Alcohol News: November 2011

Monday, November 28, 2011

Alcohol News - 48/2011

ERR News (Estonia) - Store Clerks Turn Blind Eye to Underaged Alcohol Purchases

In a freshly released study, test subjects 18 years of age (the legal drinking age) weren't asked for ID on 71 percent of their alcohol purchases

The Local.se (Sweden) - 'Systembolaget behind wine club police report'

Sweden’s state-run alcohol monopoly Systembolaget has been accused of having had a hand in a police report filed by a temperance society against a group of wine clubs.

HealthCanal.com (Sweden) - Gene impedes recovery from alcoholism

People who are alcohol-dependent and who also carry a particular variant of a gene run an increased risk of premature death. This is a recent finding from the interdisciplinary research at the Department of Psychology and the Sahlgrenska Academy in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Reuters (USA) - Sharp rise in hospitalizations tied to energy drinks: report

Emergency room visits linked to energy drink consumption have surged in recent years, according to a report released on Tuesday, as more people combine the popular beverages with alcohol and drugs.

CBC.ca (Canada) - Alcohol drinking guide stresses moderation

Canada's new alcohol drinking recommendations aim to help guide people in how much to consume and they encourage moderation. The new guidelines from the National Alcohol Strategy Advisory Committee were released Friday.

The Daily Post (New Zealand) - Merepeka Raukawa-Tait: Alcohol is a drug

As soon as Zac Guildford's plane landed when he returned from Rarotonga he should have been whisked off to rehab. This talented young man has a drug addiction that is affecting his life.

Nigerian Tribune (Nigeria) - Excessive alcohol weakens body’s immunity against infections

Most people associate the physical harms of alcohol with liver damage. However, experts warn that heavy alcohol intake can also weaken the immune system, slow the healing process, impair bone formation, and increase the risk of transmitting HIV, reports Sade Oguntola.

UPI.com - Teen volunteering cuts alcohol, drug use

Programs that foster positive social behaviors such as volunteering reduce the likelihood teens will use alcohol or drugs in adulthood, U.S. researchers say.

Drogheda Independent (Ireland) - Alcohol takes enormous toll on Irish families

'SADLY alcohol takes a huge toll in Ireland. We have been in denial about this for a long time.' That's the opinion of Dr Declan Bedford, public health specialist with the HSE.

The West Australian (Australia) - Injuries and illness from grog cost us millions

WA hospitals are spending $76 million a year treating alcohol-related illnesses and injury, with cases in the metropolitan area rising significantly, a new report shows.

Advertisement Journal - Women and Alcohol Advertisements

Women are becoming the new face for alcohol advertisements. Whether it is beer, liquor, or specialty drinks, women are being targeted for alcohol advertisements all over. Not only are women being targeted for alcohol advertisements, moms are also being targeted.

stv.tv (Scotland) - Report: Increased tax on alcohol would be preferable to minimum pricing

A study has argued that extra revenues raised from alcohol sales should go to the public purse rather than retailers and producers.

Irish Health (Ireland) - Shock rise in alcohol liver disease

Death rates from alcoholic liver disease (ALD) in Ireland have seen a massive increase during the Celtic Tiger years, according to a new study.

Saipan Tribune (Canada) - Alcohol-related car crashes dropping since 2009

Alcohol-related vehicular crashes in the CNMI have significantly decreased since 2009, according to the Department of Public Safety.

Insurance Age (UK) - ABI advises alcohol ban and curfew for young drivers

A ban on alcohol and restricted driving hours are two of the proposals set out by the Association of British Insurers (ABI) in a bid to reduce accidents among drivers aged under 25.

The West Australian (Australia) - Lobby group tackles alcohol harm in teens

Doctors, child health experts and police are among 78 organisations that have formed a powerful new lobby group in WA to fight problem drinking in teenagers.

