Pages

Monday, September 26, 2011

Alcohol News - 39/2011


The Copenhagen Post (Denmark) - WHO concerned about Danish kids’ drinking habits
Denmark has been criticised for its dangerously high rates of teen drinking in a new World Health Organisation (WHO) report.
Bloomberg (Estonia) - Estonian Government Approves Alcohol-Tax Increase From January
Estonia’s government agreed to raise alcohol taxes from January to keep the budget deficit within European Union rules.
Herald Sun (Finland) - Study: Loners likely to drink to an early death
LIVING alone has a new downside: a greater chance of drinking yourself to death. Not only are the bills all yours, but social isolation increases the likelihood of dying of a smorgasbord of alcohol-related causes, Finnish researchers say.
Helsingin Sanomat (Finland) - Hundreds of Finnish newborn babies damaged by alcohol
Hundreds, and possibly thousands of children in Finland are born each year suffering from the ill effects caused by alcohol consumed by the mother during pregnancy. According to Research Professor Ilona Autti-Rämö of the Social Insurance Institution KELA, the problem is getting worse.
Helsingin Sanomat (Finland) - Alko not interested in home delivery of alcoholic beverages
Alko, the Finnish state-owned retail monopoly for spirits, wines, and strong beer, does not plan to follow suit if Sweden’s Systembolaget implements plans to offer home delivery of beverages.
Indian Express (Sweden) - Children with alcoholic parents likely to be driven to drink
A study has revealed that children whose parents are alcoholics are at a greater risk of consuming alcohol when they come across stressful situations. The research from the Sahlgrenska Academy, at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, sheds new light on the link between alcoholic parents and 50 per cent of children having drinking habits in the future.
The Local.se (Sweden) - Systembolaget mulls home delivery
Sweden's state-run alcohol retail monopoly Systembolaget is considering plans to expand its current e-commerce to include a home delivery service.
The Guardian - Facebook deal with Diageo fuels under-age drinking fears
A multimillion-dollar deal agreed between Facebook and drinks company Diageo will fuel the under-age drinking epidemic by exposing increasing numbers of young people to alcohol marketing, health experts are warning.
The Press Association (Wales) - Alcohol and energy drinks warning
Drinkers may be putting themselves at risk by mixing alcohol with energy drinks, a new report has warned. According to a new paper by charity Alcohol Concern, caffeine in energy drinks can mask the effects of alcohol and make drinkers less aware of how drunk they are.
The Associated Press (USA) - Local governments tap alcohol sales for revenue
Dee Gusewelle used to rail against the sale of alcohol, posting signs in her yard and encouraging neighbors and passersby to keep booze out of this patch of northern Arkansas.
Wall Street Journal - New Rules for Alcohol Companies to Advertise and Market on Social Networks
Alcohol marketers are going to have to start carding at the door to their social networking fan pages. Starting Sept. 30, spirits makers in the U.S. and Europe will be held to a new set of self-regulatory guidelines for advertising and marketing on social networking sites and other digital media designed to prevent marketing their products to kids.
Herald Scotland (Scotland) - City’s drink hot-spots to face major crackdown
HUNDREDS of licensed premises will be visited in the coming weeks and warned they have one month to get their houses in order as a new dedicated police squad moves to clean up Glasgow’s alcohol trouble spots.
MSN NZ News (New Zealand) - The problem of alcohol and sport
New Zealanders are divided on whether professional sports people should be banned from drinking when they are on tour.
