Alcohol News: May 2012

Monday, May 28, 2012

Alcohol News - 22/2012

ERR News (Estonia) - Poll: 75% Say Estonians Drink Too Much, 2% Admit It

In a recently published survey by the Institute of Economic Research, 75 percent of respondents said Estonians drink too much alcohol.

Helsinki Times (Finland) - Debate on alcohol advertising ban rages on

THE debate on the draft bill to restrict alcohol advertising, put forward by Minister of Health and Social Services Maria Guzenina-Richardson (SDP), is heating up with sports bodies, media groups and industry federations all weighing in on the discussion.

Scotland Courier (Scotland) - Minimum alcohol pricing plans cleared in Parliament

Scots could face the highest alcohol prices in the UK as early as next April after MSPs approved legislation to crack down on problem drinkers.

Fox News (USA) - Study: Nearly a quarter of US suicide victims intoxicated at time of death

A large-scale study has found that nearly a quarter of U.S. suicide victims are legally intoxicated when they die. These victims are also much more likely than their sober counterparts to commit suicide by violent means such as using a firearm, hanging themselves or falling to their deaths.

Stock and Land (Australia) - Alcohol warning labels shunned by industry despite research

THE alcohol industry is putting ''booze before babies'' by making false and misleading claims to a parliamentary inquiry into fetal alcohol disorders, a publicly-funded research body says.

Canada.com (Canada) - Health Canada slow to move against alcoholic energy drinks

Health Canada isn't ready to crack down on pre-mixed alcoholic energy drinks, despite a long-standing request from government inspectors for direction on what "action can be taken against these products," internal records show.

The Independent (Scotland) - Scottish Government set to lower drink-drive limit

The Scottish Government have today announced plans to almost half the drink-drive limit with a new scheme being implemented “as soon as possible”.

Bloomberg (Russia) - Yakutia Restricted Alcohol Retail Sale Till Lunch Time, RIA Says

Authorities of the Republic of Yakutia, part of which lies in Russia’s Arctic zone, banned sales of spirits in stores from 8 p.m. till 2 p.m. to combat alcohol addiction, RIA Novosti said.

Zee News (India) - Soon alcohol content in alcoholic beverages to be regulated

For the first time, India`s food regulator FSSAI has finalised draft standards for all categories of alcoholic beverages like wine, beer, whisky, rum, gin and vodka to set the maximum permissible limits of alcohol in these drinks and thus, mandate safety standards.

TVNZ (New Zealand) - Hike alcohol price to target binge-drinking: Doctor

A Wellington doctor who is "sick" of dealing with drunk patients says raising the price of alcohol is the best way to combat New Zealand's binge-drinking culture.

The Independent Florida Alligator (USA) - Diagnostic manual re-classifies alcohol abuse

Nearly 40 percent of college students at four-year U.S. institutions could be deemed alcoholics next year, according to the label in the newest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

The Hindu (India) - Ban sale of tobacco, alcohol: expert

Noted cardiologist G.K. Sinha on Sunday said it was high time to impose a ban on tobacco and alcohol to prevent life-threatening diseases claiming a heavy toll.

Mirror.co.uk (UK) - Booze shock: Alcohol puts a child under FIVE in hospital every week

The NHS says it is growing trend as every week three 10 and 11-year-olds are taken to hospital in England after drinking too much.

Business Review Europe - Improving Accuracy in Roadside Breath Testing Use Breathalyzer Equalizer

Police officers use a variety of field sobriety tests to evaluate a driver's level of impairment. When making an arrest decision, officers rely heavily on the roadside handheld breathalyzer or PBT (Preliminary Breath Test) because it provides a direct digital reading of approximate blood alcohol level.

The Independent (UK) - Deep concerns over government plans to cut benefits for alcoholics and drug addicts who refuse treatment

Doctors and addiction charities today expressed deep concerns over government plans to cut the benefits of people suffering from alcoholism or drug addiction who refuse treatment.

China Daily (China) - Drunken driving law not consistently applied

Legal experts suggested that the Supreme People's Court should make a judicial interpretation to standardize the penalties for drunken driving, Beijing News reported.

New Zealand Herald (New Zealand) - Drinking big concern in community, says survey

Auckland communities are becoming more aware of problems caused by alcohol, two out of three people surveyed saying liquor has a negative effect on life in the city.