Daily Mail (UK) - Boozy Britons are drinking more... as the rest of Europe cuts down

Consumption of alcohol has soared in Britain over the last few decades while it has plummeted on the continent. Adults in the UK drink 9 per cent more than they did in 1980, making us the 11th booziest nation in Europe – although our intake has fallen slightly over the past few years.

Kashmir Watch (China) - China Prohibits Advertising of Alcoholic Drinks

Nine out of the more than 20 national Chinese television networks (CCTV) will not air TV commercials that advertise beer, wine, or any other type of alcoholic drink, according to He Haiming, vice-director of CCTV's advertising operations and management center, as told to the Beijing Today newspaper.

CorpComms (Belgium) - Fake death app highlights drugs and alcohol risk

A controversial new Facebook app that sends a fake newspaper article to friends describing a fatal car accident has been launched by The Belgian Institute for Traffic Safety (IBSR).

Warsaw Voice (Poland) - Poland plans no alcohol or LPG excise hike

Poland has no plans to raise excise duty on alcohol or auto gas LPG, deputy Finance Minister Jacek Kapica told PAP Polish news agency.

FASD News - 47/2011

NEWS AND ARTICLES

The Journal (Ireland) - Drugs, drink, and sex – Irish teenagers on their experiences

THE EXTENT OF Irish teenagers’ experiences with drugs, alcohol and sex are unveiled in two new reports from UNICEF. UNICEF Ireland has launched the final two reports in its Changing the Future series, which address the themes of drugs and alcohol and sexual health and behaviour respectively.

Malaysia Star (Malaysia) - A doctor’s perspective

MALAYSIA has no official definition for rare diseases. However, according to University Malaya Medical Centre consultant paediatrician and clinical geneticist Prof Dr Thong Meow Keong, the unofficial working definition is diseases that strike less than one in 4,000 people in the population.

Toronto Star (Canada) - Better testing needed to diagnose fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, Canadian expert Sterling Clarren says
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, the leading cause of developmental disability in Canada, is an umbrella term used to describe a range of disabilities that result from prenatal exposure to alcohol.

The West Australian (Australia) - Detention 'fails' to solve foetal alcohol problems

Locking up persistent juvenile offenders is like "beating a blind child for not reading the blackboard" and alternative sentencing options to detention must be explored, an international foetal alcohol spectrum disorder expert says.

Sunderland Echo (UK) - Pregnant mums warned over drinking

A MEDICAL expert has spoken out over the dangers of pregnant Wearside women drinking. Dr Shonag Mackenzie, of Northumbria Healthcare Trust, is warning mums-to-be that Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), can greatly affect babies physical, mental and behavioural well-being.
Read more

Canada First Perspective (Canada) - First Nations taking the lead in addressing developmental disabilities

Anishinabek Nation Deputy Grand Council Chief Glen Hare says that Ontario is leagues behind the Western Provinces in addressing Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.

iPolitics.ca (Canada) - Feds fund study to determine cost of fetal alcohol disorders

The Conservative government is tasking a study to determine the financial toll of various disabilities in children and adults whose mothers drank alcohol during pregnancy.

Houston Chronicle (USA) - Study links Latino assimilation, drinking while pregnant

Hispanic women who have been in the U.S. longer are more likely to drink during pregnancy than those who haven't lived here as long or assimilated as much, according to interviews conducted through a health department program.

My SA (USA) - Alcohol poses a special danger in San Antonio

Local Hispanic women who have been in the U.S. longer are more likely to drink during pregnancy than those who haven't lived here as long or assimilated as much, according to interviews conducted through a health department program.

MyIndia Living - Is Alcohol A Cause For Miscarriage?

The moment you plan for pregnancy or confirmed, the first advice your pals would give is not to drink. But how drinking or alcohol consumption can affect the baby development? Our attempt for today is to help you understand the effects of drinking specially during pregnancy. Do not miss to have a look.

