Alcohol News: August 2011

Monday, August 29, 2011

Alcohol News - 35/2011

YLE News (Finland/Estonia) - Alcohol tourism to Estonia set to increase

A higher “sin tax” to be levied on alcohol is expected to accelerate alcohol tourism between Finland and Estonia. The trend has been noticeable with each previous increase in alcohol taxes in Finland.

YLE News (

Finland

) - Study: Finns unfazed by summer binge drinking

In spite of evidence to the contrary, a new survey shows that a majority of Finns don’t believe that their relatives’ wellbeing is compromised by increased alcohol consumption during the summer.

The Local.se (Sweden) - Swedish alcohol monopoly launches 'booze camera' iPhone app

Drunken Swedes can now record their boozed-up antics with a new iPhone app launched on Monday by a subsidiary of the country's state-owned alcohol monopoly.

The Local.se (Sweden) - Obesity op hikes risk of alcohol abuse: study

People who have undergone gastric bypass operations are at greater risk of suffering from alcohol abuse, according to a new Swedish study which reveals that the effects of alcohol become stronger after the op.

The Guardian (

) - Tough love stops binge drinking, Demos claims

Poor parenting significantly increases the likelihood that children will grow up to be binge drinkers, according to the findings of a controversial study.

HealthNews - Teen Social Networking Increases Likelihood of Alcohol and Drug Use

While many believe social networking sites and teen-based reality TV are harmless, these popular forms of entertainment may have a profound negative effect, increasing alcohol and drug use amongst teens.

TVNZ (

New Zealand

) - PM defends no minimum pricing on alcohol

Prime Minister John Key has defended the Government's Alcohol Reform Bill after it was slammed by anti-alcohol abuse groups.

thejournal.ie (

Ireland

) - Government should consider raising tax on alcohol, says report

ALCOHOL ABUSE IN Ireland has cost the State €3.7 billion up to the year 2007, according a study on the issue by the HSE.

Fairport-E.Rochester Post (

USA

) - Excellus report: Adult binge drinking more frequent than heavy drinking

According to a report released today by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield on alcohol consumption by adults Upstate New York, adults in the Finger Lakes region admitted to binge drinking more often than heavy drinking, as health care costs related to alcohol misuse continue to climb.

Economic Times (India) - West Bengal government imposes higher taxes on tobacco, alcohol

While keeping other items untouched by not altering the tax rates, the West Bengal government on Monday raised the levies on alcohol and tobacco-related products.

Russia Beyond The Headlines (

Russia

) - Alcohol consumption in Russian cities decreasing

Russia

's chief narcologist has announced that people in Russian cities consumed only 15 liters of alcohol per capita last year, compared with 18 liters the year before. WHO experts say the real number is 12 liters, but at least they agree the amount is going down.

The Connexion (France) – France unveils new austerity budget

CIGARETTE and alcohol price rises and a new tax on

France

's richest residents are among the measures unveiled by the goverment in an €11bn deficit reduction package.

The Age (

Australia

) - Alcohol services condemn fines

SPECIALIST drug and alcohol workers should be deployed with police targeting public drunks, and new fines of up to $1100 should be used to boost treatment services, the Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association says.

thejournal.ie (

Ireland

) - ‘Second chance’ for drunk drivers rejected by alcohol charities

NEW PROPOSALS TO reduce the penalties for drivers just over the blood alcohol limit have been criticised by alcohol charities.

Korea Times (

South Korea

) - Should lyrics be alcohol-free for youth?

Fresh public debates have been ignited over songs labeled by censors as “harmful to youth” due to the mention of alcohol-related phrases in the lyrics.

Trend News Agency (Uzbekistan) -

Uzbekistan

toughens rules of selling and using alcohol and tobacco products

The Senate of Oliy Majlis of

Uzbekistan

(upper chamber of Uzbek Parliament) has approved at a plenary session on Friday the Law on restriction of distribution and consumption of alcohol and tobacco products.

The Independent (Spain) - In booze-soaked Spain, the party may soon be over

'Binge tourism' reaches a new low when police fire rubber bullets to restore peace. Alasdair Fotheringham reports from the Benidorm plaza dubbed 'British square'.

Medscape - Industry Influence on UN Noncommunicable Disease Summit?

The United Nations (UN) High-Level Summit on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) will convene in New York City from September 19 to 20. However, negotiations recently broke down in drafting an outcomes document that will contain commitments toward progress in 4 target NCD areas: cardiovascular disease, respiratory illnesses, cancer, and diabetes.

Stuff.co.nz (

New Zealand

) - Govt accepts 130 changes to alcohol reform bill

Alcohol sales in dairies will be banned and grocery stores forced to make their liquor sales more discrete after the Government accepted 130 changes to its controversial alcohol reform bill.

