drinking in the U.S. hit a 25-year high in 2010
For many it’s social. For others it’s an escape. For some, it’s simply more time. For whatever the reason, Americans are drinking more.
Read more
Nursing Times (UK) - Doctors call for change to alcohol advice
Doctors have warned, “drinkers should have three alcohol-free days a week if they want to avoid the risk of liver disease,” the Daily Mail reported.
Read more
Ivanhoe - Death by Alcohol
Alcohol consumption is responsible for approximately four percent of all deaths worldwide, more than AIDS, tuberculosis or violence! It’s also responsible for roughly five percent of global disease.
Read more
AllAfrica.com (Kenya) - High School Students Abusing Drugs, Alcohol
Forty nine per cent of Kenyan youth in high school aged between 14 and 18 years have abused alcohol and drugs, a report says. A further 71 and 28 per cent of male and female youths were reported to be sexually active; a trend that exposes them to sexually transmitted infections, including Aids.
Read more
TIME (USA) - Study: Another Reason to Keep the Drinking Age at 21
Young women who came of age in the late 1960s and '70s, when many states had lowered their legal drinking ages to under 21, remained at higher risk of suicide and homicide into adulthood, a new study finds.
Read more
The West Australian (Australia) - Alcohol causes 'one in five' deaths by injury
Alcohol contributes to one in five of all deaths from injury in WA, including almost one-quarter of all road accident fatalities, new figures show.
Read more
Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) - Women drinking, smoking in pregnancy
Australian women continue to smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol during pregnancy, a new study reveals.
Read more
MedPage Today - Chronic Drinking May Weaken Brain Connections
Chronic alcoholism may result in a weakened relationship between the frontal lobe and cerebellar activity in those who are recently abstinent, according to the results of a small study.
Read more
Times of Zambia (Zambia) - Luo tackles alcohol abuse
Apart from the much talked about 90 days developmental transformation, Zambians have had their numerous issues which they feel will be resolved under the PF government and within the stipulated 90 days. One of such issues is the illegal trading of illicit alcoholic beverages commonly known as ‘Tujilijili’ by non- licensed vendors.
Read more
The Dispatch (Germany) - Berlin Looking To Ease Event Alcohol Restrictions
After the success of last month’s Octoberfest, the Berlin Mayor and Council are considering changing the rules regarding alcoholic beverages on public property during specially sanctioned events.
Read more
U.S. News & World Report - Alcoholics More Likely to Die of Cancer: Study
Alcoholics have a higher rate of death from cancer and other causes than other people, a new study finds.
Read more
Mayo News (Ireland)- Alcohol industry accused of bullying governments
Experts on alcohol consumption have accused the government of giving in to ‘corporate bullying’ by the alcohol industry. Speaking last week during Mayo Drug and Alcohol Awareness Week, Professor Joe Barry and Dr Ann Hope argued that the government has allowed the industry to self regulate and has failed to curb alcohol advertising.
Read more
Lifeinsurance.co.uk (UK) - British throat cancer Europe's highest thanks to obesity and alcohol
The UK suffers the highest rate of throat cancer in Europe, double the average rate, according to new analysis by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF). Britain's high level of alcohol consumption and obesity are blamed for the figures.
Read more
The Local.de (Germany) - One in five German children have alcoholic or drug-addict parents
One in five German children have alcoholic or drug-addict parents, according to the latest annual figures on drugs and addiction.
Read more
Irish Health (Ireland) - Alcohol-related crime a major problem
According to a survey commissioned by the charity, Alcohol Action Ireland (AAI), half of people say they have experienced some type of alcohol-related intimidation, threat or violence during the last 12 months, while almost one in 10 claim that they, or a family member, has actually been assaulted by a drunk person in the last year.
Read more