French Tribune (Australia) - Alcohol Important Component of Australian Culture: Survey
A survey has found that Australian teenagers feel that alcohol has been an important component of their culture, and drinking to a certain limit does not harm anyone.
Huffington Post (USA) - Binge-Drinking Among Women Is Up: Study
People born after the World War II era -- especially women -- are more likely than their ancestors to binge drink and develop alcohol disorders, according to a new review of studies.
Sydney Morning Herald - Red repudiated to the last drop
Red wine's reputation for preventing heart attacks has come under fire from health experts who have declared every drink of alcohol can do you damage.
Indian Express (India) - Around 13000 caught driving under influence of alcohol in Delhi
Around 13,000 drunken drivers have been challaned or jailed so far this year -- the highest for any year in the city's history -- due to an aggressive drive which police claim has paid high dividends with the reduction in the number of accidents.
AllAfrica.com (Zimbabwe) - Alcohol, Tobacco Taxes - Avoid 'Killjoy' Approach
For decades, finance ministers around the world did complex calculations when setting their "sin taxes" on alcohol and tobacco products.
Philippine Star (Cambodia) - Cambodia begins to ban ads of alcohol drinks in public
Cambodia began to ban all advertisements of alcohol drinks in public with an aim to reduce the alarming rate of traffic accidents that were merely caused by drunk drivers, according to a new notice received Wednesday.
The Drum - Analysis: Do alcohol and YouTube mix?
Farhad Divecha, director of AccuraCast, discusses the relationship between alcohol marketing and YouTube's potentially under-age audience.
Myjoyonline.com (Ghana) - Comment: Feminine face of alcohol in Ghana
It’s all common to find our women dancing, exposing part of their body, and singing all in the name of alcohol. For the past one decade in the history of Ghana, our country has witnessed the proliferation of alcohol products with major advertisement in either a huge bill board in town or ads on our major television stations.
The Conversation - Last drinks: regulating alcohol to prevent non-communicable diseases
Paula O'Brien looks at the what The Lancet NCD Action Group and the NCD Alliance name as one of the priority interventions for mitigating the impact of NCDs: reduction in hazardous alcohol intake.
Primedia Broadcasting (South Africa) - Government to finalise alcohol legislation
The legislation governing alcohol advertising could be finalised by the end of November. Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini on Thursday said government was going ahead with drastic methods which included bans on alcohol marketing.
The Daily Star (Lebanon) - Decision to prohibit alcohol sale in Hadath late at night sparks controversy
While recent bans on the sale of alcohol in predominantly Shiite towns have been implemented rather quietly, a decision prohibiting the sale of alcohol late at night is dividing residents in the town of Hadath.
Irish Times (Ireland) - Shortall wants to end below-cost alcohol sales
MINISTER OF State for Health Róisín Shortall has said she is in favour of introducing a minimum price for alcohol being sold in supermarkets and other shops to make alcohol products more expensive.
Sky News (North Ireland) - Drink-Drive Limit In N Ireland Set To Halve
The drink-drive limit is set to be almost halved for most motorists in Northern Ireland - prompting speculation the change could be extended to the entire UK.
Care2.com - Is Booze Causing Europe’s Economic Woes?
It’s a long known economic joke that the only recession proof investment is alcohol — no matter what happens, consumption never seems to lag. Oddly, the opposite is holding true for European liquor outfits, which have had to cut hundreds of thousands of jobs because of declining demand and increasing prices.