The Star - Her 15-year-old son couldn't read and he couldn't add. She knows she caused this

“I binge drank through my pregnancy,” says Janet Christie, matter-of-factly. “I really loved drinking. I knew when I was pregnant that it wasn't good to drink. I was so ashamed. But I had no one to talk to about it.”

COMING UP

Smithers Community Services (Canada) - Regional FASD Conference Hope in Action – FASD, A Caring Community

We have selected a panel of speakers that will help us take a look at the broader context in which FASD often exists, and in this way, help break the silo that has been built around FASD as an emotionally charged disability.

RESOURCES

Best Start - Be Safe: Have an Alcohol Free Pregnancy Tear-off Pads

Pad of tear-off colour sheets (10 cm by 10 cm) with information for expectant parents about alcohol use in pregnancy. One side says "Be Safe: Have an alcohol-free pregnancy" and includes visuals that illustrate the dangers to the baby from alcohol use in pregnancy. The other side includes phone contact information for Motherisk, Telehealth etc.

RESEARCH

Neuroscience - Alterations in neural aneuploidy by drugs of abuse during fetal brain development

Mosaic aneuploidy, defined as coincidental chromosome losses and/or gains to deviate from the haploid chromosome complement, has been identified in both the developing and the adult mammalian central nervous system, including neural progenitor cells and functionally integrated mature neurons.

Substance Use and Misuse - Subtypes of Alcohol Dependence and Their Effect on Sexual Behavior Change

This study utilized data from a National Institute on Drug Abuse and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism funded community-based HIV prevention program in the Midwest in 2000.

Alcohol News - 47/2011

Helsingin Sanomat (Finland) - Accident Investigation Board calls for alcohol limit for rowing boats
Tragically, "messing about in boats" in the Finnish context all too often involves the excessive consumption of alcohol, an open zipper, a tumble backwards off the stern of a rowing boat, and ugly drowning statistics in the newspapers, particularly over the Midsummer weekend.
Read more

Times of India (Sweden) - Alcoholic women suffer quicker brain damage

Swedish scientists have found that high alcohol consumption damages the serotonin system in women's brains more readily than that in men's brains.

EurekAlert (Sweden) - Gene impedes recovery from alcoholism

HealthCanal.com (Norway) - One in thirty drivers tested positive in saliva samples

About one in 30 car drivers on Norwegian roads has alcohol, illegal drugs or psychoactive medicines in their blood.

Views and News from Norway (Norway) - Bars may be forced to close earlier

The rise in alcohol-related violence in Norway means that bars, also in Oslo, may be ordered to stop serving at 2am. Many now keep pouring much later than that.

Toronto Star (Canada) - Women are the new face of alcohol advertising

She's the image of poised perfection: a come-hither blonde in a sexy gold dress, balancing a martini between polished red nails, painted just a shade darker than the swizzle stick perched jauntily through the “o” in “Classic Cocktails” above her head.

PhysOrg.com - Research shows travel combined with alcohol, weather can be deadly

How have driving patterns during the Thanksgiving holidays changed during recent years? The answer to this question may help you avoid a crash, or at least the congestion that goes with most holiday travel.

BBC News (Scotland) - Alcohol could be banned on Scottish trains, report says

Passengers in Scotland could be banned from drinking alcohol on trains, a report into the radical overhaul of rail travel has suggested.

Gant Daily (USA) - Drinking in the U.S. hit a 25-year high in 2010

For many it’s social. For others it’s an escape. For some, it’s simply more time. For whatever the reason, Americans are drinking more.

Nursing Times (UK) - Doctors call for change to alcohol advice

Doctors have warned, “drinkers should have three alcohol-free days a week if they want to avoid the risk of liver disease,” the Daily Mail reported.

Ivanhoe - Death by Alcohol

Alcohol consumption is responsible for approximately four percent of all deaths worldwide, more than AIDS, tuberculosis or violence! It’s also responsible for roughly five percent of global disease.

