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Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Alcohol News - 34/2015

BBC (Scotland) - Alcohol sales in Scotland increase
Alcohol sales in Scotland increased last year, according to the latest figures. An NHS report said the equivalent of 41 bottles of vodka or 114 bottles of wine per adult were sold in 2014.
Irish Examiner (Ireland) - Tourism can’t be ‘smokescreen’ for cheaper alcohol
That was the view of Alcohol Action Ireland as the drinks and hospitality industry met key tourism stakeholders yesterday at a roundtable discussion in Dublin.
BBC News (UK) - Elderly people warned over alcohol consumption
One in five people over 65 who drink is consuming an "unsafe" level of alcohol, say researchers. Experts warned that GPs were "less attuned" to drinking problems among elderly people.
New Zealand Herald (New Zealand) - Minister rejects call for alcohol sachet ban
Calls for a ban on alcohol sachets have been rejected by Justice Minister Amy Adams. An Eden Park group had urged the minister to ban the palm-sized alcohol sachets, saying they're regularly found scattered around the stadium grounds after big games.
The Times (Russia) - Alcohol and suicide to halve crisis-hit Russian population
Russia’s population is forecast to almost halve within a generation as deaths from suicide and alcoholism escalate and the birthrate falls against a background of economic decline.
Toronto Star (Canada) - Booze in supermarkets unfair to those with alcohol issues: Fiorito
The sale of booze in supermarkets is a nice idea of you like a drink; it’s hell on those who have trouble with their drinking.
FoodManufacture.co.uk (UK) - Give us clearer alcohol labels: drinkers
Nearly half of British drinkers want clearer labelling of alcohol contents, while one in five people in the over 65 age group who drink alcohol consume “unsafe” levels, according to new research.
Radio Canada International (Canada) - Many young Canadians exceed alcohol guidelines
As young Canadians return to college and university, parents may be alarmed by news that more than 60 per cent of 18-24 year olds consistently drink above national alcohol guidelines.
India West (India) - Alcohol Use by Women Tied to Unintended Sexual Consequences, Warns Researcher
Alcohol consumption by young women may result in unexpected, unintended and unsafe sexual encounters, says a study led by an Indian American researcher.
Independent Online (South Africa) - Doubts about banning alcohol ads
The ANC has backtracked on a draft bill calling for the banning of alcohol advertising after intensive lobbying by the liquor industry.
Medical Xpress (Africa) - Polygamy and alcohol linked to physical abuse in African marriages
African women in polygamous marriages or with alcoholic husbands have a significantly higher risk of being physically abused by their husbands than women in monogamous marriages or women whose husbands don't abuse alcohol, new research shows.
Scotsman (Scotland) - Alcohol abuse ‘kills 20 Scots every week’
CHEAP drink has been blamed for a rise in alcohol-related deaths last year, as further calls were made for minimum unit pricing to tackle Scotland’s heavy drinking culture.

Sunday, August 23, 2015

FASD News - 33/2015

Independent Online (South Africa) - Help women prevent FASD, says ACDP
There was a huge need to prioritise helping women to understand and prevent Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) said on Tuesday.
ABC Online (Australia) - Mobile community justice centre proposed to help address FASD in Kimberley, WA
A mobile community justice centre has been proposed as an urgently needed circuit breaker to help address Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder related problems in the Kimberley.
Crikey (Australia) - Alcohol and pregnancy: mixed messages undermining abstinence advice
The complexities for public health messaging around women drinking during pregnancy have been highlighted by new research undertaken at the University of Canberra’s News and Media Research Centre.
Daily Mail (Australia) - WA's first foetal alcohol clinic funded
Children born with foetal alcohol spectrum disorders are more likely to end up on the wrong side of the law, according to the West Australian government.
Radio New Zealand (New Zealand) - Plea for more foetal alcohol syndrome support
A South Island couple who foster two daughters with possible foetal alcohol syndrome disorder (FASD) fear one of them could end up in court because they do not get adequate support.