Alcohol News - 34/2011

The Foreigner (Norway) - Alcohol adverts soon to be on Norway cable TV

Labour’s (Ap) long hard-fought battle to retain the ban on advertising booze is now hanging by a thread following statements by the EU Norway will not be exempt from the new European Union TV Directive (AVMSD).

ERR News (Estonia) - Alcohol Price Exceeds EU Average by 6.3%

Although the cost of food and non-alcoholic beverages in Estonia is below the EU average, the price of alcoholic drinks is 6.3 percent higher, according to the recent report by Eurostat.

OnMedica - Call for Facebook ban on alcohol ads

A new report by campaigning charity Alcohol Concern reveals the growing importance to alcohol companies of social networking sites like Facebook and video sharing sites such as YouTube as a means of promoting their products.

Nursing in Practice (Wales) - Welsh Government to combat child drinking

At least 1,200 children are admitted to Welsh A&E departments for alcohol and drug abuse each year, new research has found.

U.S. News & World Report - More Evidence That Alcohol Hinders Good Sleep

You might want to take a pass on that nightcap, a new study suggests. Japanese researchers report that alcohol hinders the restorative functions of sleep.

Modern Ghana (Ghana) - Checking Road Accidents

The Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) has embarked on a novelty cause to help check the carnage on our roads. With effect from October, this year, the union is introducing alcometers at all lorry parks to check alcohol levels of drivers. It has also ordered for some reflectors for acquisition by drivers.

Daily Mail (UK) - British ladettes match men in binge drinking as they top European poll of alcohol abusers

British women have topped a European league of ‘ladette’ drinking shame.

They are now as likely to binge on alcohol as men, according to EU research.

Morning Advertiser (UK) - Sixty firms back Drinkaware campaign

The campaign for 2011, launched today, challenges young adults’ attitudes towards excessive alcohol consumption and the social acceptability of drunkenness.

Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) - Debate over warning labels on alcohol heats up

HEALTH warnings linking alcohol with dire outcomes such as brain damage and cancer have been backed by health groups but described as potentially ''alarming'' by an industry-backed group.

NEWS.com.au (Australia) - Greens push for volumetric alcohol tax

THE Australian Greens will use October's tax forum to push for all alcohol to be taxed according to volume rather than beverage type.

Reuters (Philippines) - Philippines may increase alcohol, tobacco tax take

The Philippine government will push a proposal to index taxes on alcohol and tobacco products to inflation that could raise around $1.4 billion in revenues as one of 13 priority bills in Congress this year, President Benigno Aquino said on Tuesday.

WebMD - Genes Play Role in How Alcohol Affects Men and Women

New genetic research may help explain some of the different ways that alcoholism affects men and women.

Andina - Agencia Peruana de Noticias (Peru) - Sports are vital to prevent drug, alcohol abuse among youth

Peruvian President Ollanta Humala stated Thursday that the practice of sports is vital to prevent drug and alcohol addiction among young people and to reinforce the fight against crime and the lack of public safety in Peru.

Bizjournals.com - New smartphone app aims to stop drunken driving

The “Show Me My Buzz” application helps users determine their estimated blood-alcohol concentration, or BAC, by typing in the number of drinks they’ve had, how long they’ve been drinking and their gender.

Times of India - Impulsive drinking leads to early death

A new study has revealed that people with current drinking problems and poor impulse control are more likely to die in the next 15 years.

Infection Control Today - Researchers Study How Excess Alcohol Depresses Immune Function

Alcoholism suppresses the immune system, resulting in a high risk of serious, and even life-threatening infections. A new study shows that this effect stems largely from alcohol's toxicity to immune system cells called dendritic cells.

HealthLeaders Media (USA) - Medicare Proposes Alcohol, Depression Screening Rules

Federal dollars should be used to screen Medicare beneficiaries for depression and for alcohol misuse under two rules proposed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Eurekalert - Study: Community organization can reduce, negate impact of alcohol outlets on neighborhood violence

The density of businesses that sell alcohol in a community has been tied to local levels of violence, but new research has found that the influence depends on the nature of the community. More stable communities can see little to no influence but more disorganized communities are not so fortunate.

On Lanka (Sri Lanka) - New regulations on tobacco and alcohol scenes on TV

A series of new regulations will be implemented restricting the use of mosaics or blurred images masking tobacco and alcohol scenes in television programmes.

Russia Beyond The Headlines (Russia) - Anti-alcohol campaign produces winners and losers

Multinational brewers and small kiosk owners alike are already bracing for new restrictions on beer sales, scheduled to come into effect in 2013, but there could be a silver lining for microbreweries.

