Pages

Monday, August 26, 2013

Alcohol News - 34/2013

YLE.fi (Finland) - Ministry memo: Tighter controls, higher taxes for alcohol
Finland's Ministry of Social Affairs and Health issued a memorandum on Wednesday intended as the basis for revisions to alcohol legislation. Among the measures proposed are shorter sales hours, higher taxes on alcohol, and possibly lowering the permitted alcohol content of beers, ciders and pre-mixed drinks.
ScienceNordic (Sweden) - Alcohol intoxication major risk factor for dementia
Young-onset dementia has usually been blamed on genetic causes, but a Swedish study has revealed nine other risk factors for the illness – with alcohol intoxication being the worst.
The Copenhagen Post (Denmark) - Children trained to binge drink
After newspaper reveals that nightclubs are holding 'Young Club' events that teach children drinking games, children's minister calls for a stop.
IceNews (Finland/Estonia) - Finnish alcohol purchasing helps fund Estonian cultural activities
Finns taking the short boat ride to Estonia to stock up on alcohol is helping fund Estonian cultural activities and literature, as a percentage of alcohol taxes in the nearby country is put towards culture foundations.
The Moscow Times (Russia) - Alcohol Sales Could Be Restricted to Card-Only-Payments, Report Says
A State Duma Deputy has drafted a bill that would only allow alcohol to be purchased using bank cards, a news report said Monday. "Russia remains one of the world leaders in per capita alcohol consumption," said Oleg Mikheyev in an explanatory letter accompanying the bill. Mikheyev said the measure would allow the sale of alcohol to be better controlled, hindering sales to minors, Izvestia reported.
BG News - Alcohol abuse in college can cause brain damage, memory loss
While some freshmen may look forward to drinking during college weekends, they should be aware of the damage they will be doing to their brain.
National Institutes of Health - NIH study finds chronic alcohol use shifts brain’s control of behavior
Chronic alcohol exposure leads to brain adaptations that shift behavior control away from an area of the brain involved in complex decision-making and toward a region associated with habit formation, according to a new study conducted in mice by scientists at the National Institutes of Health.
Xinhua (Netherlands) - Feature: Dutch organization fights alcoholism troubles with alcohol
A volunteer organization in Amsterdam has found a new, unorthodox method to deal with alcohol addicts causing trouble in public parks, by providing beer in exchange for cleaning public spaces.
Independent Online (South Africa) - Ministers clash over alcohol ad bill
A proposed bill banning alcohol advertising has pitted two ministers against each other, triggering the Cabinet to intervene. The low-intensity war between Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini and Sports Minister Fikile Mbalula is brewing, as the latter argues that the government may lose half a billion rand if alcohol advertising is banned, as proposed in the bill.
International Business Times (USA) - 1 Out Of 3 ER Visits Are Alcohol Related: Here’s What The Patients Drank
Nearly one-third of all emergency-room visits for injuries in the U.S. are alcohol related. And a new study has found that certain types and brands of alcohol are more likely to be implicated.
AllAfrica.com (Uganda) - Uganda: Activists Want Another Five Percent Tax On Alcohol
Uganda Alcohol Policy Alliance (UAPA) wants a 5% tax increase on alcohol and the proceeds set aside as a rehabilitation fund for victims of alcoholism.
Payvand (Iran) - Tehran Allows Test Run Of Alcohol Addiction Treatment Center
Tehran has issued a licence for the establishment of the city's first alcohol rehabilitation centre. ISNA reports that the head of the Public Health Department's Addiction Prevention Centre announced that the licence is for a pilot project for the treatment of alcoholics.
Irish Health (Ireland) - Concern on alcohol spend figures
Alcohol Action Ireland has called on the Government to address our harmful relationship with alcohol. The call came after Central Statistics Office (CSO) figures revealed an increase in Ireland's alcohol spend in 2012.
The Costa Rica Star (Costa Rica) - Costa Ricans Not Able To Consume Alcohol In Moderation, Study Reveals
7 out of 10 Costa Ricans believe that Ticos are not able to consume alcohol in moderation, is the conclusion of a study by Educalcohol Costa Rica, for the Escuela de Estadística de la Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR) – School of Statistics at the University of Costa Rica.
Southeast European Times - Alcohol a large growing problem in the region
According to a recent report, people in the EU drink 10.2 litres of alcohol per year, while the average in Serbia is even higher, 11 litres per inhabitant annually. Experts in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) warn that consumption in that country ranges from 9.6 to 40 litres, as there is no solid data. Macedonia treats only one tenth of its addicts.
Posted by at No comments:

