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Thursday, January 1, 2015

Alcohol News - Year in Review 2014


JANUARY 2014
The Local (Germany) - Alcoholism in Germany rises by a third
The number of alcoholics in Germany has increased by more than one third to almost two million, with under-25s being particularly affected, according to a study on Thursday.
Daily Mail (UK) - How ministers 'caved into the alcohol lobby': 130 meetings with supermarkets and drinks firms - then they shelved plan for minimum alcohol price
Campaigners have accused ministers of caving in to pressure from the drinks and supermarket industries to drop plans to impose a minimum price for alcohol.
Boston.com (USA) - Obama: Pot is not more dangerous than alcohol
President Barack Obama said he doesn’t think marijuana is more dangerous than alcohol, ‘‘in terms of its impact on the individual consumer.’’
Fox News (USA) - Alcohol consumption is the direct cause of 80,000 yearly deaths in the Americas
Alcohol consumption is the direct cause of nearly 80,000 deaths in the Americas each year, according to a new study. Published in the journal Addiction, the study analyzed yearly mortality rates from 16 countries in North and Latin America. The researchers focused on deaths that were specifically attributed to alcohol, meaning death would not have occurred without some form of alcohol consumption.
Daily News & Analysis - Alcohol does not just gives you a kick, it can also give you cancer: Lancet/WHO
Tipplers beware: Alcohol leads to cancer of the mouth, throat, and food pipe. Prestigious international medical journal Oral Oncology has said it in its latest edition for the first time.
Daily Mail - One binge in pregnancy 'harms child years later': Children 'more likely to be badly behaved' if their mother drinks more than two glasses of wine
Just one night out during pregnancy can have long-lasting effects on the child’s behaviour, a study suggests.

FEBRUARY 2014
The Guardian - Alcohol, smoking and obesity fuel 'alarming' global cancer surge
A global drive to tackle the causes of cancer linked to lifestyle, such as alcohol abuse, sugar consumption and obesity, has been urged on Monday by the World Health Organisation as it predicted the number of new cases could soar 70% to nearly 25 million a year over the next 20 years.
The Guardian (UK) - Minimum alcohol pricing would save 860 lives a year, study finds
Introducing minimum pricing for alcohol would lead to 860 fewer deaths a year and 29,900 fewer hospital admissions among heavy-drinkers while having only a slight effect on moderate drinkers, according to research into the policy's impact.
Examiner.com - World Cancer Day: Alcohol is a carcinogen
The Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) uses Feb. 4 as World Cancer Day to focus on debunking the myths about the world's leading killer. For 2014, the organization emphasizes the fifth point in their World Cancer Declaration: "Reduce stigma and dispel myths about cancer." One of many myths is that drinking alcohol is safe.
IceNews (Iceland) - Iceland ranks lowest amongst adolescent alcohol drinkers in Europe
Iceland has been ranked amongst the lowest adolescent consumers of alcohol in Europe, according to studies.
Pro Bono Australia (Australia) - Protect Children From Alcohol Advertising: National Report
The Not for Profit sector has urged the Federal Government to act quickly to protect children from unrestrained alcohol advertising on television, following the release of a national report into alcohol marketing and advertising.
Medical Daily - Legal Drinking Age Of 21 Saves Lives Every Day: Alcohol Related Injuries, Drunk Driving Significantly Less Common
A new review finds that the current legal drinking age of 21 saves lives — but critics say the benefits may come at the expense of a sensible alcohol culture.

MARCH 2014
The Independent - Drinking alcohol early in pregnancy, even in small amounts, increases chances of harming your baby, study finds
Women who drink less than the officially recommended intake of alcohol during the first weeks of pregnancy may still be at higher risk of having smaller babies or of giving birth prematurely compared to women who do not drink alcohol at all, a study has found.
NL Times (Netherlands) – Alcohol Poisoning up 350% in NL
5300 people ended up in the emergency room last year, with alcohol poisoning. In 2012, the number of drinkers who got alcohol poisoning, or ‘coma-drinkers’ stayed the same, it seems from figures out of consumer organization VeiligheidNL (SafetyNL).
BBC News - Alcohol-related brain damage report highlights concerns
A report into alcohol-related brain damage (ARBD) should serve as a "wake-up call", Alcohol Concern Cymru said.

