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Monday, February 28, 2011

Alcohol News - 9/2011

IceNews (Denmark) - Minister calls for free sterilisation for addicts
Denmark’s health minister has called for free sterilisation for female alcoholics and drug addicts to help prevent birth defects in children. Bertel Haarder is proposing that the DKK 13,000 (EUR 1,744) fee for surgical sterilisation should be waived for certain vulnerable groups.
Helsinkin Sanomat (Finland) - Government parties clash on restrictions on alcohol advertising
Plans to impose new restrictions on the advertising of alcoholic beverages appear to be stumbling over differences between the two main government partners - the National Coalition Party and the Centre Party.
Norden - Alcohol: the scourge of the North
Alcohol must be made less accessible and more expensive to minimize public health damage, according to Norwegian MP and former Minister of Health Dagfinn Høybråten, speaking at the Second Northern Dimension Parliamentary Forum in Tromsø on February 22nd. The Nordic countries set the agenda in the global fight against alcoholism, he claims.
BNN News (Latvia) - Excise tax rise on alcohol and cigarettes suggested for budget consolidation
One of the proposals for the consolidation of the remaining 11 million lats, which was presented at the Coalition Council’s meeting, stipulates the excise tax increase on strong alcohol and cigarettes, points out the Finance Minister Andris Vilks. At the same time, he adds that the excise duty on diesel will not be raised.
Reuters - Ignition interlocks cut drunken driving: study
Ignition devices that stop drivers from starting their vehicles if they are over the alcohol limit help prevent people convicted of driving under the influence from re-offending, according to a new study.
TopNews New Zealand (New Zealand) - Alcohol Report Indicates Brewing Troubles
As per the findings of the Victorian Alcohol Statistics Report, the number of alcohol-related violence and brawls has experienced a sharp rise over the period between 1999 and 2007.
Scotsman (Scotland) - Cheers as alcohol-related deaths fall across Lothians
THE rising cost of alcohol and GPs challenging patients on their drinking has been credited for a huge drop in drink-related illness in the Lothians.
GlobalPost (Russia) - NEWS FLASH! Beer is alcohol, Russia says
The Russian parliament today finally acknowledged something taken as given the world over: beer is alcohol. The Duma passed a law on second reading (a third, largely ceremonial reading will follow, but the second is the most important) a bill that explicitly acknowledges that fact and bans the sale of beer between 11pm and 8am.
Reuters (UK) - Thousands of UK lives lost to drink, experts warn
Failure to tackle Britain's persistent alcohol problem could lead to hundreds of thousands more people dying from liver disease in the UK than in many other European countries, health experts said on Monday.
TIME - Major Triggers of Heart Attack: Alcohol, Coffee — and Sitting in Traffic
We all know that high cholesterol, obesity and high blood pressure can increase the risk of having a heart attack. On the behavioral side, triggers include getting angry, exerting yourself and feeling stressed. But none of these individual risk factors account for as many heart attacks as population-level influences like the quality of the air we breathe, a new review study finds.
The Press Association (UK) - Drug and alcohol care 'saves money'
Every pound spent on helping teenagers cope with drug and alcohol problems saves the taxpayer up to £8 over a lifetime, economists have said.
Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) - Navy considers alcohol ban after damning report
THE navy will consider banning alcohol in some locations and increasing breath testing as part of a strategy to tackle a drinking problem in the Defence Force.
News & Issues (USA) - Underage Alcohol Use Starts at Home
Almost one-half (44.8%) of the estimated 709,000 U.S. kids ages 12 to 14 who drink alcohol at least once a month do their drinking right in the safe and nurturing environments of their own homes, according to a new report from the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
ParentDish UK (UK) - Mums swap fruit and veg tokens for cigarettes and alcohol
A Government report has found that some mums on benefits use their Healthy Start fruit and vegetable tokens for cigarettes and alcohol.
Belfast Telegraph (Northern Ireland) - New Bill tackles under-age drinking
Pubs caught serving drink to under-age customers in Northern Ireland twice will be closed. A Bill has been passed by the Assembly to reduce alcohol consumption.
Doctors Lounge - Teen Drinking May Lead to Adult Alcohol Dependence
Evidence suggests that higher alcohol consumption in late adolescence continues into adulthood and is associated with alcohol-related problems such as dependence, according to a literature review published online Feb. 8 in PLoS Medicine.
Voxy (New Zealand) - Alcohol Should Be Hidden Like Dirty Movies - Committee Told
Displaying alcohol in supermarkets should be treated in the same way as dirty movies are displayed in a video store, the Alcohol Reform Bill select committee was told today.
Toronto Star (Canada) - Price of alcohol sinks hopes for all-inclusive resorts
There’s a big snag with Ontario’s plan to make the province a hotbed for all-inclusive Caribbean-style vacations: booze prices, tour operators and resort owners say. They’re pleased Premier Dalton McGuinty’s government, in a tough fight to win the Oct. 6 election, wants to loosen liquor laws allowing alcohol to be included in package deals with rooms and meals.
Budapest Times (Hungary) - Hungarians third-highest alcohol consumers on the planet
Central and Eastern Europe is home to the hardest-drinking nations in the world, a report from the World Health Organisation made abundantly clear this month.
Guardian (UK) - Drinks companies spread liver disease as surely as mosquitoes do malaria
Food and alcohol firms are obliged to maximise profit. To include them in health policy planning is a recipe for disaster.
Read more