M.A.D (Mongolia) - MONGOLIA’S DROWNING FUTURE

Various punishment measures were taken on drunkards. In the 13th century, the Ikh Zasag Law of the Great Mongol Empire stated “If a person arrives drunk at a workplace, the first time impose a fine of a weapon he is carrying with him, second time impose the fine of a horse he is riding, third time cut off an extremity of the body. If a fourth time occurs, expel him out of the territory.”

Telegraph.co.uk (France) - Bordeaux hit by spate of binge drinking drownings

France's wine capital Bordeaux has been struck by spate of binge drinking drownings in its river Garonne, with five young men dying in the past ten months.

Alcohol News - 21/2012

ERR News (Estonia) - Estonians Drank More Booze in 2011

Alcohol consumption increased in Estonia by 11 percent in 2011, compared to the year before, due to rising income and decreasing unemployment, according to a study by TNS Emor.

New York Daily News (Scotland) - Scotland sets minimum alcohol price?

The Scottish government set out a minimum price for alcohol Monday, saying too many Scots were "drinking themselves to death" and it was time to tackle the country's relationship with booze.

NBC New York (USA) - LIRR Alcohol Ban on Overnight Trains Goes into Effect This Weekend

Starting this weekend, the Long Island Rail Road is banning alcohol on overnight weekend trains out of Penn Station. The pilot program is an effort to curb disorderly passengers and attacks on train crew members.

The Moscow Times (Russia) - Russian Olympians Will Stay Dry in London

Members of Russia's official Olympic delegation to London will find their summer a bit drier than usual. Alcoholic drinks will be banned at any event organized by the Russian delegation in which athletes or delegation officials participate, Kommersant reported, citing information from the minutes of a meeting led by Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak, the official in charge of the team's trip to London.

Voice of America (USA) - Music Industry Addresses Drug, Alcohol Problems

The drug-related deaths of popular entertainers like Whitney Houston have focused attention on drug and alcohol abuse, both inside and outside the entertainment industry. Celebrities may be at special risk, but some in the industry say they are addressing the problem.

Stuff.co.nz (New Zealand) - Alcohol-related visits to ED up sharply

The number of patients visiting the Southland Hospital's emergency department for alcohol-related injuries has almost doubled in the past three years.

EurekAlert - On-premise alcohol outlets have stronger links to crime than off-premise alcohol outlets

Prior research has shown that neighborhoods with higher densities of alcohol outlets are more likely to have higher rates of violent crimes. This study examined the effects of different types of alcohol outlets – on-premise such as bars and restaurants, and off-premise such as liquor and convenience stories – on four different categories of crime in urban neighborhoods. Results show a stronger relationship between density of outlets and crime for on- than off-premise outlets.

Daily Mail (UK) - One in eight deaths before retirement is caused by alcohol, study finds

One in eight deaths of UK adults under the age of 64 is caused by alcohol, an international conference on tackling problem drinking has heard.

BusinessWeek (Turkey) - Turkish Province Starts Fining Public Alcohol Use, Milliyet Says

A central Turkish province started fining people for public consumption and sale of alcohol, saying drinking in open spaces and vehicles is causing unwanted situations, Milliyet reported.

Irish Times (Ireland) - Minister to end alcohol sponsorship of sports

ALCOHOL SPONSORSHIP of sports events is to be ended, Minister of State for Health Róisín Shortall has pledged. “I am committed to phasing that out over a reasonable period of time,” she said in the Dáil. There is “no room for ambivalence in our approach”.

EurekAlert - Examining adaptive abilities in children with prenatal alcohol exposure and/or ADHD

Prenatal exposure to alcohol often results in disruption to the brain's cognitive and behavioral domains, which include executive function (EF) and adaptive functioning. A study of these domains in children with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE), non-exposed children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and children without PAE or ADHD has found that, despite similarities in the relation between EF and adaptive abilities among children with ADHD or PAE, the patterns of abilities in these children were different.

Independent Online (South Africa) - ‘Put graphic images on alcohol’

The planned use of graphic images on cigarette packs to show the effects of tobacco should be extended to alcohol products as it is more cancerous than tobacco, says the SA Dental Association (Sada).