Monday, September 19, 2011

Alcohol News - 38/2011


prMac (Latvia) - DrinkControl Lite - Track Drinks and Related Expenses on iPhone for Free
Happy Moments today is pleased to announce DrinkControl Lite 2.0.345, alcohol usage and expenses tracker for iPhone. DrinkControl Lite is used for recording the beverages taken and related expenses.
Read more 
Helsingin Sanomat (Finland) - Rise in alcohol tax is to focus specifically on milder drinks
Federation of the Brewing and Soft Drinks Industry assumes that the aim is to make room for Class-2 beer with lower alcohol content.
Read more 
Hartwall (Finland) - Preliminary Inspection Committee supervises the TV alcohol advertising of members of the Federation of the Brewing and Soft Drinks Industry
Last spring, the Finnish Federation of the Brewing and Soft Drinks Industry decided that the content of the TV alcohol advertisements of its members will be inspected before release.
Read more 
www.stockholmnews.com (Sweden) - Alcohol will be permitted at old peoples´ homes
The four parties in the government all open up for a change in the law which will permit serving alcohol at old peoples’ homes.
Read more 
BakuToday (Lithuania) - The Government intends to put Lithuania in the category of moderate drinkers States
The Lithuanian Government approved the draft programme for the control of producers of alcohol and tobacco, reported today, 12 September BakuToday the press service of the Cabinet of Ministers.
Read more 
The Guardian (UK) - Price of alcohol is 'obscenely low'
The price of alcohol is "obscenely low" and heavy drinkers are being subsidised by ordinary shoppers in supermarkets, according to medical experts.
Read more 
Cancer Research UK - New insight into how alcohol is linked to breast and liver cancers
A US laboratory study has revealed how the breakdown of alcohol in human cells results in DNA damage that causes cell changes linked to cancer.
Read more 
The Age (Australia) - Experts see red over wine 'myth'
RED wine's reputation for preventing heart attacks has come under fire from health experts who have declared every drink of alcohol can do you damage.
Read more 
CNN International - WHO outlines steps to reduce leading causes of death
To decrease deaths from noninfectious diseases, countries should pass excise taxes on tobacco and alcohol, encourage smoke-free public places, reduce salt and trans fat in foods, and increase awareness of diet and physical activity, according to a World Health Organization report.
Read more 
Daily Mail - Sport and demon drink: Alcohol is a poison, adding to the risk of injury
Drinking excessively in modern sport goes against everything you are taught, so what England's players have apparently been doing in New Zealand makes no sense. Alcohol is a poison, so you don't want it in your blood and when it is, you are putting yourself at severe risk of injury.
Read more 
WebMD (USA) - Drinking on the Rise Among U.S. Women
Women are catching up to men when it comes to how much and how often they drink alcohol. As a result, they are increasingly at risk for developing alcohol problems.
Read more 
AllAfrica.com (Zimbabwe) - Alcohol, Tobacco Taxes to Go Up
CONCERNED by the high prevalence of non-communicable diseases, the Government is considering raising alcohol and tobacco taxes to finance the prevention and treatment of such conditions.
Read more 
Los Angeles Times (USA) - Drinking problems have increased in last 60 years
An analysis of 31 studies on alcohol drinking patterns worldwide has found that people born in North America after World War II are more likely than other groups to engage in binge drinking and develop alcoholism. Younger groups consistently consume more alcohol than older generations.
Read more 
Voxy (New Zealand) - Alcohol Reform Bill not to pass before election
The Government is maintaining its impotent response to New Zealand's heavy drinking culture and not even passing the Alcohol Reform Bill before the election, says Alcohol Action.
Read more 
Indiana Public Media - Study: Parents Have Misperception Of Kids’ Drug, Alcohol Use
A new study looks at parents’ perception of alcohol and marijuana use among teenagers. The study from the University of Michigan’s C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital says that 10 percent of parents think their own teens drank alcohol in the last year and five percent think their teens smoked marijuana in the last year.
Read more 
Sydney Morning Herald - UN summit targets obesity, alcohol and smoking
WORLD leaders will agree to a deal at a United Nations meeting tomorrow to try to curb the spread of preventable ''lifestyle'' diseases, amid concern that progress is already being hampered by powerful food, alcohol and tobacco lobbyists.
Read more 
Radio-Info.com - New study: "Young people are being overexposed to alcohol ads on the radio"
There could be implications for radio advertising in this story. A 2003 deal obligated beer and distilled spirits advertisers to keep alcohol ads away from media where those under the age of 21 are particularly likely to be represented.
Read more 
Independent Online (South Africa) - Hope for alcohol syndrome babies
For the first time, many South African babies born with foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) will be diagnosed at birth – giving them a far better chance at getting help.
Read more 
Sydney Morning Herald (Russia)  - Beer's no longer lunch for Russians
WITH a stroke of the presidential pen, beer has been reclassified as an alcoholic drink instead of a foodstuff in Russia.
Read more 
Telegraph.co.uk (UK) - Boris Johnson: 'stay sober, stay free from jail' says London mayor
In a column for The Daily Telegraph, the mayor of London called for the introduction of mandatory “sobriety tests”, instead of jail for those convicted of alcohol-fuelled violence.
Read more 
U.S. News & World Report - Problem Drinking Linked to Brain Damage
Long-term alcohol abuse can result in significant damage to the brain, a new study shows.
Read more 
AFP (Russia) - Russia targets beer in fight against alcoholism
With a stroke of the presidential pen, beer was recently reclassified as an alcoholic drink in Russia, no longer a foodstuff, and its sales are to be restricted to cut alcohol abuse.
Read more 
Times of Malta (Malta) - Penalties on sale of alcohol to minors should be raised – MHRA
Penalties governing the sale of alcohol to minors should be raised substantially to a level that constituted a real deterrent, as had been announced by government in May this year, the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association said.
Read more 
Irish Times (Europe) - Europeans 'heaviest drinkers in world'
The World Health Organisation have announced an "action plan to reduce the harmful use of alcohol" in Europe, which they say is the heaviest drinking region in the world.
Read more 
European Public Health Alliance (WHO Europe) - New Action Plan to reduce the harmful use of alcohol adopted by 53 countries in Europe
Representatives from the 53 WHO European Region Member States met at the 61st session of the Regional Committee for Europe and adopted the European Action Plan to reduce the harmful use of alcohol.
Read more 
The Chosun Ilbo (Korea) - Koreans Biggest Drinkers in Asia
Koreans drink more alcohol than any of their Asian neighbors, according to the World Health Organization. According to a report the WHO released in February on the annual average per capita consumption of alcohol by country, Koreans consume 14.80 liters to rank 13th in the world and No. 1 in Asia. The results were based on data gathered from 2003 to 2005.
Read more 