APRIL 2014
Medical News Today - Teen binge drinking linked to identifying alcohol brands in pop music
Every day in the US, the average adolescent is exposed to 2.5 hours of popular music and eight references to alcohol brands. And now, researchers have found a link between binge drinking in teens and liking, owning or correctly recognizing the brand names of alcohol mentioned in songs.
The Guardian - A bottle of wine a day is harmless? The evidence suggests otherwise
Both the Daily Mail and the Independent reported over the weekend that a bottle of wine a day might not be bad for you. The articles quote a retired Finnish professor, Kari Poikolainen.
The Guardian (UK) - Cost of alcohol credited for drop in serious violence in England and Wales
A decline in binge drinking and the rising price of alcohol is behind a dramatic 12% fall in the number of people injured in serious violence across England and Wales last year, a pioneering academic research study claims.
RT (Russia) - Online booze ban: Lawmakers target internet alcohol sales
A ruling party MP has drafted a bill banning online sales of alcohol in order to improve state control in this sphere and protect customers from buying uncertified and potentially dangerous drinks.

MAY 2014
The Guardian (Scotland) - Minimum alcohol price plan referred to European court by Scottish judges
A plan to set a minimum price for all alcoholic drinks in Scotland has been referred by appeal judges to the European court of justice, after a long legal battle waged by the whisky industry.
Medscape - No Amount of Alcohol Is Safe
"Responsible drinking" has become a 21st-century mantra for how most people view alcohol consumption. But when it comes to cancer, no amount of alcohol is safe.[1] That is the conclusion of the 2014 World Cancer Report (WCR), issued by the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).
WalesOnline (Wales) - 'Terrifying' drinking levels see Welsh hospitals dealing with alcohol-related admission every 35 minutes
Hospitals in Wales are dealing with an alcohol-related admission every 35 minutes on average, shocking new figures have revealed. Statistics obtained by WalesOnline show the number of admissions to Welsh hospitals where alcohol was a primary or secondary diagnosis reached 14,907 in 2012-2013.
HealthCanal.com (Australia) - Raising the legal age for alcohol purchase to 21 would reduce alcohol-related harm in Australia
There is strong evidence and increasing support to raise the minimum age for purchasing alcohol from 18 to 21, leading public health experts argue in The Medical Journal of Australia (MJA).

JUNE 2014
Headlines & Global News - Listening to Words Related to Alcohol Increases Aggression: Study
Listening to alcohol related words leads to aggressive behavior in some people similar to the effect of drinking, a new study shows.
The Globe and Mail (Canada) - Canadians grossly underestimate their alcohol consumption, study says
It turns out Canadians lowball the amount of alcohol they drink by up to a whopping 75 per cent, especially when it comes to wine.
The Guardian (UK) - Alcohol firms funding charities in order to gain political influence, claims study
Alcohol firms are adopting contentious tactics pioneered by the tobacco industry by funding charities in order to gain influence inside government, researchers claim in a new study published on Tuesday.
MinnPost.com (Brazil) - Alcohol industry wins, public health loses at World Cup 2014
Brazil may be favored to win the 2014 World Cup, which begins on Thursday, but the real winner will be the alcohol industry — and the real loser will be public health — according to a troubling article published today in the BMJ (formerly known as the British Medical Journal).

JULY 2014
FleetNews (EU) - EU backs future role for alcohol interlocks
Two new EU reports support measures to boost the use of alcohol interlocks in passenger and goods vehicles in the EU. The study by Italian consultancy TRT for the European Parliament (EP) goes as far as recommending legislation.
EurActiv (EU) - Alcohol still the number one killer on Europe's roads
Alcohol remains the number one substance endangering lives on European roads. But use of drugs and medicines behind the wheel, also combined with alcohol, is likewise a major challenge for policymakers, says a new report by the EU's drug agency EMCDDA.
Helsinki Times (Finland) - Study: Most Finns suffer from other people's alcohol use
Those who work in preventive substance work are disappointed by the fact that government parties decided to suspend the alcohol legislation amendment recently. The main objective of the reform was to significantly reduce the adverse effects of alcohol, and it was set to come into effect by 2015.