Sunday, August 25, 2013

FASD News - 33/2013

NEWS and ARTICLES
Wort.lu (Luxembourg) - 16 percent of women in Luxembourg admit to drinking alcohol during pregnancy
According to a survey carried out by the Health Ministry at the Bohler Clinic and the Maternité Grande-Duchesse Charlotte between August and October 2012, 16 percent of the polled pregnant women consumed alcohol during their pregnancy.
KCSG (USA) - Aims To Raise Awareness During FASD Month With Launch Of Free Service For Pregnant Women
It’s been 40 years since Kenneth Lyons Jones, MD, and David Smith, MD, first identified Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) after examining several children with similar traits who had all been born to chronic alcoholic mothers. Today, despite the well-documented spectrum of negative physical and mental effects alcohol can have on the developing fetus, Jones says it’s a “major public concern” that 1 in 13 women still drink alcohol during pregnancy, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
StarPhoenix (Canada) - Justice system needs to address FASD
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder is a "major issue" that the justice system in our province needs to face, says a University of Saskatchewan law professor.
HealthCanal.com (Australia) - Boost for research and clinical care into Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
University of Sydney researcher, Professor Elizabeth Elliott, has had critical input into the federal government's $20 million grant announced today to fund research and prevention of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD).
PR Web - The Arc Reacts to New Book on Pregnancy Risks, Including Drinking Alcohol: “Why Risk It?”
As the leading organization supporting people with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), The Arc is pushing back on the claims put forward in this book that could lead women to believe that light drinking during pregnancy is statistically safe.
The Herald - Alcohol and Pregnancy Advice in New Book is Flawed and Harmful
A new book, Expecting Better: Why the Conventional Pregnancy Wisdom Is Wrong-and What You Really Need to Know, misrepresents the risk of alcohol use during pregnancy by concluding that light drinking is completely safe, according to the National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (NOFAS).

MATERIALS and VIDEOS
CNSAAP - Essentials of … Women and Problematic Substance Use
Although the majority of women in Canada do not use substances problematically, the personal harms vary for those who do and include physical; psychological, emotional or behavioural; social; spiritual; familial; and legal consequences.
FASD Patient Education Video - Newborn Channel Version
This patient education video, produced by ACOG District II, addresses the prevention of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders FASD. The piece was picked up by the Newborn Channel, which is available in more than 1,000 hospitals across America -- including nearly 80 hospitals in New York State and reaches more than 2.5 million new mothers every year.