Science Codex - Resiliency during early teen years can protect against later alcohol/drug use

Resiliency is a measure of a person's ability to flexibly adapt their behaviors to fit the surroundings in which they find themselves. Low resiliency during childhood has been linked to later alcohol/drug problems during the teenage years. A new study has examined brain function and connectivity to assess linkages between resiliency and working memory, finding that higher resiliency may be protective against later alcohol/drug use.

The Australian (Australia) - Minister moves to end remote alcohol bans

QUEENSLAND Indigenous Affairs Minister Glen Elmes has declared prohibition does not work, in the strongest indication yet that he will scrap the total alcohol bans in eight of the state's 19 Aboriginal communities.

stv.tv (Scotland) - Tories seek European legal challenge to Alcohol Minimum Pricing Bill

The Tories are urging legal action against minimum alcohol pricing, despite supporting the Scottish Government plan.

OnMedica (EU) - Ban alcohol adverts across Europe, urges alliance of experts

Alcohol advertising should be banned in Europe in a bid to drive down excess boozing and associated ill health across the continent, concludes an alliance of experts in a new policy brief.

The Press Association - Warning over alcohol-related deaths

One in eight deaths of UK adults under the age of 64 is caused by alcohol, an international conference on tackling problem drinking has heard.

Science Network Western Australia (Australia) - TV alcohol advertising reaching quarter of child audience

UNIVERSITY of WA research has exposed the alarmingly high levels of alcohol television advertising screened during potential child viewing times, at odds with efforts to reduce alcohol-related harm in Australia.

Insideireland.ie (Ireland) - Alcohol affecting mental health of youngsters

A new study on youth mental health has revealed that drinking alcohol is majorly affecting young people’s mental health. The study also found that suicide thoughts, self-harm and suicide attempts are higher for those who do not open up about their problems.

Scotland's minimum alcohol price: what effect will it have?

Alcohol News - 20/2012

www.helsinkitimes.fi (Finland) - Survey: Community pressure may increase students' alcohol usage

A portion of university students feel they drink more alcohol than they would like to due to social pressure, indicates a survey by Nyyti, an organisation promoting the well-being of students.

www.helsinkitimes.fi (Finland) - Serving alcohol in pop-up restaurants illegal

Selling and serving alcohol without a license is not allowed in even in the temporary pop-up restaurants, stress Valvira, the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health, and the Police.

BBC News (Scotland) - Scottish government seeks minimum alcohol price of 50p per unit

The Scottish government has confirmed that it wants to set a minimum price for alcohol of 50p per unit.

Reuters (USA) - Minors have an easy time buying alcohol online

Nearly half of all attempts by underage buyers to purchase alcohol online were successful in a new study, exposing weaknesses in both delivery companies' and online vendors' systems for verifying customer ages.

Fox News (UK) - London fights binge drinking epidemic

The girls slumped in wheelchairs look barely conscious, their blond heads lolling above the plastic vomit bags tied like bibs around their necks.

Casey Weekly Berwick (Australia) - Alcohol a big factor in child harm, says study

CHILDREN are the victims of alcohol-related harm in more than a fifth of Australian households, a study has found, adding weight to calls for the price of alcohol sold in bottle shops to be increased to discourage high quantities being consumed in homes.

The Atlantic - Scientists Find Yet Another Link Between Alcohol and Breast Cancer

Alcohol use and abuse is common among teenage girls. This has short- and long-term health effects as well as numerous consequences of alcohol-enhanced risk taking behavior.

RedOrbit - Report Details Drug And Alcohol Use By Pregnant Women

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recently released a report with interesting statistics regarding pregnant women, including the use of cigarettes and other drugs.

Los Angeles Daily News (USA) - L.A. considers ban on alcohol ads on city property

In a challenge to some of the city's most powerful business interests, City Councilman Richard Alarcon is seeking to ban alcohol companies from advertising on city-owned and city-controlled properties.

Al-Arabiya (Iran) - Alcohol consumption in Tehran is “worrying”, official

Alcohol consumption in Tehran, banned since the Islamic revolution, has become “alarming”, according to deputy health minister, Bagher Larijani, quoted Tuesday by the Iranian media.

Irish Times (Ireland) - Coalition still running shy of tackling alcohol abuse

SINCE THE early noughties, successive Irish governments have made noises in relation to tackling our ongoing and dysfunctional relationship with alcohol. And each occasion government has bottled it at the behest of the drinks industry, vintners or related lobby groups.