Sunday, September 18, 2011

FASD News - 37/2011

FemaleFirst.co.uk - Alcohol in pregnancy causes 'most common form of learning disability'
A new research paper has assessed the impact on learning of children suffering from foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) and it provides a wake-up call to the consequences of drinking alcohol whilst pregnant.
Read more
The West Australian (Australia) - Alcohol in pregnancy can harm babies
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is now being revealed as a tragic legacy of alcohol misuse. And the condition is not isolated to marginalised, disadvantaged communities, researchers say.
Read more
BBC News (UK) - Pregnant pause at Aberdeen flash gathering
A flash mob to highlight fetal alcohol problems has taken place in Aberdeen city centre.
Read more
EMC Kingston (Canada) - A resounding reminder of the dangers of alcohol consumption during pregnancy
Who better to help ring a bell to raise awareness about any worthwhile cause than the city's own Town Crier, Chris Whyman. Wyman, bell in hand, joined a room full of people at Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington Public Health as they rang bells to raise awareness about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).
Read more 
WVNS (USA) - Born Addicted: Approximately 1 out of 5 W.Va. Babies Born With Drugs in System
Instead of spending the first few weeks or months in the comfort of their new home, many West Virginia babies start their lives in an intensive care unit, withdrawing from drugs.
Read more
Kingston This Week (Canada) - New interventions for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Until the last child is born with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, bells will continue to toll around the world at 9:09 a.m. on September 9 to mark International FASD Awareness Day and the importance of abstaining from alcohol during the nine months of pregnancy.
Read more
Independent Online (South Africa) - Hope for alcohol syndrome babies
For the first time, many South African babies born with foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) will be diagnosed at birth – giving them a far better chance at getting help.
Read more
NewsPoint Africa (South Africa) – EXPERTS acknowledge 4000 new cases fas every year says report
Foetal alcohol syndrome is a severe birth defect that makes infants mentally retarded along with episodes of facial and neural abnormalities as well as malformations of other body parts. The health condition is believed to be triggered by alcohol consumption during pregnancy.
Read more
Austin American-Statesman (USA) - State office, advocates seek screening of all pregnant women for alcohol use
A state health office and advocates announced Friday that they are seeking universal screening of all pregnant Texas women and "brief intervention for alcohol use" to prevent a widespread but little-known disability.
Read more
EurActiv (EU) - Combat alcohol abuse with mandatory labels, EU urged
Policymakers gathered in Brussels this week to discuss the risks posed by alcohol abuse to unborn children urged the EU to introduce mandatory warning labels on bottles and cans.
Read more
South Wales Argus (Wales) - Mums-to-be tell of dangers of boozing while pregnant
MUMS-to-be joined NHS staff in Newport yesterday to highlight the dangers of drinking alcohol while pregnant.
Read more
Independent Online - Just one drink can harm your unborn baby
Friday (September 9, 2011) is International Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) Awareness Day and the Industry Association for Responsible Alcohol Use (ARA) is urging expecting mothers not to drink alcohol while pregnant.
UPCOMING EVENTS
2ND International SAFFrance Colloquium, 15- 16 December 2011, Strasbourg
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 
Live webcast – September 28, 2011 (9 -11am MST) – Talking with Women about Alcohol and Pregnancy
Christine Urqhart, Co-Founder, Change Talk Associates This session will address FASD prevention in relation to how we communicate with pregnant women and women in their childbearing years along the continuum of risk.
Read more

MATERIALS:
2011 Fetal Alcohol Canadian Expertise (FACE) Poster Competition Abstracts
Held on September 13, 2011 - Prince Edward Island
Read more 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) are a group of conditions that can occur in a person whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy. Learn more about signs, treatments, and what you can do about FASDs.
Read more 
Canadian Foundation on Fetal Alcohol Research Awards Research Grants
The Canadian Foundation on Fetal Alcohol Research (CFFAR) today announced its fourth round of grants awarded for the research, prevention and treatment of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Dr. Louise Nadeau, Professor at the Université de Montréal and Scientific Director of the Centre Dollard-Cormier, University Institute on Dependencies and Ian Faris, President and CEO of the Brewers Association of Canada (BAC) made the announcement.
Read more