AllAfrica.com (Kenya) - High School Students Abusing Drugs, Alcohol

Forty nine per cent of Kenyan youth in high school aged between 14 and 18 years have abused alcohol and drugs, a report says. A further 71 and 28 per cent of male and female youths were reported to be sexually active; a trend that exposes them to sexually transmitted infections, including Aids.

TIME (USA) - Study: Another Reason to Keep the Drinking Age at 21

Young women who came of age in the late 1960s and '70s, when many states had lowered their legal drinking ages to under 21, remained at higher risk of suicide and homicide into adulthood, a new study finds.

The West Australian (Australia) - Alcohol causes 'one in five' deaths by injury

Alcohol contributes to one in five of all deaths from injury in WA, including almost one-quarter of all road accident fatalities, new figures show.

Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) - Women drinking, smoking in pregnancy

Australian women continue to smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol during pregnancy, a new study reveals.

MedPage Today - Chronic Drinking May Weaken Brain Connections

Chronic alcoholism may result in a weakened relationship between the frontal lobe and cerebellar activity in those who are recently abstinent, according to the results of a small study.

Times of Zambia (Zambia) - Luo tackles alcohol abuse

Apart from the much talked about 90 days developmental transformation, Zambians have had their numerous issues which they feel will be resolved under the PF government and within the stipulated 90 days. One of such issues is the illegal trading of illicit alcoholic beverages commonly known as ‘Tujilijili’ by non- licensed vendors.

The Dispatch (Germany) - Berlin Looking To Ease Event Alcohol Restrictions

After the success of last month’s Octoberfest, the Berlin Mayor and Council are considering changing the rules regarding alcoholic beverages on public property during specially sanctioned events.

U.S. News & World Report - Alcoholics More Likely to Die of Cancer: Study

Alcoholics have a higher rate of death from cancer and other causes than other people, a new study finds.

Mayo News (Ireland)- Alcohol industry accused of bullying governments

Experts on alcohol consumption have accused the government of giving in to ‘corporate bullying’ by the alcohol industry. Speaking last week during Mayo Drug and Alcohol Awareness Week, Professor Joe Barry and Dr Ann Hope argued that the government has allowed the industry to self regulate and has failed to curb alcohol advertising.

Lifeinsurance.co.uk (UK) - British throat cancer Europe's highest thanks to obesity and alcohol

The UK suffers the highest rate of throat cancer in Europe, double the average rate, according to new analysis by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF). Britain's high level of alcohol consumption and obesity are blamed for the figures.

The Local.de (Germany) - One in five German children have alcoholic or drug-addict parents

One in five German children have alcoholic or drug-addict parents, according to the latest annual figures on drugs and addiction.

Irish Health (Ireland) - Alcohol-related crime a major problem

According to a survey commissioned by the charity, Alcohol Action Ireland (AAI), half of people say they have experienced some type of alcohol-related intimidation, threat or violence during the last 12 months, while almost one in 10 claim that they, or a family member, has actually been assaulted by a drunk person in the last year.

Florida's Kids and Alcohol

Watch Florida's Kids and Alcohol on PBS. See more from WEDU SPECIALS.

Monday, November 14, 2011

Alcohol News - 46/2011

EPHA (EU) - 68 NGOs call of a new EU alcohol strategy

Under Eurocare’s leadership, 68 international, European and National NGOs (including EPHA) joined forces to call for a comprehensive Alcohol Policy Strategy in the European Union 2013-2020.

BusinessWeek (USA) - Black and Asian Teens Have Lowest Rates of Drug and Alcohol Use

Black and Asian teenagers in the U.S. are less likely to use alcohol or drugs than adolescents of other races, a study found.

AHN | All Headline News - Teenage girls up breast cancer risk with every alcoholic drink

Among teen girls with a family history of breast cancer, there is a significant association between the amount of alcohol consumed and the risk of getting benign breast disease, which is a known breast cancer risk factor.

BBC News (UK) - Alcohol policy a joke, says British Liver Trust

Government-led policies on alcohol throughout the UK have been branded a joke by the chief executive of the charity the British Liver Trust.