Monday, February 21, 2011

Alcohol News - 8/2011

The Local (Sweden) - Drunk driving Swedish police rarely fired: report
Despite 55 serving police officers being caught drink driving over the past five years, only one has lost his job, the Metro daily reported on Thursday.
Helsinkin Sanomat (Finland) - Alcohol consumption in Finland declined for third year in succession
Last year the Finns drank less alcohol than in 2009. As the consumption of alcohol has now declined for three consecutive years, the trend is no longer coincidental, believes planning officer Marke Jääskeläinen from the National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL).
fyiLIVING (Finland) - Increased Alcohol Consumption in Men Linked to Cancer
There is a dearth of information on the relationship between alcohol and total cancer risk. Spurred by this, researchers in Finland carried out a study to examine this relationship. On analyzing data from a population-based study of 2,627 men from Eastern Finland, it was seen that the risk of cancer increased with alcohol use; around 6.7 percent of the cancer patients in this study were linked to alcohol use.
sciencenewsline (Finland) - Why problem drinking during adolescence is never a 'phase'
The Rutgers Alcohol Problem Index (RAPI) is widely used to assess adolescent drinking-related problems. Rose and his colleagues assessed 597 Finnish twins (300 male, 297 female) at age 18 with RAPI, and later interviewed them at age 25 with the Semi-Structured Assessment of the Genetics of Alcoholism to assess alcohol abuse and dependence diagnoses.
The Local (Sweden) - Swedes drink less alcohol: study
Swedish average alcohol consumption declined in 2009, in comparison with 2008, but remains high in a historical perspective, a new report published on Friday showed.
The Copenhagen Post (Denmark) - Parties with drugs and booze finish in emergency room
The number of emergency room admittances due to poisoning and overdoses from drugs like cocaine and amphetamines has doubled in ten years, reports Berlingske newspaper.
ERR (Estonia) - Estonia Ranked Sixth in World for Drinking
Drinkers throughout Estonia may be raising their glasses in a self-pitying toast this weekend - a freshly-published report by the World Health Organization has ranked the nation sixth in the world for alcohol consumption.
The Baltic Course (Lithuania) - Kubilius: authorities should not assume responsibility for the offences of their subordinates in free time
The Lithuanians should realise that driving under influence is a conscious preparation for a crime, thus, there is no difference whether it is done by a builder, police officer or a representative of any other profession, Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius says.
WebMD (USA) - Many Kids Get Alcohol From Family Members
Almost 6% of young people between the ages of 12 and 14 drank alcohol in the past month, and close to half of them got it at home or from family members, a study shows.
Telegraph.co.uk (UK) - Prof Ian Gilmore: UK faces rising alcohol related deaths
In the paper published on Monday, Prof Ian Gilmore, a former president of the Royal College of Physicians, along with colleagues at the University of Southampton and Queen's Medical Centre, University Hospital, Nottingham, claims that up to 30,000 people a year die of liver disease in England and Wales each year.
Reuters - Alcohol linked to complications after joint surgery
The more people drink before having a hip or knee replaced, the higher their risk for complications
right after the surgery, a new study suggests.
Stuff.co.nz (New Zealand) - Youth drinking cheap spirits a 'real problem'
It is not surprising that the amount of potent spirits is on the rise, with young people the likely consumers, an Otago University professor says.
Salt Lake Tribune (USA) - Mandatory signs going up to alert pregnant women to alcohol risks
Pediatrician Susan Lewin was horrified to overhear a pregnant woman telling friends that she knew the dangers alcohol posed for her unborn child, but she was OK because she was only drinking beer.
RIA Novosti (Moldova) - WHO names Moldova world's leader in alcohol consumption
Moldovans consume more alcohol per head than citizens of any other country, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in its report.
Adnkronos International English (Italy) - Italy: Alcohol sales banned for Tunisian illegal immigrants
None of the thousands of illegal immigrants who have reached the tiny Italian island of Lampedusa will be able to celebrate their arrival with a drink, according to a new law.
Daily Mail (UK) - Children as young as FIVE are being treated in hospital for alcohol abuse
A hospital trust has revealed it treated four children aged just five for drinking dangerous levels of alcohol.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