Marketwire (USA) - New Federal Government Study: AlcoholEdu Reduces Binge Drinking and Alcohol-Related Harms

EverFi, Inc., the leading education technology platform company, today announced the release of a new federal government study showing that AlcoholEdu®, EverFi's online alcohol education program for incoming first-year students, is proven to reduce student binge drinking and alcohol-related harms, such as blackouts, injuries, and sexual assaults. More than one third of all college freshmen across the U.S. will complete the program in the upcoming academic year.

FASD News - 33/2011

NEWS AND ARTICLES

Lethbridge Herald (

Canada

) - Balancing FASD-justice scales

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder represents a major challenge to the court system, as detailed in The Herald's recent two-part look at FASD and justice.
Read more

Jewish Tribune (

Canada

) - Universities team up for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder research

The University of Manitoba has teamed up with Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Manitoba government to support a new research collaboration to address fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD).
Read more

Canada Views (Canada) - Alberta recognizes International Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Awareness Day

September 9 is International Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Awareness Day. Each year on the ninth day of the ninth month, this day serves as a reminder to people around the world that during the nine months of pregnancy, a woman should abstain from alcohol.
Read more

Bangkok Post (Thailand) - Drinking alcohol while pregnant

A survey of 772 pregnant women in nine provinces across the country by the Centre for Alcohol Studies (CAS) showed 12.6% of them drank during pregnancy.
Read more

National Affairs (

Australia

) - Starved of their future at birth

ABORIGINAL babies born into families on the margins of society are our most vulnerable citizens. Unable to feed themselves and given insufficient nutrition they suffer hunger and are unable to develop normally.
Read more

Dynamic Chiropractic - Substance Abuse: A Prenatal-to-Grave Public Health Issue

Deaths from substance use and abuse exceed in number deaths caused by all other diseases. Doctors of chiropractic nationwide have added substance testing (and education) as a service promoting healthful living or the restoration of health and wellness for patients.
Read more

Times of India - Binge drinkers have sex they later regret

A new study has found that binge drinking puts teenage girls at risk of having unprotected sex, unplanned pregnancies and contracting sexually-transmitted diseases.
Read more

Nigerian Tribune (

Nigeria

) - How mothers can avoid having babies with birth defects

Most babies with birth defects are born with no obvious health problems or risk factors. Nonetheless, experts say part of what women can do to ensure that they do not have babies with birth defects, such as spina bifida, include adopting good lifestyles, as well as using folic acids supplements at least three months before getting pregnant, reports Sade Oguntola.
Read more

theWEST.com.au (Australia) - GG makes historic visit to Kimberley town

Governor-General Quentin Bryce has flown into Fitzroy Crossing this morning - the first such official visit to the Kimberley town in more than a decade. Mrs Bryce, a famed feminist, will visit Marninwartikura Women's Resource Centre and meet participants in the Lililwan Project, which aims to document the extent of children affected by foetal alcohol spectrum disorder, or FASD.
Read more

Stuff.co.nz (

New Zealand

) - Booze and babies are a harmful mix

There is no safe amount of alcohol nor safe time to drink while pregnant according to Alcohol HealthWatch. The organisation has teamed up with Northland District Health Board and ran a series of hui last month to teach health and community workers about alcohol and pregnancy.
Read more

COMING UP

FETAL ALCOHOL & OTHER NEUROBEHAVIORAL CONDITIONS: Understanding & Application of a Brain-Based Approach

This session provides information about FASD and the effects of other drugs on behaviors of children, adolescents and adults.
Read more

fasdprevention blog - Getting ready for FASD Awareness Day 2011 – September 9

On the ninth day of the ninth month of the year, the world will remember that during the nine months of pregnancy a woman should abstain from drinking alcohol.
Read more

www.Tweet4FASD.com and International FASD Awareness Day

To bring FASD awareness to Twitter users around the world, I am asking everyone with a Twitter account to Tweet the following on September 9, 2011:

"#FASD is preventable! Alcohol in pregnancy can cause brain damage, learning problems, more. Don't drink while pregnant. http://www.vimeo.com/27342419"
Read more

MATERIALS

Common Misinterpretation of Normal Responses in Students with FASD

Tip sheet for teachers working with students with FASD.
Read more

VIDEO - Hunter's Story: Overcoming FASD

Hunter was diagnosed at the age of 15 with FASD. His journey is an incredible one - this video gives a brief glimpse into his life and how he has "turned something that could have been a weakness, into a strength". Hunter inspires us all!
Read more