RESEARCH:
A Differential Approach for Examining the Behavioural Phenotype of Fetal Alcohol Research Disorders
2006, Nash and colleagues published results suggesting that individual items from the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) could be used as a screening tool that was highly sensitive in differentiating children with FASD from controls and children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Read more
A Need for Closer Examination of FASD by the Criminal Justice System: Has the Call Been Answered?
Individuals with FASD exhibit deficits in many domains that can include memory, learning, behavioural inhibition, executive functioning, interpersonal skills, and language. These deficits have serious implications for affected persons when they become engaged in the legal system.
Read more

IN OTHER LANGUAGES:
STERN.DE (Germany) - Für immer geschädigt
In Deutschland kommen jedes Jahr mehrere tausend Babys mit Alkoholschäden zur Welt, weil ihre Mütter während der Schwangerschaft getrunken haben. Die Kinder sind oft unterentwickelt, verhaltensauffällig und lernen nicht so schnell wie Gleichaltrige - so wie Michael Resch, für den seine Kindheit eine Qual war.
Read more 
Opoka (Poland) - Międzynarodowy Dzień FAS i konferencja w Lędzinach
W dniu 9 września obchodzony jest po raz 11 Światowy Dzień FAS. Płodowy Zespół Alkoholowy (ang. FAS: Fetal Alcohol Syndrome) jest zespołem uszkodzeń organizmu i związanych z tym zaburzeń rozwoju u dzieci matek pijących alkohol w czasie ciąży. W USA ten syndrom znany jest od 1973 r. W najbliższy poniedziałek, 12 września odbędzie się w Lędzinach konferencja naukowa „FASD (poalkoholowe spektrum wrodzonych zaburzeń rozwojowych a inne zaburzenia rozwojowe".
Read more 
Deutsches Ärzteblatt (Germany) - Drogenbeauftragte: Gynäkologen sollen schwangere Mädchen vor Alkoholkonsums warnen
Schätzungsweise 10.000 Kinder mit einer Form der Fetalen Alkoholspektrum-Störung (FASD) werden in jedem Jahr in Deutschland geboren. Damit ist FASD die häufigste angeborene Behinderung in diesem Land.
Read more 
Salon Seudun Sanomat (Finland) - 9.9. muistuttaa yhdeksän kuukauden raittiudesta
Perjantaina vietetään kansainvälistä FASD-päivää. Päivämäärä 9.9. muistuttaa odottavan äidin yhdeksän kuukauden raittiudesta. Kun odottava äiti juo alkoholia, juo kohdussa oleva lapsikin. Alkoholi on kuitenkin myrkky, jota sikiön elimistö ei pysty käsittelemään. Vaikeimmillaan alkoholi voi aiheuttaa syntyvälle lapselle syvän kehitysvamman.
Read more 
Libero-News.it (Italy) – Pediatria Iss rischi da alcol nel pancione per oltre 7 neonati su 100
Divieto assoluto di bere alcol per le donne in gravidanza. Ma in Italia 7,6 neonati su 100 corrono il rischio di un'esposizione ai danni della sindrome fetoalcolica.
Read more 
Noticias Médicas (Spain) - El 25% de mujeres españolas aún bebe alcohol en el embarazo a pesar de las graves consecuencias para el bebé
La importancia de los trastornos derivados del consumo abusivo de bebidas alcohólicas afecta a de 2 a 4 bebés nacidos, según el Parlamente Europeo.
Read more 