ADD Bulletin 1/2011: New edition of WHO report - "Global status report on alcohol and health"

The 2011 edition of the Global status report on alcohol and health confirms that alcohol is a major threat to global public health and welfare. Drinking alcohol kills more people than HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis or violence. The new edition of the report was released in Geneva last Friday. This third edition of the Global status report on alcohol and health is yet another milestone in WHO’s efforts to document alcohol consumption, related harm and policy responses worldwide. The report is essential for all who work in alcohol prevention, nationally and internationally, and for governments and NGOs alike.

The report contains, among other things, the following:
  • Latest figures on alcohol and health from the Global Burden of Disease material;
  • Global trends in alcohol consumption, both recorded and unrecorded beverages;
  • Consumption data for all countries of the world;
  • Overview of recommended policies and interventions and how interventions have been applied in WHO members states;
  • Country profiles for more than 100 countries.
Read more from ADD website

Monday, February 14, 2011

Alcohol News - 7/2011

Views and News from Norway (Norway) - Alcohol sales brewing on the farm
Norway’s farmer-friendly Center Party (Senterpartiet, Sp) has decided to try to get its other government partners to allow sales of alcoholic beverages, including spirits, straight off the farms that produce them.
MedIndia (Finland) - Link Between Sweet Taste and Alcohol
Alcoholics who have liking for sweetness are more likely to get away with alcohol consumption with the aid of a common drug , revealed in a study. David Sinclair and colleagues at the National Institute for Health and Welfare in Helsinki, Finland, asked 78 study subjects with alcohol dependence who had taken the drug recently to rate their preference for sugar solutions.
Bird&Bird (Sweden) - Will the Swedish alcohol monopoly soon face local competition?
It finally looks like the deeply rooted Swedish liquor monopoly, Systembolaget, will face some competition after almost 60 years of state sanctioned monopoly. According to a Government Report, producers of alcoholic beverages may obtain the right to sell alcohol directly to the consumer from their own premises - an arrangement simply labeled “yard sales” in translation, or “gårdsförsäljning” in Swedish.
Stockholm News (Sweden) - More alcohol smuggling from Germany
The private import of alcohol from Denmark and Germany is increasing and this is also the case for the illegal resale of alcohol according to the Swedish border customs.
The Baltic Course (Lithuania) - Lithuania's abbots slam monk Svyturys-Utenos beer ad
Catholic monks in Lithuania are up in arms over a beer advert depicting their brethren raising glasses, saying it tarnishes their image and could encourage a boozy lifestyle.
Medical News Today - WHO Study: Alcohol Is International Number One Killer, AIDS Second
Today the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that alcohol is to blame for just about 4% of, or 2.5 million deaths worldwide annually. Alcohol attributable injuries are of a growing concern to the public health community, with alcohol-related injuries such as road traffic accidents, burns, poisonings, falls and drownings making up more than a third of the disease burden attributable to alcohol consumption.
The State (USA) - House bans sale of canned drinks that mix alcohol and caffeine
S.C. House lawmakers Wednesday approved banning Four Loko and other canned drinks that combine alcohol and caffeine.
Barents Observer (Russia) - Every fifth Russian man dies of alcohol
The Russians drink an average of 15,76 liters of pure alcohol every year, which makes them the fourth most drinking country in the world, a new report from the World Health Organization reads.
NECN (USA) - RAND group to study SD's 24/7 program
Attorney General Marty Jackley said the RAND Corporation will study the effectiveness of the state's 24/7 Sobriety Program.
EurekAlert - Moderate-to-heavy alcohol intake may increase risk of atrial fibrillation
Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm). Its name comes from the fibrillating (i.e., quivering) of the heart muscles of the atria, instead of a coordinated contraction. The result is an irregular heartbeat, which may occur in episodes lasting from minutes to weeks, or it could occur all the time for years. Atrial fibrillation alone is not in itself generally life-threatening, but it may result in palpitations, fainting, chest pain, or congestive heart failure.
Examiner.com - Gulf Operation toxins could increase Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Gulf Coast pregnant women abstaining from alcohol to prevent Fetal Alcohol Syndrome might find their unborn babies are at risk of the disability due to Corexit that has been sprayed along with crude according to public health experts this week.
BBC News (UK) - Drunk A&E patients 'should pay' for hospital treatment
Drunk people should pay for the treatment they receive at accident and emergency units, a patients' group has said.
TVNZ (New Zealand) - Fresh call for alcohol sponsorship ban
The days of alcohol sponsorship of sport could well be numbered, a conference has been told.
TheMedGuru (Australia) - More kids in Australia becoming alcohol addicts
Alcohol addiction among Australian kids is getting out of control, necessitating treatment for kids as young as 10 years.
WalesOnline (Wales) - Alcohol watchdog calls for ban on drinks sport sponsorship
A REPORT has today called for the end of sports sponsorship by alcohol companies to stop young people becoming tomorrow’s problem drinkers.
Times LIVE (South Africa) - Zuma calls for action against substance abuse
President Jacob Zuma has called for "concerted action" to deal with the abuse of alcohol and drugs in Mitchells Plain. Zuma said in a speech at the Sultan Bahu Treatment Centre in Mitchells Plain on Tuesday that he was concerned that the abuse of alcohol and drugs was becoming a fashionable part of the lives of "some" children.
TopNews United States (Italy) - Alcohol And Drug Intake Triggers Unsatisfied Sex Among Italian Youth
As per the findings of a new survey, conducted by Sigo, a Roman organization for gynaecology and obstetrics, no less than 29% of young males and 35% of their fellow females are leading an unsatisfied sexual life.
7thSpace Interactive - Developing a method to derive alcohol-attributable fractions for HIV/AIDS mortality based on alcohol's impact on adherence to antiretroviral medication
Alcohol consumption is causally linked to nonadherence to antiretroviral treatment that in turn causes an increase in HIV/AIDS mortality. This article presents a method to calculate the percentage of HIV/AIDS deaths attributable to alcohol consumption and the associated uncertainty.
ABC Online (Australia) - Alcohol bans linked to lower STD rate
A new study in Western Australia has established for the first time a clear link between alcohol restrictions and a decrease in the level of sexually transmitted disease.
Herald Scotland (Scotland) - One in 12 young Scotsmen in trouble linked to alcohol
SHOCKING new figures show the number of young Scots reprimanded by police for drinking has reached a record high.
Addiction - ALCOHOL MARKETING RESEARCH AGENDA—LET US LOOK AT HOW THE INDUSTRY MAINTAINS ITS HEGEMONY
The paper by Meier and colleagues makes an important contribution to the alcohol policy research field [1]. There is a clear elucidation of some key research questions, the answers to which will allow for more informed discussion of alcohol marketing policy. It also contributes an excellent overview of the research evidence on mechanisms by which advertising has its effects and critique of some earlier alcohol marketing research.

College Crunch: 10 Most Dangerous Drinking Games

More and more we hear how drinking is becoming a game. And as it is with any ordinary drinking, games that involve alcohol, pose some serious dangers. "Consequently, some drinking games can turn a lively shindig into a deadly or at least vomit-inducing debacle. Here are a few to avoid if you value the function of your liver (or eyeball)," writes US college resource website College Crunch adding a list of 10 most dangerous drinking games.