RESEARCH
Journal of Research and Practice in Children's Services - Canadian Children and Youth in Care: The Cost of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
The study findings can be used to demonstrate the substantial economic burden that FASD places on the child welfare system. Attention towards the needs of this population and prevention efforts to reduce FASD incidence in Canada, and other countries are urgently needed.
CDC - Key Findings: The effects of alcohol use during pregnancy and later developmental outcomes: An analysis of previous studies
The journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research has published a meta-analysis of multiple studies examining how drinking patterns of women during pregnancy (such as low-to-moderate alcohol use or binge drinking*) can affect the development of their children.
International Journal of Circumpolar Health - An Examination of the Social Determinants of Health as Factors Related to Health, Healing and Prevention of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder in a Northern Context – The Brightening Our Home Fires Project, Northwest Territories, Canada
This project drew 30 participants from: Yellowknife, Lutsel ‘ke, Behchoko¨ and Ulukhaktok. These four different communities across the NT represented Dene and Inuit culture. The qualitative data analysis offered themes of importance to women’s health in the north including: land and tradition; housing; poverty; food; family; health, mental health and trauma, and travel. Photovoice provides a non-threatening way to engage in dialogue on complex health and social issues.
International Journal of Circumpolar Health - Prenatal alcohol exposure among Alaska Native/American Indian infants
Recent reports indicate a decline in rates of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) among Alaska Native and American Indian (AN/AI) infants. Nevertheless, AN/AI infants remain disproportionately impacted by the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure.
Uknowledge - THE CULTURAL POLITICS OF FETAL ALCOHOL SPECTRUM DISORDERS AND THE DIAGNOSIS OF DIFFERENCE
This dissertation is based on an ethnographic study of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) and the racial, cultural and political considerations that shape the meaning of diagnosis for Alaska Native individuals and families in Anchorage, Alaska.
J Popul Ther Clin Pharmacol - Alcohol Consumption Among Women
Alcohol (ethanol) consumption in pregnancy is the etiology of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), a leading cause of congenital disability worldwide. Hence, any attempt to prevent or manage FASD must start from comprehensive understanding of alcohol consumption by women in general, and by women of reproductive years in particular.
Alcohol - Neonatal ethanol exposure results in dose-dependent impairments in the acquisition and timing of the conditioned eyeblink response and altered cerebellar interpositus nucleus and hippocampal CA1 unit activity in adult rats
Exposure to ethanol in neonatal rats results in reduced neuronal numbers in the cerebellar cortex and deep nuclei of juvenile and adult animals. This reduction in cell numbers is correlated with impaired delay eyeblink conditioning (EBC), a simple motor learning task in which a neutral conditioned stimulus (CS; tone) is repeatedly paired with a co-terminating unconditioned stimulus (US; periorbital shock).
Pediatrics - Facial Dysmorphism Across the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum
Classic facial characteristics of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) are shortened palpebral fissures, smooth philtrum, and thin upper vermillion. We aim to help pediatricians detect facial dysmorphism across the fetal alcohol spectrum, especially among nonsyndromal heavily exposed (HE) individuals without classic facial characteristics.
Alcoholism - Impact of Combined Prenatal Ethanol and Prenatal Stress Exposure on Anxiety and Hippocampal-Sensitive Learning in Adult Offspring
Prenatal ethanol (EtOH) and prenatal stress have both been independently shown to induce learning deficits and anxiety behavior in adult offspring. However, the interactive effects of these 2 developmental teratogens on behavioral outcomes have not been systematically evaluated.
Alcoholism - Prenatal Alcohol Exposure Results in Long-Term Serotonin Neuron Deficits in Female Rats: Modulatory Role of Ovarian Steroids
Previous studies on male rodents found that prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) decreases the number of serotonin immunoreactive (5-HT-ir) neurons in the brainstem. However, data on the effects of PAE in females are lacking.
Alcoholism - Sensory-Motor Deficits in Children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Assessed Using a Robotic Virtual Reality Platform
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is associated with a large number of cognitive and sensory-motor deficits. In particular, the accurate assessment of sensory-motor deficits in children with FASD is not always simple and relies on clinical assessment tools that may be coarse and subjective.
Alcoholism - Prenatal Ethanol (EtOH) Exposure Alters the Sensitivity of the Adult Dentate Gyrus to Acute EtOH Exposure
Prenatal ethanol (EtOH) exposure results in a spectrum of structural, cognitive, and behavioral abnormalities, collectively termed “fetal alcohol spectrum disorders” (FASDs).
Alcoholism - The Association of Mild, Moderate, and Binge Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and Child Neuropsychological Outcomes: A Meta-Analysis
The objective of this review is to evaluate the literature on the association between mild, moderate, and binge prenatal alcohol exposure and child neurodevelopment.

UPCOMING EVENTS
Eurocare - Protecting the unborn baby from alcohol (17 September 2013)
Drinking alcohol during pregnancy is the leading known cause of birth defects and developmental disorders in the EU. The event is being held in partnership with the European FASD Alliance (EUFASD).
First International Conference on Prevention of FASD (September 23-25, 2013)
The first international conference to address the primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention approaches to FASD.
NOFAS - Living with FASD 12-day Teleseminar (September 9, 2013)
The purpose of this telesummit is to provide families with information about practical strategies to implement at home, based on the newest FASD research. Speakers have been specially selected because they have experience on a professional level and also have first-hand experience raising children with FASD.