Monday, September 12, 2011

Alcohol News - 37/2011

Euractiv (EU) - Combat alcohol abuse with mandatory labels, EU urged
Policymakers gathered in Brussels this week to discuss the risks posed by alcohol abuse to unborn children urged the EU to introduce mandatory warning labels on bottles and cans.
Read more 
YLE News (Finland) - Study: Reduced-alcohol beer would save 350 lives a year
Diluting beer could mitigate problems associated with alcohol use in Finland. Fresh research argues that alcohol consumption would clearly fall if grocery stores sold drinks diluted to 3.5 percent, as in Sweden.
Read more 
Netdoctor (Finland) - Alcohol 'an important cause of death' among people with type-1 diabetes
There has been a worrying rise in alcohol-related deaths among people with type-1 diabetes, new research shows. Researchers in Finland investigated deaths among 17,306 under-30s with type-1 diabetes between 1970 and 1999, all of whom were followed for around 21 years.
Read more 
MarketWatch (EU) - Changing European Drinking Habits Force Alcohol Producers to Diversify
Although the World Health Organization reports that European alcohol consumption remains the region with the heaviest drinking in the World, recent studies suggest that drinking is on the downturn in Europe.
Read more 
The Press Association (Scotland) - Back alcohol price plan, MSPs urged
A Conservative leadership contender who opposed the SNP's minimum alcohol pricing plan last year has said politicians should now respect the "clear view" of the public and back the policy.
Read more 
BBC News (UK) - 'E-course' to help hospital staff assist alcohol users
An online alcohol awareness course has been developed to help medical staff assist patients to choose healthier drinking behaviour.
Read more 
CanadianBusiness.com (Canada) - Big Island study on fetal alcohol, drug exposure
Nearly half of the children on the Big Island were exposed to intoxicating substances in the womb, according to a study of women over the past three years.
Read more 
Times of India - Out: Why office parties often leave you red-faced
People often embarrass themselves and behave badly at office parties. Now, scientists have come up with an explanation - drinking in unfamiliar environments make people lose control of their inhibitions.
Read more 
Stuff.co.nz (New Zealand) - Alcohol contributes to quarter of child deaths – report
Alcohol contributed to the deaths of one in four children and young people who died between 2005 and 2007, a new report has found.
Read more 
EurekAlert - Role of alcohol intake and smoking on upper aerodigestive cancers
This paper provides an extensive analysis of the proportion of the risk of upper aero-digestive tract (UADT) cancers in the population (the population attributable risk) that may be due to alcohol consumption and/or smoking.
Read more 
French Tribune (South Africa) - Test for Alcohol Syndrome in Fetuses Launched
The first ever Commercial test for fetal alcohol syndrome has been launched in South Africa by the Trimega Laboratories. This test is going to be traded under the partnership with Tripelo, in order to form double bilateral system.
Read more 
Adelaide Now (Australia) - Service stations and convenience stores float alcohol sales proposal
OWNERS of service stations and 24-hour convenience stores have launched a bid to sell alcohol. The Australasian Association of Convenience Stores - which counts Smokemart, On the Run and BP franchise owner Peregrine Corp among its members - has asked the Productivity Commission to consider the proposal.
Read more 
BBC News (Ecuador) - Ecuador tackles bootleg alcohol after wave of deaths
Since mid-July, 50 people have died in Ecuador after drinking contaminated alcohol, according to the government.
Read more 
Financial Times (Russia) - Russia counts the cost of drinking
Employers in Russia are not known for compassion – unless they are dealing with drunkenness. A hangover is still seen in many offices and factories as an excuse for skipping work, turning up late or just being grumpy and unproductive. However, as the Kremlin steps up its campaign against alcoholism, experts are counting the economic cost of Russians’ excessive drinking habits.
Read more 
Independent Online (South Africa) - ‘Alcohol abuse costs SA’
Alcohol abuse costs South Africa's economy R9 billion a year, Deputy Trade and Industry Minister Elizabeth Thabethe said on Monday.
Read more 
GP online (Scotland) - BMA backs minimum pricing in Scotland to end 'scourge of alcohol abuse'
BMA Scotland has welcomed the Scottish government's pledge to reintroduce a Bill for minimum pricing of alcohol to help address the 'scourge of alcohol abuse' in the country.
Read more 
Wiki Peers (Sri Lanka) - Smoking and Alcohol Ads to Issue a Warning
Carlo Fonseka, the chief of National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol in Sri Lanka, has stated that alcohol and tobacco are two of the biggest killers of the society. This has prompted a warning notice to be issued whenever an advertisement concerning these two products goes on air.
Read more 
The Guardian (UK) - The shocking facts about young people and alcohol abuse
We want to express our support for Dr Sarah Wollaston's private member's bill, calling for restrictions on alcohol advertising in cinemas, on television and online, as a means of reducing the number of children and young people harmed by alcohol.
Read more 
Novinite.com (Bulgaria) - Crackdown on Bulgaria Booze-Fests
Seems "alcohol tourism" has gotten a little out of control in the country due to British, German and Scandinavian tour companies promoting heavy drinking vacation packages. Cheap alcohol prices and lax regulations have made Eastern Europe, and especially Bulgaria, the current hot spot for stag (bachelor) parties from Western Europe.
Read more 
Novinite.com (Bulgaria) - Bulgarians Get Drunk Fast, Die Old – Study
Contrary to popular beliefs, the Bulgarians' alcohol tolerance is inferior to that of other nations, a study has apparently shown.
Read more 
Herald Scotland (Scotland) - Glasgow A&Es see 1300 child drink and drug cases
MORE than 1300 children were taken to hospital in Scotland’s biggest city over a three-year period as emergency cases because of drugs and alcohol.
Read more