Read here

Monday, February 7, 2011

Alcohol News - 6/2011

nordicwelfare.org (Norway) - Trends in alcohol consumption, harms and policy: Norway 1990 – 2010
Over the past two decades recorded alcohol sales in Norway have increased by almost 50%. Although control policy measures are somewhat weakened over this period, the increase should also be viewed in light of the significant increase in purchase power, implying that alcohol has become relatively cheaper for the consumers.
nordicwelfare.org (Sweden) - Trends in alcohol consumption, harms and policy: Sweden 1990–2010
Over the past two decades, alcohol consumption in Sweden has grown by 20 per cent as a result of an increasing consumption of wine and strong beer. The rise is driven by a combination of factors such as the higher physical availability and lower real prices of alcohol, which suggests that alcohol has become much more affordable.
nordicwelfare.org (Finland) - Trends in alcohol consumption, harms and policy:Finland 1990 – 2010
This article reports developments in the Finnish alcohol field from 1990 to 2010, focusing on changes and trends in alcohol consumption, drinking habits and alcohol-related harm. We pay special attention to changes in alcohol availability and alcohol policy and look at the factors behind changes in alcohol policies.
Reuters (Russia) - Battle for alcohol in Muslim Russia is deadly business
A masked guard clad in camouflage pokes his AK-47 rifle into the shoulder of a vodka-guzzling client in a hotel bar in Russia's Muslim Ingushetia region, and orders him to leave immediately.
USA Today (USA) - Polls: Young non-drinkers up in down economy
The tough economy appears to be having a sobering effect — literally — on incoming college freshmen. Some new surveys of high school students suggest increasing numbers are beginning college as teetotalers.
Voxy (New Zealand) - Medical Evidence Shows Drinking Age Should Be 21
A new report examining the medical evidence argues that the drinking age should be raised to 21. The report "YOUNG PEOPLE AND ALCOHOL: What Does the Medical Evidence Tell Us About the Legal Drinking Age in New Zealand?" was commissioned by Family First NZ, and prepared by UK psychologist Dr Aric Sigman. Dr Sigman is a Fellow of the Society of Biology, an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, and a recipient of the Chartered Scientist Award from the Science Council.
AFP (Turkey) - Booze enters Turkey's political battlefield
Braving snowy sub-zero weather, hundreds of people gathered in downtown Ankara at the weekend for an unprecedented anti-government protest, brandishing not flags and banners but... beer cans and glasses of champagne.
Irish Health (Ireland) - Many unaware of alcohol-cancer link
Ireland's next government has been urged to introduce explicit health warnings on alcohol products, particularly in relation to cancer. Alcohol Action Ireland (AAI), the national charity for alcohol-related issues, made its appeal to coincide with World Cancer Day (February 4). It pointed out that there is ‘an undeniable link' between alcohol and many cancers, however some drinkers are unaware of this.
Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) - Liver disease soars among young
THE risk of young people being admitted to hospital with alcohol-related liver disease has risen more than tenfold over five years. Researchers say the figures show anti-drinking campaigns are failing to reach teenagers.
The Guardian (UK) - The price of a drink: survey reveals cost of alcohol abuse
The toll that alcohol takes on many people's lives is laid bare in a survey which has prompted fresh calls for action to tackle widespread chronic drinking across Britain.
TVNZ - Study shows alcohol and sport a bad mix
There is a clear link between alcohol-related sponsorship of sport and heightened rates of problem drinking, new Australian research shows.
Metro (UK) - £55 bottle of beer with 32 per cent alcohol on sale
If you fancy a beer at home before going out, best avoid Tactical Nuclear Penguin – at 32 per cent it could send you to sleep instead.
Deutsche Welle (Germany) - German teenagers are drinking less alcohol, but more irresponsibly
Over the past 30 years, alcohol consumption among German teens has dropped by half, according to a federal study. Though officials view the results as largely positive, concern remains about youth binge drinking.
Informante (Namibia) - Fight against alcohol abuse – which way Namibia?
As a young person, I was very happy when I firstly heard the Governor’s plan to close a certain police canteen because of unbecoming behaviour officers engage in.  The issue of alcohol abuse is a national issue that needs unified efforts from all patriotic Namibians.
The Hindu (India) - “Control availability of alcohol, tobacco”
Chancellor of VIT University G. Viswanathan has urged the Central and State governments to take stringent measures to control the availability and use of alcohol and tobacco to save the youth from cancer.
24-7PressRelease.com (USA) - DWI: What Would It Cost To Reduce The Numbers?
A series of blog entries in the New York Times discuss drunk-driving law and what the law generally seeks to prevent--fewer alcohol-related injuries and deaths--but how we go about achieving it without severely overstepping constitutional boundaries to due process is a major challenge.
The London Daily News (UK) - Why the Heineken deal is good for the wallet but bad for the "legacy"
With confirmation that leading brewer Heineken will be the official "lager supplier" at the London Olympic Games next year, and sponsor of the 2012 Games, in a city which has seen its accident and emergency departments swamped by drunks, there should be a hard long look at this deal.
European Public Health Alliance (EU) - 2010 - Overview of activities in implementation of EU Alcohol Strategy
Between September and November 2010 all the existing EU structures working on alcohol conducted their meetings. You can find below reports of the following : the Open Alcohol and Health Forum, the European Alcohol and Health Forum, the Forum Science Group, as well as the Committee on National Policy and Action.