BBC News (Brazil) - Brazil Senate approves controversial World Cup law

The Brazilian Senate has passed a controversial and much-delayed bill paving the way for alcohol to be sold in stadiums at the 2014 World Cup.

The Malta Independent (EU) - Alcohol consumption among young people: Research finds that only real solution is total ban on advertising

New research carried out as part of the Ammie (Alcohol Monitoring Marketing in Europe) project concludes that a total alcohol marketing ban is the only safe way to protect young people against the harmful effects of televised alcohol marketing.

New Zealand Herald (New Zealand) - New MPs dilute alcohol bill backing

A proposal to lift the purchase age for alcohol in supermarkets and liquor stores has fallen out of favour due to the new makeup of Parliament, a poll of politicians suggests.

News-Medical.net (EU) - Addiction on the rise in Europe

Addiction is on the rise in Europe. An increasing number of young people are unable to control their use of drugs, alcohol, sex, computer games, technology, shopping, dieting or exercise.

Stuff.co.nz (New Zealand) - Make binge-drinking uncool, pleads doctor

Binge drinking could follow smoking in losing its fashionable status, says a Wellington emergency department consultant hoping a sobriety campaign will help reduce alcohol-related harm.

BBC News (UK) - Young women facing 'serious harm' to liver from alcohol

More women in their 20s are suffering from severe liver damage as the result of excessive alcohol consumption, a senior doctor in Norfolk has warned.

Varsity - Booze and other drugs

It turns out that the advertising of tobacco has been banned in South Africa, as well as other countries such as Pakistan and Italy. Many people, including myself, applaud this action. The idea seems to be that if you cut down on advertising, people aren't going to pay as much attention to the products and the number of smokers would decrease as a result.

Alcoho News - 19/2012

Helsingin Sanomat (Finland) - NEWS ANALYSIS: Storm in a beer glass

A plan by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health to place restrictions on the advertising of alcoholic beverages has caused a small tsunami in the beer glasses of Finland’s ice hockey bosses.

Helsinki Times (Finland) - Government proposes more restrictions on alcohol advertising

THE Ministry of Social Affairs and Health has circulated a draft bill to limit alcohol advertising. The bill, if enacted, would severely restrict such advertising and impact industries dependent upon sponsorship from alcohol companies.

New York Daily News - Alcohol more harmful for women

Alcohol in any amount can be dangerous to anyone but it affects women more than men, with increased health risks like liver and heart diseases and infertility for them, according to experts.

Washington Post (UK) - British parliamentary speaker says more lawmakers now seeking help for alcohol issues

An increasing number of U.K. lawmakers are seeking help for alcohol-related problems, the parliamentary speaker said Sunday, saying drinking problems among legislators mirrored those of British society at large.

Los Angeles Times (USA) - Buying alcohol online? It's not hard for underage drinkers

Underage drinkers who participated in a study to see if they could buy alcoholic beverages online were successful in 45% of attempts.

New York Times (USA) - A Battle With the Brewers

AFTER seeing Anheuser-Busch’s devastating exploitation of American Indians, I’m done with its beer. The human toll is evident here in Whiteclay: men and women staggering on the street, or passed out, whispers of girls traded for alcohol.

Evansville Courier & Press (USA) - Youth Resources: Alcohol's effect on the teen brain causes risky decisions

Parents and educators have been teaching teenagers about the dangers of drugs and alcohol for years. The once popular "Just Say No" and "This is Your Brain on Drugs" campaigns are just a few that you might recall.

Globe and Mail (Canada) - Zero-alcohol laws gaining ground in Canada; do they work for young drivers?

Half of Canada's provinces now have a zero-alcohol policy for young drivers, with Quebec becoming the fifth to join in on no-alcohol legislation along with Manitoba, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Ontario.

Alcohol Justice - Stop “Drink Responsibly” Charade Says Alcohol Justice

Alcohol Justice, the U.S. based alcohol industry watchdog, released an in-depth report today debunking Big Alcohol’s cynical “Drink Responsibly” messages.

BBC News (Scotland) - MSPs approve drink pricing sunset clause

New laws to bring in minimum drink pricing in Scotland will be ditched after six years if they fail to work.

GlobalPost (Australia) - Australians drinking less alcohol, figures show

Australians are drinking less alcohol, with beer consumption plunging to a 65-year low, according to the latest national statistics.