Tom Daschle on NOFAS – Full Senate Floor Speech
Read more

RESEARCH

Womens Health - Preconception Markers of Dual Risk for Alcohol and Smoking Exposed Pregnancy: Tools for Primary Prevention

Effective preconception primary prevention strategies are needed for women who are at dual risk for alcohol and smoking exposed pregnancies. The current study seeks to identify risk factors that can be used to target intervention strategies at women who are at dual risk.
Read more

Addiction - Mortality among Substance-using Mothers in California: A 10-year Prospective Study

To examine mortality rates and causes of death among a cohort of substance-using mothers and to identify risk factors that predict mortality. This is a prospective study of a cohort of 4,447 substance-using mothers (pregnant or parenting) who were enrolled during 2000 to 2002 in 40 drug abuse treatment programs across California.
Read more

IN OTHER LANGAUGES

EZ Rome - Roma quotidiana (Italy) - Il Professore Nicola Surico e la campagna “Se aspetti un bambino l’alcol può attendere”

La vita è un valore da difendere fin “dalle sue origini” con comportamenti e scelte concrete. I rischi connessi all’uso e all’abuso di alcol durante il periodo della gravidanza passa, oggi, più che mai, attraverso campagne di informazioni e di sensibilizzazione rivolte alle donne, alle loro famiglie e agli operatori sanitari, in particolare ginecologi e ostetriche.
Read more

Monday, August 15, 2011

Alcohol News - 33/2011

IceNews (

Iceland

) - Icelandic bars want cheaper beer and wine

The Association of Icelandic Pub Owners has called on the government to provide bars and restaurants with wine and beer at lower-than-retail prices in order to provide their customers with better prices.

YLE News (Finland) - Scanners could reveal contraband on interstate rail services

The Finnish Customs and Finnish State Railways (VR) are planning closer inspection of express train services between Finland and Russia. A scanning of an entire train was tested for the first time in Helsinki on Tuesday.
Read more

biceps.org (Estonia) - Optimal alcohol taxation: simulation results for Estonia

The aim of this paper is to empirically estimate the optimal level of alcohol taxes for Estonia on externality as well as fiscal grounds. For this purpose, a static general-equilibrium model with a representative agent was used.
Read more

The Independent - Long work hours linked to alcohol abuse: study

Long working hours can more than triple the risk of alcohol abuse and addiction, New Zealand research has found.
Read more

Essex County Standard (

) - Trust steps up battle against binge drinking

A HEALTH trust is sending staff into hospital to battle binge drinking. An alcohol liaison nurse and a health worker are to be stationed at Colchester General Hospital to deal with people admitted with alcohol-related illnesses.
Read more

UPI.com (

USA

) - Retail liability may reduce alcohol deaths

U.S.

researchers say deaths, homicides and injuries drop when retail alcohol establishments are liable for injuries from their intoxicated customers or minors.
Read more

Wall Street Journal (

USA

) - Schumer: Feds move to speed wine bottle labelling

Sen. Charles Schumer says the federal government is taking an important step to simplify the process of approving labels for New York wines.
Read more

Private Healthcare UK (

) - Alcohol abuse 'puts children at risk'

An expert has stressed the importance of tackling alcoholism as swiftly as possible, pointing out that years of abuse can take a heavy toll on entire families as well as individual addicts.
Read more

Ghana

News Agency (

Ghana

) - Psychiatrist says alcohol should be declared health hazard

Dr Eugene Dordoye, a psychiatrist with the Ghana Health Service (GHS), has suggested that alcohol should be declared a public health hazard.
Read more

Focus News (Bulgaria) - Bulgaria to follow the example of Turkey in reducing alcohol tourism industry

Alcohol tourism affects the image of Bulgaria as a tourist destination and therefore it should be taken serious measures. That is what Assoc. Prof. Stoyan Marinov, board member of the Varna Chamber of Tourism said for Radio FOCUS Varna.
Read more

Keremeos Review (

Canada

) - Regional district committee discuss prohibition of alcohol at firehalls

The regional district board’s Protective Services Committee meeting discussed alcohol storage and consumption at regional fire halls at last Thursday’s committee meeting in Penticton.
Read more

Prague Daily Monitor (Czech Republic) - HN: Czechs drink less alcohol than EU statistics show

Czechs drink much less alcohol than the EU statistics show, the daily Hospodarske noviny (HN) writes yesterday, referring to data from Czech producers of alcoholic beverages.
Read more

NACS Online (UK) -

Britain

to Lower Taxes on Low-Alcohol Beer

The British government will be lowering the excise tax for low-alcohol beer (2.8 percent or less alcohol) by 50-percent beginning in October, a move that is prompting brewers to begin modifying their recipes, CBC News reports.
Read more