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Monday, November 14, 2011

Alcohol News - 46/2011


EPHA (EU) - 68 NGOs call of a new EU alcohol strategy
Under Eurocare’s leadership, 68 international, European and National NGOs (including EPHA) joined forces to call for a comprehensive Alcohol Policy Strategy in the European Union 2013-2020.
BusinessWeek (USA) - Black and Asian Teens Have Lowest Rates of Drug and Alcohol Use
Black and Asian teenagers in the U.S. are less likely to use alcohol or drugs than adolescents of other races, a study found.
AHN | All Headline News - Teenage girls up breast cancer risk with every alcoholic drink
Among teen girls with a family history of breast cancer, there is a significant association between the amount of alcohol consumed and the risk of getting benign breast disease, which is a known breast cancer risk factor.
BBC News (UK) - Alcohol policy a joke, says British Liver Trust
Government-led policies on alcohol throughout the UK have been branded a joke by the chief executive of the charity the British Liver Trust.
MedPage Today - Alcohol-Inflamed Livers Benefit from Early Transplant
Early liver transplantation for severe alcoholic hepatitis boosts survival, whereas adding an antioxidant to medical therapy may not, studies showed.
Times of India (UK) - Alcohol, obesity main cause of cancer
Alcohol and obesity are to be blamed for the alarming rate of throat and liver cancer in the UK as compared to anywhere else in Europe, a new study has claimed.
The Press Association (Northern Ireland) - Action urged over alcohol abuse
Alcohol abuse claims 266 lives in Northern Ireland every year, doctors have warned. With the estimated cost of alcohol misuse across society in the region standing at almost £700 million, the British Medical Association NI (BMA) has called for action on the problem.
MarketWatch (USA) - Should Liquor Sales Be Privatized, asks Pennsylvanians Concerned about Alcohol Problems
Recently Governor Thomas Corbett announced that an independent study reported that if the state were to sell off the state store system to private operators the state of Pennsylvania would realize an estimated one and half billion dollars.
Daily Mail - Fatherhood maketh the man: Smoking, alcohol even crime all drop in men who become dads
Becoming a father really can help men ditch bad habits, a study has found. Men who become dads for the first time tend to steer away tobacco, alcohol even crime, say researchers from Oregon State University.
The Daily Iowan (USA) - One year after 21-ordinance vote, alcohol-related ER visits drop
Fewer University of Iowa students are going to the emergency room because of alcohol, newly-released data show. But some in the community disagree on whether the statistics represent a change in dangerous drinking behavior.
Irish Times (Ireland) - Surge in alcohol abuse reported
The number of people treated for alcohol abuse increased by almost 50 per cent in five years, according to figures just published. The report, Treated Problem Alcohol use in Ireland 2005 to 2010 , from the Health Research Board, says 42,333 cases presented with alcohol as the main problem substance during the five year period.
Stuff.co.nz (New Zealand) - Alcohol and violence 'a deadly mix'
It is only a matter of time before someone dies of alcohol-related violent assault in Nelson, a senior Emergency Department doctor at Nelson Hospital says.
Forbes (Russia) - Russian Alcohol Consumption is Mildly Decreasing
It’s not the most in-depth analysis of Russian drinking patterns I’ve ever seen, but I did want to briefly flag this post from the Financial Times’ always excellent Beyond BRICS because it shows that Russian alcohol consumption is not some mythical entity that is totally immune to amelioration or modification.
Waterloo Record - Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder requires new approach
Often all people see in a child with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder is their bad behaviour. “The behaviours make it difficult to deal with the kid in many cases,” said Allan Mountford, who teaches in a special program that helps troubled teenagers transition to high school.
BBC News (England/Wales) - Below-cost alcohol to be banned from April
A ban on the sale of alcohol below a minimum price will be introduced in England and Wales from 6 April 2012.
The Australian (Australia) - Women still drink and smoke while pregnant
ONE in five pregnant women smoke and 38 per cent drink alcohol, a study has found. It is to be released today. Carried out by the Australian Institute of Family Studies, it uses data from Growing Up in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children, which has tracked more than 10,000 children since 2004.
AdWorld (Ireland) - Alcohol Marketing Debate Gathers Steam
The debate about alcohol marketing and its impact on consumption patterns in Ireland stepped up a few gears this week at a meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health & Children.
Irish Times (Ireland) - Half of alcohol drinkers 'damaging their health'
HALF OF all people who drink alcohol in Ireland do so at levels that are damaging their health, an Oireachtas committee has heard.
The West Australian (Australia) - Health concerns over alcohol in music videos
Australia's advertising watchdog has admitted it is powerless to stop an emerging trend of "product placement" of alcohol in music videos watched by millions of teenagers.
The Guardian (UK) - Smoking and drinking in pregnancy 'harms 10,000 babies in UK each year'
An estimated 6,000 of the UK’s 800,000 babies a year are born with some form of fetal alcohol spectrum, which can cause brain damage, physical problems and learning disabilities.
The Guardian - Heavy drinking in pregnancy can alter unborn babies' brains, study shows
Heavy drinking during pregnancy could alter the genetic makeup of unborn babies' brains, causing mental and behavioural problems.
Fiji Times (Fiji) - Survey links alcohol use in schools to peer pressure
A SURVEY by the National Substance Abuse Advisory Council (NSAAC) has found that students in the Central Division feature in the most number of alcohol abuse cases.
IceNews (Iceland) - Icelandic alcohol producer complains about too-high tax
The Icelandic government takes 90 percent of the sale price of vodka, the president of the country’s biggest drinks company says — claiming that the black market for illegally produced home made hard liquors is thriving as a result.
Helsingin Sanomat (Finland) - Authorities take hard line on unlicensed serving of alcohol beverages on Restaurant Day
Next week, police will keep an eye on people who set up restaurants for one day in order that they would not sell alcohol in addition to food.
The Local (Sweden) - Drunk drivers get shorter sentences: study
Sober drivers who injure another person in traffic often receive longer prison sentences than drunk drivers, according to new research from the Swedish National Road and Transport Institute (Statens väg- och transportforskningsinstitut - VTI).