IN OTHER LANGUAGES
Derwesten.de (Germany) - Soester Adoptiveltern scheitern mit Klage
Die Adoptiveltern eines alkoholgeschädigten Kindes sind mit einer Schadenersatzklage gegen die Stadt Soest vor dem Oberlandesgericht Hamm gescheitert. Die Ansprüche seien verjährt, entschied jetzt der 11. Zivilsenat.
Borgestadklinikken (Norway) - Magasin om FASD
Som ledd i vårt informasjonsarbeid om alkoholrelaterte fosterskader har vi produsert et magasin med tema FASD. Fagfolk, forskere og brukere deler kunnskap og erfaringer.
Posted by at No comments:

Monday, August 19, 2013

Alcohol News - 33/2013

The Guardian (UK) - Public health: cutting a deal on the minimum price of alcohol
The fallout from the government u-turn on plain cigarette packaging and a minimum unit price for alcohol continues. To date, the Faculty of Public Health, the Association of Directors of Public Health and Birmingham city council have all withdrawn from the "public health responsibility deal".
CBS News (USA) - Study: Many alcohol-related ER visits involve Budweiser
Budweiser is the number one beverage behind alcohol-related emergency room visits, a small study conducted by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health revealed.
Pravda (Russia) - Sale of alcohol prohibited on flood-affected territories in Russia
The sale of alcohol has been prohibited on the territory of all towns and settlements that suffered from massive floods in the Far East of Russia.
Telegraph.co.uk (UK) - Health ministers want to take the alcohol out of wine
Ministers have become so concerned about levels of wine drinking among the middle classes that they have launched a campaign across Europe to redefine “wine” to include drinks that contain little or no alcohol.
Wall Street Journal - Latest Research on the Effects of Alcohol on Your Waistline
It isn't just the beer that contributes to beer bellies. It could also be the extra calories, fat and unhealthy eating choices that may come with moderate drinking.
Voice of America (USA) - Excessive Alcohol Drinking Has $223B Price Tag
Excessive alcohol drinking costs Americans more than $220 billion a year, or almost $2 a drink. And the biggest costs come from a loss of worker productivity.
Hurriyet Daily News (Turkey) - Removal of alcohol logos from shop signs to hit Turkish vendors in pocket
Craftsmen and restaurant owners in Turkey are concerned about a law that forces all retailers to remove alcoholic beverage logos and advertiesements from their signboards until September.
NEWS.com.au (Australia) - Seven reasons life is better without booze
I WAS the consummate party girl for 20 years before I finally realised that alcohol was taking more than it was giving. I quit drinking two and a half years ago at the age of 35 and have never felt happier, more confident, or as in control of my own destiny than I do now that I'm sober.
Ct Post (USA) - Government should slow the flow of alcohol ads
When it comes to alcohol advertisements, we could use an agreement similar to the one we have with Big Tobacco. Children are awash in media messages, and we keep missing opportunities to do the right thing.
NEWS.com.au (Australia) - Australian drinkers defying health guidelines, Centre for Alcohol Research finds
HALF of Australia's drinkers consume alcohol in excess of the nation's health guidelines putting themselves at risk of violence and health problems.
DigitalJournal.com (UK) - UK Government: 'On holiday, don’t let drink do your talking'
The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office is encouraging young travelers to think before they drink, to avoid putting themselves at risk of serious harm while holidaying in foreign countries.
Medical Daily (USA) - Binge Drinking Remedy? Washington State University Imposes Early-Morning Friday Classes To Combat ‘Thirsty Thursday’
In response to a student who died from alcohol poisoning last school year, Washington State University (WSU) is taking precautionary measures to reduce the amount of drug use and binge drinking. Changes include more early-morning Friday classes, more alcohol-free floors in residence halls, and alcohol screening for at-risk students.
MorningAdvertiser.co.uk (UK) - Pubs could face increased enforcement activity from police in 'week of action'
Pub and bar operators could face enforcement action from police during a "week of action" on licensing and alcohol-related harm during 16 - 22 September.
Yorkshire Post (UK) - Call to use ‘drunk tanks’ to ease strain on the police
BRINGING in US-style ‘drunk tanks’ could relieve the strain on the emergency services and allow officers to deal with other crimes, one of the region’s police and crime commissioners has claimed.
7thSpace Interactive - Alcohol consumption and sport: a cross-sectional study of alcohol management practices associated with at-risk alcohol consumption at community football clubs
Excessive alcohol consumption is responsible for considerable harm from chronic disease and injury. Within most developed countries, members of sporting clubs participate in at-risk alcohol consumption at levels above that of communities generally.
Posted by at No comments:

Monday, August 12, 2013

Alcohol News - 32/2013

UPI.com - Using alcohol to self medicate increases addiction risk
Using alcohol as though it were a medication -- to ease feelings of depression -- are more likely to become alcohol dependent, U.S. researchers say.
News-Medical.net - Higher cigarette tax leads to lower alcohol consumption!
While people may think, that since that one intoxication could be substituted by another – a rise in cigarette taxes could lead to an increase in alcohol consumption. However, a recent study in the US says higher cigarette tax can also lead to less alcohol consumption among smokers.
Daily News & Analysis (India) - Kids as young as 11 getting introduced to alcohol: Rajeshwari Luther
Alcoholism and drug addiction are assuming epidemic proportions and we are not doing enough, said Rajeshwari Luther, director of Hyderabad-based Hope Trust that has been offering treatment for alcoholism and drug addiction for a decade now.
Hurriyet Daily News (Turkey) - Turkish authority introduces ‘Alcohol is not your friend’ tag on bottles
Signs warning about the possible harms of alcohol consumption will be placed on the bottles of alcoholic beverages within 10 months, according to a statement published in the Official Gazette Aug. 11.
Daily Mail (UK) - Over-65 drinkers in health alert: Doctors call for alcohol safety levels to be halved for pensioners
Doctors and public health experts said heavy drinking among the elderly was a ‘hidden problem’ and safe limit guidelines for over-65s should be halved.
BBC News (UK) - North East experts renew minimum alcohol price call
North East England has been "let down" by plans to introduce minimum alcohol pricing being shelved, experts said.
The Japan Times (USA) - Alcohol linked to many deaths of pedestrians
Just as drinking and driving can be deadly, so can drinking and walking. Over a third of U.S. pedestrians killed in 2011 had blood alcohol levels above the legal limit for driving, government data show.
Belfast Telegraph (Northern Ireland) - Doctors hail minimum alcohol price
A minimum price of at least 50p should be set for small amounts of alcohol in Northern Ireland, doctors said. Some drink are sold for less than the cost of water but the health service bill may be as high as £160 million a year, research showed.
Coventry Telegraph (UK) - Barbecue boozing leads to spike in alcohol-related violence in Coventry
Police in Coventry are warning that increased barbecue boozing has led to a spike in alcohol-related violence.
MetroNews Canada (Canada) - Alcohol costs exceed revenues in B.C., study shows
A group of researchers is calling for a sober second look at alcohol policies in B.C. after finding the costs associated with booze far outweigh the revenues it brings in.
Arutz Sheva (Israel) - Recommendation: Raise the Age for Buying Alcohol to 21
A special committee of the Health Ministry has recently formulated a series of new recommendations to reduce excess consumption of alcohol and the resulting drunkedness, violence and auto accidents, according to a Thursday-evening report by Channel 2 Television.
World Bulletin (Turkey) - Turkish state to cover alcohol, drug addiction treatment expenses
The costs of drug and alcohol Addiction treatment will be covered by the state as part of a new joint initiative by the Health Ministry and the Social Security Institution (SGK).
The Border Mail (Australia) - Govt bid to recoup cost of drunken behaviour
People may have to pay for the costs they incur to the state while drunk if an "abuser pays" system recommended by the Auditor-General is adopted by the NSW government.
TVNZ (New Zealand) - Bars want drunks fined, police shun idea
Wellington bar owners are urging the city council to introduce fines for drunks on the streets but police say earlier closing times for bars is the best way to curb alcohol problems.
TimesLive (South Africa) - Booze ad ban is 'on track'
A proposal that alcohol advertising be banned has been approved by an inter-ministerial committee on substance abuse.
The Local (Sweden) - Systembolaget bans beer with grenade logo
Sweden's state controlled alcohol monopoly has ruled out distributing the Welsh export 'Fubar' beer due its label featuring a hand grenade and bullet holes.
TISPOL (Estonia) - Estonian police: zero tolerance for drink-driving
Police in Estonia took severe measures to prevent drink driving during the recent midsummer festivities. Many drink drivers were detained and taken to court. Midsummer Day is one of the biggest national holidays on June 23rd and 24th and sadly it often involves alcohol related problems such as drink driving, road deaths and serious injuries.
Alcohol and Alcoholism - Defining Substance Use Disorders: Do We Really Need More Than Heavy Use?
‘Heavy substance use over time’ seems to be a definition of substance use disorders in line with results of basic research and epidemiology. Additionally, it reduces stigmatization. This approach should thus be further explored.
15min.lt (Lithuania) - Former Lithuanian prime minister takes part in discussions on extra stickers on tax stamps
As a consultant for a firm making security labels, Adolfas Šleževičius, a former prime minister of Lithuania, is taking part in discussions at the Finance Ministry about putting additional stickers on cigarette packs and alcoholic drinks as anti-counterfeit protection for tax stamps, the daily Lietuvos Rytas reports.
TIME (Africa) - Africa’s Drinking Problem: Alcoholism on the Rise as Beverage Multinationals Circle
In Kenya, depending on whom you ask, John Mututho is either a hero or a villain, but in a country consuming ever more alcohol, he is certainly a household name. In 2010, Mututho won a battle with the beverage industry to implement Kenya’s first alcohol-control act.
Posted by at 2 comments:

Monday, August 5, 2013

Alcohol News - 31/2013

The Local (Norway) - Norway risks even higher booze taxes
Norway is considering imposing even higher taxes on alcoholic drinks, a move that would bring it within a whisker of becoming world's most expensive place for a tipple.
Read more
The Foreigner (Norway) - Norway government alcohol monopoly eyes tax free
Vinmonopolet is considering moving into the airport alcohol business as drink sales figures decline.
Finland Times (Finland) - No tax hike on alcohol in budget likely
The government is likely not to increase tax on alcohol in the upcoming budget for the year 2014 as the tax hike might increase the import of the alcoholic products from the neighbouring countries of Russia and Estonia by the travellers.
THL (Finland) - Pekka Puska: Health should be prioritized over business interests
Pekka Puska’s speech at the Savonlinna Opera Festival public meeting on 30 July, 2013. The World Health Organization WHO held a major international conference in Helsinki in June. In the summit, the WHO appealed to world decision makers to put health in focus in all policy making.
WalesOnline (Wales) - Wales could go it alone over cigarette packaging and minimum alcohol pricing, says health minister
Health Minister Mark Drakeford has revealed he is giving serious consideration as to whether Wales could go it alone on major public health issues such as plain cigarette packaging and a minimum price for alcohol.
Globe and Mail (Canada) - Mothers Against Drunk Driving take aim at Tory plan for alcohol in Nova Scotia corner stores
The CEO of Mothers Against Drunk Driving says Nova Scotia’s opposition Progressive Conservatives have engaged in “dirty politics” by suggesting the group supports the party’s proposal to introduce the sale of beer and wine in corner stores.
The Guardian (UK) - Channel 4 rapped for airing alcohol ads when kids were likely to be watching
Channel 4 has been rapped on the knuckles for running alcohol ads during shows likely to appeal to children, including hit US comedy import The Big Bang Theory.
StatesChronicle - New Studys Suggests Relation Between Brain Hyderactivity to Alcohol Consumption
A new study conducted in Canada by McGill University’s Professor Marco Leyton from the Department of Psychiatry can help in diagnosing and treating patients undergoing treatment caused by alcoholism.
The Daily Progress (USA) - Gifts to ABC from alcohol industry a 'gray area'
State Alcoholic Beverage Control employees reported more than $50,000 in gifts and entertainment from 2008 to 2011, primarily to pay for conference trips but also including tickets to car races, comedy shows and a Washington Redskins game as well as "spa service."
Health-e (South Africa) - Govt moves to stop alcohol ads
South Africans like to drink. In fact, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), we are some of the biggest drinkers in the world. But, alcohol kills around 130 South Africans every day and well over half of all road accidents are caused by drunk drivers.
IrishCentral (Ireland) - Alcohol fuels many of Ireland’s fatal assaults research finds
Deputy State Pathologist Michael Curtis has found that alcohol is a major factor when it comes to the cause of violent crimes in Ireland.
EurekAlert (USA) - Fewer states holding alcohol retailers responsible for harms from illegal service
Fewer states are holding alcohol retailers liable for harms caused by customers who were served illegally, according to a new report from researchers at Alcohol Policy Consultations and the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Independent Online (South Africa) - ‘We’ll fight alcohol with bare knuckles’
South Africans like to drink. In fact, according to the World Health Organisation, we are some of the biggest drinkers in the world. But, alcohol kills around 130 South Africans every day and well over half of all road accidents are caused by drunk drivers.
Bury Times (UK) - Hospitals seeing large numbers of drunk children in A&E departments
ALMOST one in seven people admitted to local accident and emergency departments with alcohol problems are children, new figures have revealed.
FRANCE 24 (France) - 'Le binge drinking' on the rise in France
France on Sunday officially replaced the English term “binge drinking” with the French alternative “beuverie express”, a move that may reflect how drinking habits in the country have changed in recent years.
TIME (France) - France Finally Finds the Right Words to Describe Binge Drinking
The French Ministry of Culture and Communication, better known as the language police, added a decidedly un-French term to its approved lexicon on Sunday. From now on, chugging alcohol with the sole motive of getting smashed is no longer “le binge drinking” — it’s la beuverie express (literally, fast drinking).