MedPage Today - Alcohol-Inflamed Livers Benefit from Early Transplant

Early liver transplantation for severe alcoholic hepatitis boosts survival, whereas adding an antioxidant to medical therapy may not, studies showed.

Times of India (UK) - Alcohol, obesity main cause of cancer

Alcohol and obesity are to be blamed for the alarming rate of throat and liver cancer in the UK as compared to anywhere else in Europe, a new study has claimed.

The Press Association (Northern Ireland) - Action urged over alcohol abuse

Alcohol abuse claims 266 lives in Northern Ireland every year, doctors have warned. With the estimated cost of alcohol misuse across society in the region standing at almost £700 million, the British Medical Association NI (BMA) has called for action on the problem.

MarketWatch (USA) - Should Liquor Sales Be Privatized, asks Pennsylvanians Concerned about Alcohol Problems

Recently Governor Thomas Corbett announced that an independent study reported that if the state were to sell off the state store system to private operators the state of Pennsylvania would realize an estimated one and half billion dollars.

Daily Mail - Fatherhood maketh the man: Smoking, alcohol even crime all drop in men who become dads

Becoming a father really can help men ditch bad habits, a study has found. Men who become dads for the first time tend to steer away tobacco, alcohol even crime, say researchers from Oregon State University.

The Daily Iowan (USA) - One year after 21-ordinance vote, alcohol-related ER visits drop

Fewer University of Iowa students are going to the emergency room because of alcohol, newly-released data show. But some in the community disagree on whether the statistics represent a change in dangerous drinking behavior.

Irish Times (Ireland) - Surge in alcohol abuse reported

The number of people treated for alcohol abuse increased by almost 50 per cent in five years, according to figures just published. The report, Treated Problem Alcohol use in Ireland 2005 to 2010 , from the Health Research Board, says 42,333 cases presented with alcohol as the main problem substance during the five year period.

Stuff.co.nz (New Zealand) - Alcohol and violence 'a deadly mix'

It is only a matter of time before someone dies of alcohol-related violent assault in Nelson, a senior Emergency Department doctor at Nelson Hospital says.

Forbes (Russia) - Russian Alcohol Consumption is Mildly Decreasing

It’s not the most in-depth analysis of Russian drinking patterns I’ve ever seen, but I did want to briefly flag this post from the Financial Times’ always excellent Beyond BRICS because it shows that Russian alcohol consumption is not some mythical entity that is totally immune to amelioration or modification.

Waterloo Record - Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder requires new approach

Often all people see in a child with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder is their bad behaviour. “The behaviours make it difficult to deal with the kid in many cases,” said Allan Mountford, who teaches in a special program that helps troubled teenagers transition to high school.

BBC News (England/Wales) - Below-cost alcohol to be banned from April

A ban on the sale of alcohol below a minimum price will be introduced in England and Wales from 6 April 2012.

The Australian (Australia) - Women still drink and smoke while pregnant

ONE in five pregnant women smoke and 38 per cent drink alcohol, a study has found. It is to be released today. Carried out by the Australian Institute of Family Studies, it uses data from Growing Up in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children, which has tracked more than 10,000 children since 2004.

AdWorld (Ireland) - Alcohol Marketing Debate Gathers Steam

The debate about alcohol marketing and its impact on consumption patterns in Ireland stepped up a few gears this week at a meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health & Children.

Irish Times (Ireland) - Half of alcohol drinkers 'damaging their health'

HALF OF all people who drink alcohol in Ireland do so at levels that are damaging their health, an Oireachtas committee has heard.

The West Australian (Australia) - Health concerns over alcohol in music videos

Australia's advertising watchdog has admitted it is powerless to stop an emerging trend of "product placement" of alcohol in music videos watched by millions of teenagers.