Sacramento Bee (USA) - U.S. re-examines alcohol ads in social media era

Twitter didn't exist the last time the Federal Trade Commission examined alcohol advertising, back in the last decade.

AllAfrica.com (Angola) - Alcoholic Drinks Cause Disturbances in Pregnant Women

The pregnant women are likely to transmit diseases to newborn children, due to excessive consumption of alcohol during pregnancy.

Medical Xpress - Anti-smoking drug decreases alcohol consumption in heavy-drinking smokers

The smoking cessation drug varenicline significantly reduced alcohol consumption in a group of heavy-drinking smokers, in a study carried out by researchers at the Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center at the University of California, San Francisco.

ABC Online (Australia) - Alcohol law changes attacked as sign of failure

The Northern Territory Opposition says the reason the Government is amending its liquor laws is because its original legislation has failed.

Newstalk ZB (New Zealand) - Alcohol Bill changes 'don't go far enough'

Some changes have been made to the controversial Alcohol Reform Bill, but opposition parties say they don't go far enough. The Bill will come before Parliament next month, with some small amendments expected, but not major changes such as the introduction of a minimum pricing on alcohol.

New York Daily News - 7 minutes of counseling can curb binge drinking

People with alcohol problems who end up at the the emergency departments at hospitals can curb their behavior with as little as seven minutes of on-the-spot physician counseling, according to research published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine.

FM.co.za (South Africa) - Bruise cruise

Government is promising “no compromise” in its bid to rein in alcohol advertising. At the same time as other countries are discussing the possible legalisation of certain addictive drugs, SA seems intent on tightening the noose on alcohol.

Radio Netherlands (Netherlands) - Dutch teens happy and mostly sober

Alcohol consumption among Dutch 11 and 13-year-olds has decreased substantially in the past five years. Dutch kids are also the happiest in both Europe and North America.

FASD News - 18/2012

NEWS AND ARTICLES

Global Edmonton (Canada) - Music Every year in Alberta, hundreds of babies are born with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, but a new music video released in partnership with Edmonton's Bissell Centre and the local Fetal Alcohol Network hopes to stop that trend.

SBS (Australia) - Community exposes pregnant drinking taboo

The first prevalence study of babies affected by prenatal drinking is underway, but one parent is bravely taking a film about her affected 14-year-old boy to the UN in New York.
Read more

The Bay of Plenty Times (New Zealand) - Editorial: Just one glass is not okay

There's a lot made in Hollywood of the pregnancy glow, but for most of us garden variety sheilas, it's hard graft and far from glamorous. So, when your partner takes you out for dinner to commemorate the half-way mark of the incubation process, or your girlfriends drag your hefty frame out for a swanky high tea baby shower, isn't it okay to have a glass of bubbles? Just one glass?

Bay News 9 (USA) - HERO: Fetal Alcohol Syndrome survivor educates others

Born with a condition that makes life more difficult than usual, Chanel Torres works daily to turn her personal tragedy into triumph for others. She was born with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.

ABC News (USA) - Beer Companies Seek Dismissal of Reservation Suit

Beer vendors in a tiny Nebraska town would be forced to discriminate against residents of a neighboring South Dakota American Indian reservation if a judge agrees with a lawsuit accusing the retailers and others of knowingly contributing to the reservation's alcohol-related problems, attorneys said in asking for the lawsuit to be dismissed.

KPBS (USA) - San Diego Center Promotes Maternal Health And Infant Development

Almost a half-million babies are born prematurely every year in the U.S. The encouraging news is early births are declining compared to several years ago. The Center for the Promotion of Maternal Health and Infant Development opened in San Diego this week and is the first center in California to focus solely on improving the health of mother and baby .

NY Times - The Criminalization of Bad Mothers

When Kimbrough tested positive for methamphetamine, her two daughters were swiftly removed from her custody, and for 90 days, she was allowed only supervised visits. Social services mandated parenting classes and drug treatment.