Posted by at No comments:

Sunday, August 4, 2013

FASD News - 30/2013

NEWS and ARTICLES
SBS (Australia) - Foetal alcohol syndrome victim calls on pregnant women not to drink
When it comes to the dangers of drinking alcohol while pregnant, the message may not be getting through. Australian researchers say only two out of three women know that alcohol can affect their unborn child.
Parent Herald - Alcohol During Pregnancy Damages Learning and Memory in Children, Study Finds
A team of researchers from Xinxiang Medical University in China found that maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy damaged learning and memory in children.
Voice of America (South Africa) - Mentally Disabled Women Endure Intense Abuse in South Africa
They’re mentally ill or disabled, suffering from conditions such as cerebral palsy and fetal alcohol syndrome. The women are at Ikhaya Loxolo, “Home of Peace,” a collection of mud huts in the district of Hobeni in a particularly isolated part of South Africa’s Eastern Cape province.
EurekAlert - FASD impacts brain development throughout childhood and adolescence not just at birth
Medical researchers at the University of Alberta recently published findings showing that brain development is delayed throughout childhood and adolescence for people born with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).
Alaska Dispatch (Canada) - Senior Nunavut judge urges territory to help inmates with FASD
An offender suffering from Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) will have a hard time getting treatment in Canada’s eastern Arctic territory of Nunavut because there are no programs for the disorder in the territory’s correctional system.
The Guardian (UK) - A day in the life of ... a health charity executive director
Our charity, the National Organisation for Foetal Alcohol Syndrome, supports people who have foetal alcohol-related disabilities as well as their families, and I'm a pretty hands-on type of person so no two days are the same.
Ninemsn (Australia) - GPs fail to warn drinking mums, prof says
GPs have been too concerned about offending people to warn women of the dangers of drinking while pregnant, leaving their unborn children at risk of birth defects, a professor of pediatrics says.
Scotland on Sunday (Scotland) - Alcohol syndrome babies slip through safety net
LARGE numbers of children in Scotland affected by their mothers drinking alcohol during pregnancy have not been diagnosed, experts suspect.
National Magazine (Canada) - Court system an abusive one for victims of FASD
The criminal justice system can be an abusive one for children and adults with the kind of disability that robs them the ability to foresee the consequences of their actions, says a lawyer who is intimately acquainted with the problem.
Labcanada (Canada) - $1.7M project examines genetic roots of FASD
The Canadian Institutes of Health Research has awarded $1.37 million in funding to a team at the University of Manitoba that is led by James Davie, Canada Research Chair (CRC) in Chromatin Dynamics.