Sunday, November 13, 2011

FASD News - 45/2011

NEWS and ARTICLES

The Guardian (UK) - Smoking and drinking in pregnancy 'harms 10,000 babies in UK each year'
Britain's top children's doctor has said that more than 10,000 babies each year suffer serious harm, including death, because their mothers drank alcohol, smoked, over-ate, or took drugs during pregnancy.
Irish Medical Times (Ireland) - Four-fifths of women drank alcohol ‘close to conception’
A total of 81 per cent of women reported alcohol consumption during the peri-conceptual period, the prevalence study of alcohol exposure in pregnancy at the Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital has shown.
Irish Independent (Ireland) - 145 babies had alcohol withdrawal symptoms
AT least 145 babies were born in the country's main maternity hospitals in just three years suffering from alcohol withdrawal, new figures reveal.
Lethbridge Herald  (Canada) - Christmas tree carries message to avoid FASD
Almost every day in Alberta, a baby is born who will be diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder. Approximately 23,000 Albertans and 2,200 in the southern region have the disorder FASD, which encompasses a wide range of brain injuries causing mental, physical and learning disabilities as a result of mothers consuming alcohol or drugs while pregnant.
Parkersburg News (USA) - FAS rates on the rise in West Virginia
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome rates are on the rise in West Virginia. A 2009 study by the West Virginia Perinatal Partners found one out of five West Virginia babies are exposed to drugs or alcohol before they are born.
Vancouver Sun (Canada) - Screen all prison inmates for fetal-alcohol syndrome, doctor urges
A Winnipeg doctor says he hopes all inmates will be screened for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder as a matter of course within the next five years, just in time for an expected spike in the country's prison population.
HealthCanal.com (Australia) - No room in the womb for alcohol
A flagship Indigenous health care initiative in Western Australia's remote Fitzroy Valley has received vital funding that will allow it to progress to a new phase.
The West Australian (Australia) - Push for warning labels on alcohol
Federal and State health ministers are being urged to support health warning labels on alcohol, including the immediate introduction of advice for pregnant women.
The Northern Echo (UK) - Mothers-to-be in alcohol warning
A NORTH-EAST consultant has voiced fears that women are drinking too much in pregnancy – resulting in a huge hidden population of damaged children. It follows a survey of the drinking habits of mums-to-be which suggests hundreds of babies born every year in the region suffer from Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS).
CBC.ca (Canada) - Baby poop study tracks alcohol use
Hospital researchers on P.E.I. have been collecting and studying human meconium – the first stool – of every newborn Islander.
Waterloo Record - Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder requires new approach
Often all people see in a child with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder is their bad behaviour. “The behaviours make it difficult to deal with the kid in many cases,” said Allan Mountford, who teaches in a special program that helps troubled teenagers transition to high school.
The Fix - Alcoholism's Gender Gap is Closing Fast
As women rapidly chase down men in the drinking stakes, one Harvard professor says alcoholism progresses faster in females—and that all-women treatment groups are vital.

MATERIALS and EVENTS
The National Health Service Grampian (in Scotland) released a new booklet called  Pregnancy, Parenting and Alcohol.
Eufasd.org - Second European Conference on FASD
Pre-Announcement: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Clinical and Biochemical Diagnosis, Screening and Follow-up.

RESEARCH
Coombe.ir - Drinking during pregnancy increases the risk of premature birth
Drinking alcohol during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of miscarriage, premature birth, and low birth weight. But there are onflicting reports about how much alcohol, if any, it is safe for a pregnant woman to drink. New research, carried out in the Coombe Women & Infants University Hospital looked at the amount of alcohol women drank during their early pregnancy and showed the effect this had on their babies.
Alcohol and Alcoholism - Universal Prevention is Associated with Lower Prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders in Northern Cape, South Africa: A Multicentre Before–After Study
This, the first prevention study using FASD outcomes, suggests that universal prevention might reduce FASD by 30% and have population-level effects. This supports intensifying universal interventions where knowledge of harms of maternal drinking is low. These efforts need to be accompanied by alcohol-dependence treatment to lower more severe FASD forms.
Modulation by the GABAB receptor siRNA of ethanol-mediated PKA-α, CaMKII, and p-CREB intracellular signaling in prenatal rat hippocampal neurons
Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a developmental neuropathology resulting from in utero exposure to ethanol; many of ethanol's effects are likely to be mediated by the neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA).
Meconium Testing for Fatty Acid Ethyl Esters: A 2011 Status Report
The Canadian Association of Pediatric Health Centres, working in partnership with the Public Health Agency of Canada has recently published a toolkit to guide screening for identification of risk of FAS/FASD.