Monday, September 5, 2011

Alcohol News - 36/2011


The Mail (UK) - Number of off-licences in an area linked to teen drinking hospital admissions, research reveals
A clear link between the number of off-licences in an area and teenagers ending up in hospital through drink has been established by researchers.
Financial Times (Scotland) - Scotland in push for minimum alcohol price
Scotland’s determination to introduce a minimum selling price for alcohol has set it on collision course with shopkeepers, distillers and brewers, as well as the European courts and Westminster, which could find itself obliged to defend a policy dismissed by the UK.
Times of India - Alcohol dulls brain into making mistakes
A new study says that alcohol dulls the brain signal warning people about mistakes, reducing their self control.
Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) - Wine tax reform plan to hit purse but help the body
TAXING wine in the same way as beer would cut overall alcohol consumption by 9 per cent, according to economic modelling to be presented today.
Nursing in Practice - Mental health link to alcohol problems
People diagnosed with mental health problems like depression, bipolar disorder and anxiety disorder are at much higher risk of developing a dependence on alcohol, according to an Australian study.
BBC News (Scotland) - Task force sets plan to blitz Glasgow's booze culture
Plain clothes police officers are to be deployed on Glasgow's transport network to cut alcohol-related disorder.
Independent Online (South Africa) - Alcohol adverts face being canned
Severe restrictions on alcohol advertising will be tabled before the cabinet within two months, Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini confirmed on Tuesday.
Nursing in Practice (UK) - New commissioning guide for alcohol services
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has today published a guide to help improve the identification and treatment of hazardous drinking, harmful drinking and alcohol dependence in children, young people and adults. The guide can help the NHS and local authorities to make best use of resources.
TNT Magazine - Children from divorced parents 'more likely' to become binge drinkers
A  "tough love" style of parenting, which combines discipline and warmth, has been found the most effective in ensuring children don't develop an unhealthy relationship with alcohol.
FoodAndDrinkEurope.com - Drinks industry needs to tighten up on social media marketing, report
Stricter controls are needed for alcohol advertising on social media platforms in order to restrict children’s access to marketing intended for adults, according to UK charity agency Alcohol Concern.
Indian Country Today Media Network.com (USA) - Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Rate Higher Among American Indians
A mother rouses from sleep, cradles her newborn infant and yawns. She then gets up and carries the baby, all soft and not quite ready to wail for food, into the kitchen. She reaches for a bottle, but it isn’t a baby bottle. It’s glass. It has a screw-top. It’s 80 proof. The mother opens the bottle, smells it and takes a drink.
East Coast Radio (South Africa) - Alcohol abuse costs SA billions
To try and get locals to cut back on their drinking, South Africa's Trade and Industry Department has launched Sobriety Week in Pretoria today.
Ninemsn (Australia) - Older people 'most likely to drink daily'
Older Australians are the hidden statistics of those at risk of alcohol and drug addiction, a health group says.
Telegraph.co.uk - Drink-driving risk for obesity surgery patients
Obese people who undergo weight-loss surgery become drunk more easily and may inadvertently find themselves over the limit, an academic has warned.
Tasmania Mercury (Tasmania) - Study targets teen drinkers
THE attitude of Tasmanian parents towards supplying their children with alcohol will be the focus of a new five-year study looking at links between early drinking and alcohol problems.
Irish Times (Ireland) - Born with a craving for alcohol
WOMEN IN Ireland who drink while pregnant are creating children three times more likely to crave alcohol, according to a leading specialist in the field.
New Zealand Herald (New Zealand) - Public split on cheap alcohol stuns expert
The public are almost evenly split on whether supermarkets should be able to offer wine at rock-bottom prices by selling at below cost, the latest Herald DigiPoll survey shows.
Ormskirk & Skelmersdale Advertiser (UK) - Ormskirk and Skelmersdale children alcohol abuse levels shock – report
SHOCKING rates of alcohol abuse by children in Ormskirk and Skelmersdale have been revealed by new research.
Belarus Digest (Belarus) - Cheap Booze for the People of Belarus
As the economic crisis deepens prices on nearly all products rise sharply in Belarus with one remarkable exception - alcohol.  These days a bottle of vodka in Belarusian restaurants often costs less than a packet of orange juice - US$3.
Austrian Independent (Austria) - Alcohol addiction warning issued
Around 900,000 of the 8.5 million residents of Austrian are consuming health-threatening amounts of alcohol, experts have warned.
Bloomberg (Hungary) - Hungary to Raise Taxes, Delay Spending for Budget, Orban Says
The tax increases will affect alcohol, tobacco and gambling, Orban said in a TV2 interview today. The measures will be approved Sept. 5 or 6 and will be announced Sept. 7, he said.
New York Times (Russia) - In Russia, Harsh Remedy for Addiction Gains Favor
The treatment center does not handcuff addicts to their beds anymore. But caged together on double-decker bunks with no way out, they have no choice but to endure the agonies of withdrawal, the first step in a harsh, coercive approach to drug treatment that has gained wide support in Russia.
thenews.pl (Poland) - Bar opens on Polish trains
A communist-era law that prohibits the sale of alcohol on trains will no longer be in effect as of 1 September.