Voice of America (

Zimbabwe

) - Zimbabwean Ministers Disown Proposed Tougher Alcohol Sales Policy

Ministers from all three governing parties said there are many issues needing more urgent attention than regulating alcohol without clear research showing its consumption is a serious national problem.
Read more

MedPage Today - Booze a Bad Mix With Poor Impulse Control

In a long-running, prospective cohort study among people seeking help for alcohol-related problems, those with poor impulse control had an increased risk of dying, according to Daniel Blonigen, PhD, and colleagues at the Palo Alto Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Palo Alto, Calif.
Read more

The Nation Newspaper (

Nigeria

) - More youths into drugs, more women into alcohol, says Dr. Erinfolami

Dr. Rasheed Adebayo Erinfolami is a consultant psychiatrist at Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) and lecturer at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos. He told Olukayode Thomas that more Nigerians are coming to the hospital for treatment for drugs-related sickness.
Read more

Voxy (

New Zealand

) - Wrong time to take eye off the ball on alcohol – Labour

Plans by the Government to bury the country's alcohol watchdog within a new "health promotional agency" are at odds with all the advice coming from the coalface, Labour's Health Spokespeople Grant Robertson and Iain Lees-Galloway say.
Read more

Jewish Tribune (

USA

) - Universities team up for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder research

Herald Sun (

Australia

) - Average age of female drunks needing help is 36

BINGE drinking women are more than twice as unlikely as men to have curbed their boozing in the past year. It is not just girls drinking themselves into hospital, with the average age of drunks needing help 36.
Read more

Business Insider (Ireland) -

Ireland

's Drinking Culture Isn't Romantic, It's Deadly

WE LOVE TO talk about

Ireland

’s alcohol culture – it allows us to speculate about how we drink and why we drink, without ever actually doing anything about it.
Read more

DutchNews.nl (

Netherlands

) - Dutch teens drink, but don't fight

Dutch teenagers are heavy drinkers in European terms but less likely to get into drink-related fights, according to new research published in Criminology magazine.
Read more

Monday, August 8, 2011

Alcohol News - 32/2011

Medical News Today (Sweden) - One Measure Of Spirits Can Raise Acute Pancreatitis Risk By 52%

The Karolinska Institute in Sweden conducted a study, in which researchers followed 84,601 people aged between 46 to 84 years from the general population in Vastmanland and Uppsala for an average of ten years, during which time 513 developed acute pancreatitis.

Huffington Post - Alcohol, Drugs To Ease Anxiety Could Spur Substance-Abuse Problems

Many people who experience chronic feelings of anxiety about social situations, work and relationships, or other aspects of everyday life often reach for a beer or a glass of wine to quell their unease.

Newsday (

USA

) - Army hiring more counselors for alcohol abuse

The army is increasing its staff of substance abuse counselors by about 30 percent to help the rising number of troops with alcohol problems.

AFP (

USA

) - More than half of Americans drink alcohol: report

More than half of Americans aged 12 and up drink alcohol, a quarter binge-drank in the past month, and one in 14 teens has used marijuana, a US government agency says in a report on substance abuse.

Northern Advocate (

New Zealand

) - Zero alcohol law welcomed by SADD

The new zero-alcohol rule for young drivers is welcome for its clarity as well as life-saving potential, says a Whangarei student leader.

NY1 - New Study Highlights More Dangers Of "Alcopop" Consumption

The controversial, sweet, alcohol-laden soft drinks that have gained nicknames like "cheerleader beer" and "alcopops" are a favorite with minors, and a new study is once again putting dangers associated with these drinks in the spotlight. NY1's Health reporter Kafi Drexel filed the following report.

Telegraph.co.uk (

) - British breweries to sell weaker beer following low-alcohol content tax cut

Since March, when the Chancellor announced a 50 per cent duty reduction on beers of 2.8 per cent alcohol by volume or less, many breweries have begun experimenting with weaker beers in anticipation of a price-driven surge in popularity.

Times of

India

- People who work more drink more

People who work at least 50 hours a week are three times more likely to develop alcohol-related problems than those who didn't work as much, a New Zealand study has found.

New Era (

Namibia

) - Alcohol abuse up

Preliminary findings on alcohol and drug abuse reveal that alcohol abuse is on the rise in the north, with medium and high-risk drinking more widespread among young people than elderly people.

The Bay of Plenty Times (

New Zealand

) - Alcohol ban for under 20 drivers has strong support

Almost 200 young drivers have been caught drink-driving this year and alcohol was a contributing factor in the deaths of eight people who have died on Western Bay of Plenty roads.