MATERIALS

The Healthy Aboriginal Network - It Takes a Village

our maternal child health book is about Lara, a young mom-to-be that is visited by Danis, a stranger. Danis teaches Lara the importance of eating healthy foods, avoiding alcohol, breastfeeding, keeping dad involved and bonding with your baby.

nti upstream - Webinar #1 DVD Video: Controversies in the Diagnosis of FASD

A federal committee has been meeting for more than three years in an attempt to define the neurobehavioral profile of children affected by prenatal exposure to alcohol. These efforts have been complicated by the lack of consensus regarding criteria for each of the diagnoses within Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders and inconsistencies in diagnosis in the published literature. This webinar will present the most current thinking around these issues and implications for establishing Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and related disorders as a diagnostic code within the DSM-V.

NeuroDevNet (Canada) - FASD Family Support (video)

NeuroDevNet (Canada) - FASD Awareness and Prevention (video)

RESEARCH

J Popul Ther Clin Pharmacol - Social Problem Solving in Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders

Children with FASD show reduced ability in generating solutions for social dilemmas. By understanding this weakness, which may partially explain the social skill deficiencies in FASD, targeted therapies may be designed to improve social functioning following prenatal alcohol exposure.

Alcohol and Alcoholism - Evaluation of the Impact of the Image Used in a Communication Campaign to Raise Awareness about the Effects of Alcohol Use During Pregnancy

To assess the impact of the advertising image used in the health communication campaign ‘Mummy Drinks Baby Drinks’, aimed to raise awareness about the effects of drinking alcohol during pregnancy in the childbearing-aged population of the Local Health Authority of Treviso (Italy). The image depicted a foetus inside a glass of a local alcoholic drink.

Alcoholism - Gene Expression Changes in C57BL/6J and DBA/2J Mice Following Prenatal Alcohol Exposure

Prenatal alcohol exposure can result in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). Not all women who consume alcohol during pregnancy have children with FASD and studies have shown that genetic factors can play a role in ethanol teratogenesis.

Addictive Behaviours - Maternal Self Concept as a Provider and Cessation of Substance Use During Pregnancy

Maternal substance use during pregnancy is a common modifiable risk factor for poor birth outcomes, and is associated with long term psychological risks to offspring. As self concept is known to affect substance use behaviors in non-pregnant women, we hypothesized that self concept as a provider may be particularly salient to cessation of use during pregnancy.

Alcoholism - Choline Supplementation and DNA Methylation in the Hippocampus and Prefrontal Cortex of Rats Exposed to Alcohol During Development

Some of the most frequent deficits seen in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) and in animal models of FASD are spatial memory impairments and impaired executive functioning, which are likely related to alcohol-induced alterations of the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex (PFC), respectively.

DMCN - Heavy maternal alcohol consumption and cerebral palsy in the offspring

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between heavy maternal alcohol consumption and pre- peri- and postneonatally acquired cerebral palsy (CP).

BMJ Open - The Lililwan Project: study protocol for a population-based active case ascertainment study of the prevalence of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) in remote Australian Aboriginal communities

Relationships between pregnancy exposures and early life trauma, neurodevelopmental, health and education outcomes will be evaluated using regression analysis. Results will be reported according to STROBE guidelines for observational studies.

Alcohol News - 18/2012

Helsingin Sanomat (Finland) - Working group calls for restrictions on alcohol advertising

A new political dispute is brewing over proposed new restrictions on the advertising of mild alcoholic beverages. Advertising of strong spirits is already banned in Finland.

YLE News (Finland) - Finns drinking less spirits

Wines are gaining ground as the drink of choice in Finland. The market for spirits continues to be dominated by domestic brands of vodka.

The Local.se (Sweden) - Swedish alcohol intake hikes after EU entry

Contemporary Swedes drink significantly more alcohol and eat more meat since the country joined the European Union in 1995, according to a new report by the Swedish Board of Agriculture (Jordbruksverket).

Fox News (USA) - New Secret Service rules on alcohol, unsavory bars

Seeking to shake the disgrace of a prostitution scandal, the Secret Service late Friday tightened conduct rules for its agents to prohibit them from drinking excessively, visiting disreputable establishments while traveling or bringing foreigners to their hotel rooms.

EurekAlert - TV alcohol advertising may play role in underage drinking

Minors who were familiar with television alcohol advertisements were more likely to have tried alcoholic beverages and binge drink than those who could not recall seeing such ads, according to a study to be presented Sunday, April 29, at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) annual meeting in Boston.

Washington Post - Study finds value in counseling problem drinkers during emergency-room visits

Up to half of the people treated at hospital emergency departments and trauma centers are under the influence of alcohol, experts say. That might be a sobering statistic, but a recent study found that emergency departments can help capitalize on this “teachable moment” to discourage problem drinking.