The Guardian (UK) - Smoking and drinking in pregnancy 'harms 10,000 babies in UK each year'

An estimated 6,000 of the UK’s 800,000 babies a year are born with some form of fetal alcohol spectrum, which can cause brain damage, physical problems and learning disabilities.

The Guardian - Heavy drinking in pregnancy can alter unborn babies' brains, study shows

Heavy drinking during pregnancy could alter the genetic makeup of unborn babies' brains, causing mental and behavioural problems.

Fiji Times (Fiji) - Survey links alcohol use in schools to peer pressure

A SURVEY by the National Substance Abuse Advisory Council (NSAAC) has found that students in the Central Division feature in the most number of alcohol abuse cases.

IceNews (Iceland) - Icelandic alcohol producer complains about too-high tax

The Icelandic government takes 90 percent of the sale price of vodka, the president of the country’s biggest drinks company says — claiming that the black market for illegally produced home made hard liquors is thriving as a result.

Helsingin Sanomat (Finland) - Authorities take hard line on unlicensed serving of alcohol beverages on Restaurant Day

Next week, police will keep an eye on people who set up restaurants for one day in order that they would not sell alcohol in addition to food.

The Local (Sweden) - Drunk drivers get shorter sentences: study

Sober drivers who injure another person in traffic often receive longer prison sentences than drunk drivers, according to new research from the Swedish National Road and Transport Institute (Statens väg- och transportforskningsinstitut - VTI).

FASD News - 45/2011

NEWS and ARTICLES

The Guardian (UK) - Smoking and drinking in pregnancy 'harms 10,000 babies in UK each year'

Britain

's top children's doctor has said that more than 10,000 babies each year suffer serious harm, including death, because their mothers drank alcohol, smoked, over-ate, or took drugs during pregnancy.

Irish Medical Times (

Ireland

) - Four-fifths of women drank alcohol ‘close to conception’

A total of 81 per cent of women reported alcohol consumption during the peri-conceptual period, the prevalence study of alcohol exposure in pregnancy at the Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital has shown.

Irish Independent (

Ireland

) - 145 babies had alcohol withdrawal symptoms

AT least 145 babies were born in the country's main maternity hospitals in just three years suffering from alcohol withdrawal, new figures reveal.

Lethbridge Herald (Canada) - Christmas tree carries message to avoid FASD

Almost every day in Alberta, a baby is born who will be diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder. Approximately 23,000 Albertans and 2,200 in the southern region have the disorder FASD, which encompasses a wide range of brain injuries causing mental, physical and learning disabilities as a result of mothers consuming alcohol or drugs while pregnant.

Parkersburg News (USA) - FAS rates on the rise in West Virginia

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome rates are on the rise in West Virginia. A 2009 study by the West Virginia Perinatal Partners found one out of five West Virginia babies are exposed to drugs or alcohol before they are born.

Vancouver Sun (

Canada

) - Screen all prison inmates for fetal-alcohol syndrome, doctor urges

A Winnipeg doctor says he hopes all inmates will be screened for fetal alcohol spectrum disorder as a matter of course within the next five years, just in time for an expected spike in the country's prison population.

HealthCanal.com (

Australia

) - No room in the womb for alcohol

A flagship Indigenous health care initiative in Western Australia's remote Fitzroy Valley has received vital funding that will allow it to progress to a new phase.

The West Australian (

Australia

) - Push for warning labels on alcohol

Federal and State health ministers are being urged to support health warning labels on alcohol, including the immediate introduction of advice for pregnant women.

The Northern Echo (

) - Mothers-to-be in alcohol warning

A NORTH-EAST consultant has voiced fears that women are drinking too much in pregnancy – resulting in a huge hidden population of damaged children. It follows a survey of the drinking habits of mums-to-be which suggests hundreds of babies born every year in the region suffer from Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS).

CBC.ca (

Canada

) - Baby poop study tracks alcohol use

Hospital researchers on P.E.I. have been collecting and studying human meconium – the first stool – of every newborn Islander.