The Age (Australia) - Drunken bashings up despite booze campaign

ALCOHOL-RELATED domestic violence, assaults and hospital admissions have risen sharply despite attempts to turn Victoria's binge drinking culture around.

London Free Press (

Canada

) - Ontarians OK with modern alcohol laws

Regardless, then as now Ontarians seem OK with having 20th century laws and attitudes when it comes to the sale of alcohol. Poll results this week found that 60% would welcome the idea of being able to pick up beer or wine at a corner store. In polls, 60% is a big number.

BusinessWeek (Russia) -

Russia

Vodka Crackdown Hits CEDC Outlook as Analysts Cut Targets

Russian president Dmitry Medvedev’s push to curb alcoholism and regulate liquor sales is hurting the outlook for the world’s biggest vodka producer.

EurekAlert - The effects of smoking and alcohol use on risk of upper aero-digestive cancers

Upper aero-digestive tract cancers (UADT), especially those of the oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx, are often referred to as alcohol-related cancers as it has been shown repeatedly that heavy drinkers, in particular, are at increased risk. The combination of heavy alcohol use and cigarette smoking is the key factor in increasing the risk of these cancers.

Euroalert.net (EU) - The project on strategies towards responsible alcohol consumption for adolescents in Europe reaches practical phase

The TAKE CARE ("Strategies towards responsible alcohol consumption for adolescents in Europe") project has reached the practical phase. First pilot trainings with adolescents took already place in the individual countries. The project counts with EU funds.

Czech Position (

Czech Republic

) - Czech booze makers dismiss EU drinking stats

The Czech Union of Distillers and Spirits Importers (UVDL) and also domestic wine makers and brewers say European Commission statistics according to which Czechs consume over 15 liters per capita of pure alcohol annually — making them Europe’s second-heaviest drinkers, after the Estonians — are flawed, with the true figure at around 9.9 liters per year.

Irish Central (Ireland) - Ireland’s DUI rate among highest in Europe, new study shows

Ireland

has some of the highest rates DUI rates in Europe, a new study has shown.

Diet.co.uk (UK) - Poor Diet and Drinking Places UK Women at High Risk of Cancer

A poor diet and drinking places 25 per cent of British women at risk of cancer. British women are more susceptible of developing cancer than anywhere else in Europe.

Scoop.co.nz (

New Zealand

) - Liquor Licences: Authorities ignore social harm

"I was woken at 3.50am with a man yelling that he'd been attacked with a meat cleaver. His friend has gone mad and he needed somewhere safe to stay. The man's face was bloody and swollen, and he smelled of tobacco and alcohol. He was soaked through to the skin by the rain" said Colin Bridle, Salvation Army Community Ministries Manager, as he picked up the pieces from yet another alcohol-fuelled incident in Tokoroa.

FoodManufacture.co.uk (

) - Government rejects alcohol policy concerns

The Department of Health (DH) has defended its approach to alcohol, after public health groups alleged that the drinks industry has an undue influence on government policy.

FASD News - 31/2011

NEWS AND ARTICLES

Times of

India

- Binge drinkers have sex they later regret

A new study has found that binge drinking puts teenage girls at risk of having unprotected sex, unplanned pregnancies and contracting sexually-transmitted diseases.

The Imperfect Parent (USA) - Pregnant teen says she’ll continue to drink ‘or she’ll get bored’

As health professionals try to work out exactly how much alcohol can be consumed before a baby is potentially damaged, and conduct studies on the effects alcohol during pregnancy has on children as they grow older, it appears that the message that alcohol should not be drunk during pregnancy is not getting through.

University of Rochester Newsroom - Study Evaluates Tools to Encourage a Healthy Pregnancy

The University of Rochester Medical Center and Cornell University have teamed up to launch a major study that will assess electronic and web-based strategies designed to promote healthy behavior in women both during and immediately following their pregnancy.

6minutes (

Australia

) - Women still drink and smoke in pregnancy

A high number of Australian women are still drinking alcohol and smoking during pregnancy, research suggests.

NHS Choices (

) - Unplanned babies' learning examined

“IVF children have bigger vocabulary than unplanned babies,” The Daily Telegraph has reported. The news is based on a large study investigating how pregnancy planning, time taken to conceive and the use of infertility treatment (including IVF) influenced cognitive ability of children at ages three and five.

Lethbridge Herald (Canada) - FASD: '10-second kids in a one-second world'

"John" is all too familiar with Canada's criminal justice system. He's been to court numerous times over the years on charges he'd rather not talk about, and he's spent time in jail.

Brew Drinking Thinkings - Could You Cut Out Alcohol Completely?