AUGUST 2014
PsychCentral.com - Alcohol Commercials Strongly Affect Underage Drinkers
New research shows a strong link between alcohol advertising and underage drinking. In fact, young drinkers are three times more likely to choose alcohol brands whose commercials appear on their favorite television shows compared to other alcohol brands, according to a new study from the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Boston University School of Public Health.
MorningAdvertiser.co.uk (EU) - Inquiry launched into new EU Alcohol Strategy
The House of Lords is urging the pub sector to give its views on a new EU Alcohol Strategy.
The Age (Australia) - Alcohol kills 15 Australians a day, national report shows
Fifteen Australians die each day and 430 are hospitalised because of alcohol, according to a report on the national burden of booze.
Wall Street Journal - Which Country Drinks the Most Alcohol?
It has been established that the most expensive beer in the world is sold in Norway, while the cheapest can be chugged in Poland. But in which country is the most alcohol drunk?
CNBCAfrica.com - ALCOHOL ADVERTISING BANS SWEEP SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
The ban on alcohol advertising is picking up steam as Kenya, Botswana and South Africa gear up to impose the new regulations in the sector.

SEPTEMBER 2014
New Channel Daily - No Amount of Alcohol Safe, says World Health Organization
The long-held belief that moderate alcohol consumption benefits one’s health has been contradicted by many studies in the past, creating mixed opinions on the belief. However, earlier this year, the World Health Organization released a report that vehemently suggested a link between cancer and alcohol, which ultimately labeled any amount of alcohol unsafe.
Johns Hopkins News-Letter - "Drink Responsibly" campaigns found to be ineffective
Vague, indeterminate and ubiquitous, the "Drink Responsibly" message featured in alcohol advertisements fails to explicate the details of safe drinking, instead promoting consumer loyalty to brands associated with such slogans.

OCTOBER 2014
CBC.ca (Canada) - Moderate alcohol use increases breast cancer risk, UVic study says
Even moderate drinkers face an elevated risk of developing breast cancer, according to a new study from the University of Victoria’s Centre for Addictions Research of B.C. (CARBC).
WebMD - More Kids Harmed by Pregnant Drinking Than Thought
Although drinking during pregnancy has long been considered taboo, new research suggests that as many as one in 20 U.S. children may have health or behavioral problems related to alcohol exposure before birth.

NOVEMBER 2014
The Telegraph - FIA President Jean Todt under fire for failure to ban alcohol sponsorship in Formula One
Jean Todt, the FIA President, has come under fire for failing to ban alcohol sponsorship in Formula One, as pressure to ban alcohol advertising in sport at a European level grows.
BMC Medicine - Why does society accept a higher risk for alcohol than for other voluntary or involuntary risks?
Societies tend to accept much higher risks for voluntary behaviours, those based on individual decisions (for example, to smoke, to consume alcohol, or to ski), than for involuntary exposure such as exposure to risks in soil, drinking water or air. In high-income societies, an acceptable risk to those voluntarily engaging in a risky behaviour seems to be about one death in 1,000 on a lifetime basis.
New Zealand Herald (New Zealand) - 92% of emergency staff abused by drunks, poll finds
Pushing, punching, spitting and biting are all behaviours emergency department staff have to deal with when treating drunk patients, a new survey has found - and a startling nine out of every 10 staff have been subjected to the abuse.
Medical News Today - Moderate alcohol benefits: only for 15% of population
Alcoholic consumption (ethanol intake) at "moderate" level, up to 1 drink a day for women (corresponding to 14 g or 0.6 ounces of ethanol) and 2 drinks a day for men is associated with a decreased risk of coronary heart disease.
TheParliamentMagazine.eu (EU) - Alcohol must be 'top public health priority'
Raising awareness and developing a common evidence base are crucial to reducing alcohol-related harm, write Gauden Galea and Lars Møller.

DECEMBER 2014
The Moscow Times (Russia) - Alcohol Kills 500,000 Russians Annually
Around 500,000 Russians die due to alcohol abuse every year, Russia's health and safety watchdog said in a statement Monday.
Daily Mail - Drinking a glass of wine is the same as downing three shots of vodka, says NHS chief as he warns of 'silent killer'
An NHS chief has said alcohol is becoming a 'silent killer' in the UK as he warned middle class drinkers that a glass of wine is just as harmful as downing three shots of vodka.
BBC News (UK) - Minimum alcohol price law 'could save £900m'
Setting a minimum alcohol price of 50p per unit could save Wales nearly £900m over 20 years by cutting crime and illness, a report has claimed.
BBC News - Foetal alcohol syndrome case dismissed by Court of Appeal
A child born with foetal alcohol syndrome is not legally entitled to compensation after her mother drank excessively while pregnant, the Court of Appeal has ruled.
Channel News Asia - 1 in 10 fatal accidents worldwide linked to alcohol: Study
Middle East, the Asia Pacific and Africa trend below global average, according to World Health Organisation data analysed by Allianz.

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