Waterloo Record - Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder requires new approach

The Fix - Alcoholism's Gender Gap is Closing Fast

As women rapidly chase down men in the drinking stakes, one Harvard professor says alcoholism progresses faster in females—and that all-women treatment groups are vital.

MATERIALS and EVENTS

The National Health Service Grampian (in

Scotland

) released a new booklet called Pregnancy, Parenting and Alcohol.

Eufasd.org - Second European Conference on FASD

Pre-Announcement: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Clinical and Biochemical Diagnosis, Screening and Follow-up.

RESEARCH

Coombe.ir - Drinking during pregnancy increases the risk of premature birth

Drinking alcohol during pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of miscarriage, premature birth, and low birth weight. But there are onflicting reports about how much alcohol, if any, it is safe for a pregnant woman to drink. New research, carried out in the Coombe Women & Infants University Hospital looked at the amount of alcohol women drank during their early pregnancy and showed the effect this had on their babies.

Alcohol and Alcoholism - Universal Prevention is Associated with Lower Prevalence of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders in Northern Cape, South Africa: A Multicentre Before–After Study

This, the first prevention study using FASD outcomes, suggests that universal prevention might reduce FASD by ∼30% and have population-level effects. This supports intensifying universal interventions where knowledge of harms of maternal drinking is low. These efforts need to be accompanied by alcohol-dependence treatment to lower more severe FASD forms.

Modulation by the GABAB receptor siRNA of ethanol-mediated PKA-α, CaMKII, and p-CREB intracellular signaling in prenatal rat hippocampal neurons

Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a developmental neuropathology resulting from in utero exposure to ethanol; many of ethanol's effects are likely to be mediated by the neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA).

Meconium Testing for Fatty Acid Ethyl Esters: A 2011 Status Report

The Canadian Association of Pediatric Health Centres, working in partnership with the Public Health Agency of Canada has recently published a toolkit to guide screening for identification of risk of FAS/FASD.

Alcohol News - 45/2011

PhysOrg.com (Sweden) - Doctors' own alcohol consumption colors advice to patients

Doctors who drink more themselves are more liberal in their advice to patients on alcohol consumption. They set higher thresholds for what is harmful, and while men who are heavy drinkers get to continue drinking, women are often advised to stop altogether, reveals a thesis from the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.

The Local (Sweden) - Crime falls when Sweden 'drinks like Europe'

"Continental" drinking habits among Swedes have had a positive impact on violent crime levels, despite rising alcohol consumption, according to a report on Tuesday.

The Baltic Course (Lithuania) - Lithuanian Seimas debates on the prohibition of alcohol advertising

At its plenary sitting on Thursday, MPs had a heated debate on amendments to the Law on Alcohol Control which provide for lifting the prohibition of alcohol advertising that is supposed to enter into force on 1 January 2012, reports LETA/ELTA, referring to Kauno diena.

IceNews (

Denmark

) – Study: indicators of alcoholism present at birth

The research, which medical daily Dagens Medicin describes as “rock solid, proven and tangible”, found that if a boy with an alcoholic father suffered a shortage of vitamin K during labour, was underweight at birth and had behavioural problems or ADHD as a child, he stands a high chance of becoming addicted to alcohol as an adult.

Politiken.dk (

Denmark

) - Sweets and alcohol up, tobacco not so much

The new centre-left government’s budget is due out today and will include considerable price hikes on wine, beer and sweets, but a lower than expected increase in the price of tobacco products.

The Guardian (

Scotland

) - Scottish ministers face legal battle over minimum pricing of alcohol

Drinks industry likely to launch court action opposing bill that aims to cut dangerous levels of alcohol abuse among adults.

News Tonight (

Australia

) - Alcohol Makes You Go ‘Looney’ Over the Time

It has been revealed in a recent report that there might be some series links between alcohol consumption and deteriorating mental health of a person. This study was conducted on a team from the Salvation Army.