I have recently become a Mummy for the ﬁrst time, having had my daughter on Christmas Eve 2010. As soon as I found out I was pregnant I didnʼt touch a drop of alcohol. I know that Government guidelines say it is safe to drink a little as long as it is moderation, but I made the choice to abstain from drinking altogether.

WIA Report (

Australia

) - Study Finds That Australian Women With College Degrees Are More Likely to Drink Alcohol During Pregnancy Than Australian Women With Lower Levels of Education

Prior research has shown that about 60 percent of young adult women in the United States are regular consumers of alcohol. In

Australia

, 87 percent of young adult women drink.

Examiner - Children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) develop secondary problems

Children who are born with fetal alcohol syndrome are likely to develop a wide range of secondary conditions, problems that they were not born with, but can acquire as a result of having FAS.

Shine - The dangers of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

Many know the dangers of consumer alcohol during pregnancy, but the lifelong effects of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome sometimes go unknown.

RESEARCH

Alcoholism - Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) Abnormalities Across the Life Span of Rats Prenatally Exposed to Alcohol

Our findings have important clinical implications for the assessment and management of (i) childhood hearing disorders and their comorbidities (i.e., speech-and-language, learning, and attention deficit disorders) and (ii) enhanced age-related hearing and neurological degeneration in middle-aged adulthood that can result from prenatal alcohol exposure.

OxfordJournals - Abnormal Cortical Thickness Alterations in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders and Their Relationships with Facial Dysmorphology

Consistent with previous reports, findings of this study are supportive of regional increases in cortical thickness serving as a biomarker for disrupted brain development in FASD. Furthermore, the significant associations between thickness and dysmorphic measures suggest that the severity of brain anomalies may be reflected by that of the face.

Behavioural Brain Research - Comparative effects of alcohol and thiamine deficiency on the developing central nervous system

The present study addresses the still unresolved issue of the character of alcohol–thiamine metabolic interferences in the developing central nervous system (CNS).

Alcoholism - Translation of an Evidence-Based Social Skills Intervention for Children with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure in a Community Mental Health Setting

Results suggest that children with PAE can benefit from treatments initiated in community settings in which therapists are trained to understand their unique developmental needs, and that they can be successfully integrated into treatment protocols that include children without PAE.

Alcohol Research & Health Volume 34, Issue Number 1

The adverse effects of prenatal alcohol consumption have long been known; however, a formal description and clinical diagnosis of these effects was not introduced until 1973. Since then, the distinction of the wide range of effects that can be induced by prenatal alcohol exposure, and, consequently, the terminology to describe these effects has continued to evolve.

Alcoholism - Diffusion Tensor Imaging of the Cerebellum and Eyeblink Conditioning in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder

This study extends recent findings that have used DTI to reveal microstructural deficits in white matter in children with FASD. This is the first DTI study to demonstrate mediation of a fetal alcohol-related effect on neuropsychological function by deficits in white matter integrity.

COMING EVENTS

Eurocare - Protecting the unborn baby from alcohol, 7 September 2011, European Parliament, Brussels

This event is jointly organized by European Alcohol Policy Alliance (Eurocare) and the Polish State Agency for Prevention of Alcohol-Related Problems (PARPA) to mark International Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Day.

MATERIALS

Alcoholism and Alcohol Abuse Center - Fetal Alcohol Syndrome & Fetal Alcohol Results Video clip Part two

Fetal alcohol syndrome is among the most frequent recognized triggers of psychological retardation and as these, it is a key public well being difficulty.

Pregnant? Think! Don't Drink! FASD Prevention Handbook

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, District II is educating thousands of women across New York State about the risks of drinking alcohol during pregnancy. The College has developed a public friendly, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) prevention handbook.

Journal of Psychiatry & Law - SPECIAL ISSUE: FETAL ALCOHOL SYNDROME

IN OTHER LANGUAGES

Rynek Zrdowia (

Poland

) - Pijane ciąże - co roku kolejnych kilkaset dzieci wymaga leczenia. Bo matki piły...

Z badań wynika, że 33 proc. kobiet w wieku prokreacyjnym piło alkohol w czasie ciąży. Co najmniej kilkaset z nich rodzi dziecko z pełnoobjawowym alkoholowym zespołem płodowym - FAS. Są i takie matki, które piły alkohol sporadycznie, a ich dzieci wykazują cechy tego syndromu. W wykazie chorób uprawniających dziecko do świadczeń specjalnych takiego schorzenia w ogóle nie ma.

Alcohol News - 31/2011

YLE.fi (Finland) - Alcohol locks required for all public school transport

The use of alcohol locks became mandatory as of Monday for all authorized vehicles taking children to school and daycare. An alcohol lock prevents a car from starting if a breathalyzer test shows the driver is over the legal limit.