Bloomberg (Turkey) - Turkish Province Bans Alcohol in Public Places, Hurriyet Says

The Turkish province of Afyon has banned the sale and consumption of alcohol in public places, Hurriyet reported, citing a directive from Governor Irfan Balkanlioglu.

stv.tv (Scotland) - Alcohol licences rejected after warning from NHS over health concerns

A supermarket and two independent retailers have had their alcohol licence application rejected after objections from the local health board.

7thSpace Interactive - Risk of future trauma based on alcohol screening scores: A two-year prospective cohort study among US veterans

Severe alcohol misuse as measured by the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C) is associated with increased risk of future fractures and trauma-related hospitalizations. This study examined the association between AUDIT-C scores and two-year risk of any type of trauma among US Veterans Health Administration (VHA) patients and assessed whether risk varied by age or gender.

MLive.com (USA) - U.S. teens lead western world in alcohol, drug abuse, study finds

A study of adolescents around the world found American teens had some of the riskiest health behaviors. The study published in the British medical journal Lancet found U.S teens:

• Have the highest rates of drug and alcohol abuse in the developed world.

• Are far more likely to be killed by violence than teens in Europe.

• Lead the western world in percentage of teens 13 to 15 who are overweight.

Medical Xpress (Australia) - TV ads entice kids to drink alcohol: study

Efforts to reduce alcohol-related harm in Australia are being frustrated by high levels of alcohol advertising on television, particularly at times when children are likely to be watching, according to new research led by The University of Western Australia.

ABNA.ir (UK) - London Met 'alcohol ban': Muslim students accuse vice chancellor of stoking Islamophobia

The Daily Telegraph draws our attention to an open letter to London Metropolitan University's vice chancellor Prof Malcolm Gillies from the university's Islamic and Shia Muslim societies in response to press reports that Gillies in considering a ban on alcohol on some parts of the campus.

Wall Street Journal (Russia) - Russia Looks to Raise 'Sin' Taxes

Russia's finance ministry wants to boost taxes on alcohol and tobacco in a bid to shore up the budget amid a wave of spending promised by Vladimir Putin during his election campaign.

HGV Ireland.com (Ireland) - ETSC urges for zero tolerance on alcohol

“Drink driving unfortunately remains one of the three main killers on our roads. We must all take action to reduce this unacceptable behaviour which claims so many lives every year,” said Antonio Avenoso, European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) executive Director said this week at event dedicated to tackling drink driving.

Stuff.co.nz (New Zealand) - Liquor strategy labelled 'toothless'

A South Taranaki councillor has scorned a liquor strategy that she says does nothing to reduce liquor abuse in the district. Councillor Te Aroha Hohaia told yesterday's STDC committee meeting the proposed strategy – advocating formalised relationships between agencies which regulate liquor in South Taranaki – was " kind of a toothless document".

Voxy (New Zealand) - Students support raising purchase age for alcohol

Medical Students for Global Awareness (MSGA) has come out in support of National MP Tim Macindoe's Supplementary Order Paper (SOP) to raise the purchase age for alcohol to 20 for both off and onsite licensed premises. The SOP, to be presented to parliament before the third and final reading of the Alcohol Reform Bill in the next couple of months, aims to redress one of the key recommendations that has been omitted from the proposed Bill.

ABC News (Germany) - Public Transit Pub: Will Alcohol Bans Stop Party Trains?

Public transport in Berlin and other German cities is often the site of spontaneous parties on the weekend, but not all passengers want to share the ride with beer-swilling drunks. Now, many cities want to impose alcohol bans on mass transit -- but their efforts are being blocked by Deutsche Bahn and other providers who don't want to bear the costs.

Expatica Netherlands (Netherlands) - More Dutch kids binge drinking

The number of young binge drinkers increased again last year, according to figures released by the observation centre of the Netherlands Paediatric Association.

Alcohol News

Pages

Monday, May 28, 2012

Alcohol News - 22/2012

Monday, May 21, 2012

Alcohol News - 21/2012

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Scotland's minimum alcohol price: what effect will it have?

Alcohol News - 20/2012

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Alcoho News - 19/2012

Sunday, May 6, 2012

FASD News - 18/2012

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Alcohol News - 18/2012