NHS Choices - Breast cancer link to alcohol studied

Women who drink within the recommended limits are still putting their health at risk, according to The Daily Telegraph. It said new research shows that less than one small glass of wine a day increases the risk of breast cancer.

Nursing in Practice (UK) - Calls for clampdown on parental supply of alcohol

A Cornish MP has called for a ‘tightening’ of legislation to stop parents supplying their children with alcohol.

International Business Times AU (

Australia

) - BISWorld Study: Aussies Cutting Beer Consumption

There is a shifting preference among Australians in their choice of alcohol consumption in favor of premium drinks over traditional beers.

Times of

India

- Alcohol, smoking may trigger fatal allergies

Alcohol and tobacco can lead to life-threatening reactions including asthma attacks and anaphylaxis, and worsen existing allergy symptoms, according to experts.

New York Daily News - Light drinkers have higher breast cancer risk: study

Women who drink three to six glasses of alcohol per week have a 15 percent higher risk of getting breast cancer than women who do not drink.

Irish Times (

Ireland

) - Doctor says alcohol implicated in 45 per cent of all suicides

THE FOUNDER of the Irish Association of Suicidology, Dr John Connolly, has said teenage suicide tends to be a more impulsive act, and that alcohol can lead to an increase in that impulsivity.

Reuters (

USA

) - Ask teen patients about drug, alcohol use: doctors

Doctors should be asking adolescents about their drug and alcohol use at every visit and screening for any signs of dependence or addiction, the American Academy of Pediatrics said today in a new policy statement.

RIA Novosti (

Russia

) - Clerks selling alcohol to minors should go to jail – Medvedev

Clerks selling alcoholic beverages to teenagers should be subject to criminal responsibility and sent to prison for violating underage alcohol sales laws, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said on Tuesday.

Irish Times (

Ireland

) - Alcohol a major factor in failure of rape cases

A MAJOR reason why the Director of Public Prosecutions does not prosecute in alleged rape cases is because the complainant is unable to recall the alleged offence or the details of it as a result of intoxication.

Times of

India

- A drink a day causes gastrointestinal problems

Moderate alcohol consumption - just one drink per day for women or two for men - could lead to small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and subsequently cause gastrointestinal symptoms like bloating, gas, abdominal pain, constipation and diarrhea, a new study has suggested.

Vancouver Sun (

Canada

) - Screen all prison inmates for fetal-alcohol syndrome, doctor urges

CTV.ca (

Canada

) - Mother's Against Drunk Driving launches new campaign

As they launch their annual Red Ribbon campaign, an organization committed to raising awareness against impaired driving also unveiled a new, shocking PSA – one which the city and the province hope drive the message home this holiday season - and possibly beyond.

3News NZ (

New Zealand

) - NZDF: 500 alcohol-related offences in five years

3 News can tonight reveal a shocking list of more than 500 alcohol-related offences committed by New Zealand Defence Force personnel. The offences, committed over a five-year period, have been outlined in a series of reports obtained under the Official Information Act.

TopNews Arab Emirates - Middle-Aged Men More Prone to Liver Disease and Cancer Due to 'Risky Drinking'

Making an immensely shocking disclosure, a recently concluded research, dubbed From One to Many, has revealed that at least one out of every three middle-aged men are evidently toying with their life by escalating their odds of falling for various forms of perilous cancer and liver disorders.

Radio Netherlands (Netherlands) - Underage still drinking in Holland

Despite government campaigns against underage drinking, it’s still quite easy for youngsters in the Netherlands to get their hands on alcohol, research shows.

Alcohol News

Pages

Monday, November 28, 2011

Alcohol News - 48/2011

Sunday, November 27, 2011

FASD News - 47/2011

Monday, November 21, 2011

Alcohol News - 47/2011

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Florida's Kids and Alcohol

Monday, November 14, 2011

Alcohol News - 46/2011

Sunday, November 13, 2011

FASD News - 45/2011

Monday, November 7, 2011

Alcohol News - 45/2011