Sunday, September 4, 2011

FASD News - 35/2011

The Virtual Medical Centre (Australia) - Alcohol health warnings protect mums and babies
Researchers at Perth's Telethon Institute for Child Health Research support calls for mandatory health warning labels on alcohol products.
Read more 
Queens County Advance - FASD: Supporting mother during pregnancy key
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is one of the few illnesses that is completely preventable, however it is also the one that comes with the most stigma. Sept. 9 is FASD awareness day, and the South Shore Family Resource Centre bringing awareness to the issue with the help of several community partners.
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 
Irish Times (Ireland) - Born with a craving for alcohol
WOMEN IN Ireland who drink while pregnant are creating children three times more likely to crave alcohol, according to a leading specialist in the field.
Read more 
The West Australian (Australia) - Alcohol in pregnancy can harm babies
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is now being revealed as a tragic legacy of alcohol misuse. And the condition is not isolated to marginalised, disadvantaged communities, researchers say.
Read more 
Patch.com (USA) - For Whom The Bells Will Toll
At 9:09 a.m., on September 9, the bells of the Community Church of Douglaston and Zion Episcopal Church will ring in an effort to help raise awareness about fetal alcohol syndrome.
Read more 
KARE (USA) - Pregnant drinking: Social experiment at the Minnesota State Fair
The idea by the Minnesota Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome was simple; plant a visibly pregnant woman at the state fair, have her drink a few beers and wait to see if people would intervene.
Read more 
SignOnSanDiego.com - Healthy pregnancy equals a healthy baby
Preparing for a baby’s arrival is important — but charting a course for mom’s health during pregnancy is even more vital. Here are some tips for planning a healthy pregnancy.
Read more 
Vanguard - When you drink for two, your child becomes damaged
Imagine when your pregnancy is scanned for the first time so you could see your precious baby growing in the womb, suddenly its whole body gives a shudder and the foetus appears to jump. Such a movement is known as the startle reflex, and the scan described above are from photographs from scans that were taken by Peter Hepper, a professor of psychology at Queens University, Belfast and an expert on the effects of alcohol on unborn babies.
Read more 
Jakcsonville.com - Ask the health experts: Is it OK to have a glass of wine during pregnancy?
Is it OK for me to have a glass of wine during my pregnancy? I have heard it might help me sleep, and that an occasional alcoholic beverage won't harm my baby.
Read more 

COMING UP
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.
Read more 

MATERIALS
Blogcritics.org - Interview: Carole Eglash-Kosof, Author of The Human Spirit
Carole Eglash-Kosof is a graduate of UCLA and has spent the majority of her career in business and teaching.  After tragedy struck in 2006, causing her to lose her husband, mother and brother within a month of one another, she knew she needed to reevaluate her life. She was sent to South Africa to teach as part of the American Jewish World Service. The Human Spirit is the tale of the people of this land who show a level of caring unrivaled by most.  They are apartheid’s unheralded heroes and The Human Spirit is their story.
Read more 
Best Start – Best Start Resource Centre
Check out alcohol and pregnancy resources on the Best Start Resource Centre site, including the stylish Mocktails for Mom brochure.
Read more 

IN OTHER LANGUAGES
MediUutiset (Finland) - Alkoholin vaurioittamat vauvat jäävät ilman diagnoosia
Vain kymmenen prosenttia äidin raskauden aikaisen alkoholinkäytön takia fetaalialkoholioireyhtymän (FAS) saaneista lapsista saa diagnoosin.
Read more 
Kehitysvammaliitto (Finland) - 9.9. muistuttaa yhdeksän kuukauden raittiudesta
Kansainvälisenä FASD-päivänä 9.9. kiinnitetään huomiota raskaudenaikaisen alkoholinkäytön vaaroihin. FASD on uusi lääketieteellinen termi, jolla viitataan lapselle aiheutuneiden vaurioiden kirjoon.
Read more