UPCOMING EVENTS
First International Conference on Prevention of FASD
This is the first international conference to address the primary, secondary and tertiary prevention of FASD. Plenary sessions will promote discussion and reflection on promising and innovative approaches for preventing FASD, such as policies and programs to address alcohol use and the social determinants of health.
MOFAS - 2013 FASD matters conference: exploring the spectrum November 14-15, 2013
The Minnesota Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (MOFAS) is the statewide organization serving as the leading voice and resource on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) in Minnesota – standing up for the rights of the FASD community, providing education and training so FASD is better understood and working to ensure that all women know that there is no safe level of alcohol use during pregnancy.
Living With FASD 2013 Summit, September 9 2013
The purpose of this telesummit is to provide families with information about practical strategies to implement at home, based on the newest FASD research. Speakers have been specially selected because they have experience on a professional level and also have first-hand experience raising children with FASD.
Interprofessional Continuing Education - 6th National Biennial Conference on Adolescence and adults with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders - Call for Abstracts
he conference does not cover honoraria, accommodation, travel or other associated expenses. However, the primary presenter of 3-hour/90-minute abstracts willreceive complimentary registration to the conference (~$600 value).

VIDEOS, MATERIALS
Youtube - FASD COMMUNITIES, informational video by Elizabeth H.
Many young adults grow up with FASD and have problems adjusting to life after school. FASD Communities is a 501c(3) organization that raises funds to establish group homes for this growing population of young adults.
sydney.edu.au - A success story - a community led collaboration with remote indigenous Australia
‘Our children are our greatest asset’ says Professor Elizabeth Elliott, paediatrician at the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network, Westmead, and Professor of Paediatrics and Child Health at the University of Sydney. Yet many children suffer brain damage even before they are born, through exposure to alcohol in the womb.

RESEARCH
PubMed - Involving consumers and the community in the development of a diagnostic instrument for fetal alcohol spectrum disorders in Australia
The successful involvement of consumers and the community in the FASD Project can be attributed to active consumer and community participation, which included continued involvement throughout the project, funding of participation activities, and an understanding of the various contributions by the Collaboration members.
Educational Psychology in Practice - Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: as prevalent as autism?
An examination of the literature on Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) and its relevance to the work of Educational Psychologists (EPs) suggested that the impact of FASD on EPs’ casework is an area which has been underexplored, and which merits further attention.
Brain Sciences - Drug-Induced Apoptosis: Mechanism by which Alcohol and Many Other Drugs Can Disrupt Brain Development
Maternal ingestion of alcohol during pregnancy can cause a disability syndrome termed Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), which may include craniofacial malformations, structural pathology in the brain, and a variety of long-term neuropsychiatric disturbances.
Alcoholism - Early Fetal Binge Alcohol Exposure Predicts High Behavioral Symptom Scores in 5.5-Year-Old Children
Fetal binge alcohol exposure has been associated with neurobehavioral and cognitive symptoms. This study explored whether binge drinking mainly before recognition of pregnancy predicted high symptom scores on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) in 5.5-year-old children.
Alcohol - Neonatal ethanol exposure results in dose-dependent impairments in the acquisition and timing of the conditioned eyeblink response and altered cerebellar interpositus nucleus and hippocampal CA1 unit activity in adult rats
Exposure to ethanol in neonatal rats results in reduced neuronal numbers in the cerebellar cortex and deep nuclei of juvenile and adult animals. This reduction in cell numbers is correlated with impaired delay eyeblink conditioning (EBC), a simple motor learning task in which a neutral conditioned stimulus (CS; tone) is repeatedly paired with a co-terminating unconditioned stimulus (US; periorbital shock).
Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)