Sverige Radio (Sweden) - An end to the alcohol monopoly?

Despite EU membership, Sweden is holding on to its state liquor store monopoly. But there are signs that reform may be coming to a system that dates back to the mid-1800’s. Like a number of other northern countries, Sweden has a tradition of heavy drinking, especially beer and hard liquor.

Talking Alcohol.com (Norway) - Norway gets to keep ban on alcohol ads on TV

The Norwegian ban on alcohol advertising on TV will not be affected by an implementation of the EU directive for audiovisual services. So says the EU's ambassador in Norway, János Herman. He also said that Norway will be able to keep its practice for Internet ads.

Health Insurance and Protection Magazine (UK) - Diet and alcohol blamed for women's cancer risk

Unhealthy lifestyles lie behind the fact that a quarter of women in the UK develop cancer by age 75, compared to about a fifth (21%) in Europe, according to experts.

The Guardian (UK) - Drinks industry grip on alcohol panel criticised

The drinks industry has secured heavy representation on a key government advisory working group on alcohol, putting it in a strong position to influence the coalition's forthcoming alcohol strategy.

BBC News (UK) - More teens abstain from alcohol, NHS figures reveal

More than half of younger teenagers in England are abstaining from alcohol, the latest figures from the NHS Information Centre show.

Belfast Telegraph (Scotland) - Minister backs alcohol pricing move

Setting minimum prices for alcohol could help cut the near £700 million wasted each year tackling its misuse, the health minister has said. Edwin Poots said the Stormont Executive is still considering its options on the abuse of alcohol.

News Tonight (Northern Ireland) - Northern Ireland Doctors Blame Cheap Prices of Alcohol for Binge Drinking

Top Notch doctors of Northern Ireland have raised concerns for binge drinking in young women, as, according to them, these women are risking their life to death.

Prague Daily Monitor (Czech Republic) - Drivers no longer penalised for low alcohol blood content

Drivers on Czech roads will no longer be stripped of points for small speeding or a small quantity of alcohol in their blood as from Monday, August 1, when an amendment to the road law takes effect.

NDTV.com - Drinking alcohol prolongs, not relieves, stress

Although many people think that having a cocktail will help them relax, the relationship between stress and alcohol is a two-way street.

PR Newswire (USA) - New Alcohol Brand: Marin Institute Renamed 'Alcohol Justice'

he alcohol industry watchdog formerly known as Marin Institute is now called, "Alcohol Justice." The 24-year-old advocacy and research nonprofit made the announcement today as it launched a dynamic new web site at www.alcoholjustice.org and a series of updated fact sheets painting a picture of devastating alcohol-related harm.

IrishExaminer.com (Ireland) - Drink may cause ‘invisible’ brain harm

MORE than 4,000 Irish people could be suffering from an "invisible" serious brain injury caused by alcohol abuse, according to research.

Cowra Community News - Teen-targeted alcohol ads should be banned, says AMA

A NEW report shows there is further evidence that targeted marketing of alcohol to young people should be banned to prevent them from taking up drinking at harmful levels at a young age.

LSU The Reveille - Study: Binge drinking temporarily affects learning, memory

A new animal study by Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found that binge drinking does not necessarily kill or damage brain cells. Rather, excess alcohol temporarily disables the brain's ability to learn and create memories.

Pattaya Mail (Thailand) - People urged to refrain from alcohol in Buddhist Lent

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has encouraged people to refrain from drinking alcoholic beverages during this Buddhist Lent as a tribute to His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej upon this 84th birthday anniversary.

Fleet News Online (EU) - One million drivers tested for alcohol in European crackdown

A crackdown to enforce drink driving and drug driving regulations across Europe saw police conduct almost one million breath tests in a seven-day period, of which more than 17,000 were positive.

The Standard - World putting a brake on swigging alcohol

Today is Friday; a day when many people, especially young adults indulge in fun and drink. But there is an ongoing campaign to put a brake on this around the world. It encourages people who want to enjoy a drink to get a designated driver, who will remain sober.

Mail & Guardian Online (South Africa) - Advertising fuels consumption

It is a facet of human nature that if we recognize a problem and wish to change it, we wish to do so in a manner that requires as little change and as few sacrifices as possible.

Alcohol News

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Monday, August 29, 2011

Alcohol News - 35/2011

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Alcohol News - 34/2011

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FASD News - 33/2011

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Alcohol News - 33/2011

Monday, August 8, 2011

Alcohol News - 32/2011

Sunday, August 7, 2011

FASD News - 31/2011

Monday, August 1, 2011

Alcohol News - 31/2011