UPCOMING
FASD Deutchland - Vorankündigung der FASD Fachtagung 2015

VIDEOS and MATERIALS
CfEEBC - Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and Employment – Supporting Adults with FASD on the Job
This webinar focuses on issues associated with employment for people living with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), which is an invisible, neurodevelopmental disability caused by prenatal alcohol exposure.
C-SPAN - fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
Susan Carlson discusses the damage from alcohol appears greater than damage from cocaine on pre born babies.
LivesLivedWell - AWS2015 Doug Shelton: FASD the hidden pandemic
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is a common but under recognised diagnosis in our community that contributes to a multitude of poor long term outcomes including adverse mental health, drug and alcohol abuse, crime and gaol.
RurALCAP - The Final Score: Winning Against FAS
The Final Score: Winning Against FAS is about the prevention of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome suitable for viewing by individuals 11 years to adult.

RESEARCH
Brain Research - Atypical cortical gyrification in adolescents with histories of heavy prenatal alcohol exposure
Prenatal alcohol exposure can adversely affect brain development, although little is known about the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on gyrification. Gyrification reflects cortical folding complexity and is a process by which the surface of the brain creates sulci and gyri.
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research - The use of open- and closed-loop control during goal-directed force responses by children with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure
The results indicate that alcohol-exposed children experience deficits in completing goal-directed force responses that likely stem from an alcohol-related insult to the central nervous system. Therapeutic exercises should be designed to recalibrate internal timing systems and improve visuomotor integration.
Neurotoxicology and Teratology - Prenatal alcohol exposure, adaptive function, and entry into adult roles in a prospective study of young adults
Although many studies have demonstrated effects of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) on physical, cognitive, and behavioral development in children, few have focused on the long term effects on adults.
Alcohol - High postnatal susceptibility of hippocampal cytoskeleton in response to ethanol exposure during pregnancy and lactation
Ethanol exposure to offspring during pregnancy and lactation leads to developmental disorders, including central nervous system dysfunction. In the present work, we have studied the effect of chronic ethanol exposure during pregnancy and lactation on the phosphorylating system associated with the astrocytic and neuronal intermediate filament (IF) proteins: glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and neurofilament (NF) subunits of low, medium, and high molecular weight (NFL, NFM, and NFH, respectively) in 9- and 21-day-old pups.
Journal of Neuroscience - Persistent interneuronopathy in the prefrontal cortex of young adult offspring exposed to ethanol in utero
Gestational exposure to ethanol has been reported to alter the disposition of tangentially migrating GABAergic cortical interneurons, but much remains to be elucidated. Here we first established the migration of interneurons as a proximal target of ethanol by limiting ethanol exposure in utero to the gestational window when tangential migration is at its height.

IN OTHER LANGUAGES
Deutsches Ärzteblatt (Germany) - „Nicht alle Kinderärzte achten auf die Zeichen von FASD“
Schätzungen zufolge werden in Deutschland 8.000 bis 10.000 Kinder mit einer Fetalen Alkoholspektrumstörung (FASD) geboren. Damit ist FASD die häufigste angeborene Behinderung in diesem Land.
dzieci.pl (Poland) - Witając świat na rauszu
Historie kobiet, które bez skrupułów sięgają po kieliszek w zaawansowanej ciąży, wywołują powszechne oburzenie. Jednak to, co dla nas jest szokującą informacją znikającą wśród innych dramatycznych wydarzeń, dla dziecka urodzonego przez pijaną matkę pozostaje życiowym piętnem. Dosłownie.
Deutsches Ärzteblatt (Germany) - Fetale Alkoholspektrum-Störungen: Besonderheiten einer Behinderung
Auch Psychologische Psychotherapeuten und Kinder- und Jugendlichenpsychotherapeuten sollten sich mit der Diagnostik von Fetalen Alkoholspektrum-Störungen befassen. Wird die Störung übersehen, können Behandlungsfehler entstehen.
Deutsches Ärzteblatt (Germany) - Alkohol in der Schwangerschaft: Fetales Alkoholsyndrom unterschätzt
„Drastisch unterschätzt“ wird das Ausmaß schwerer Schädigungen von Kindern durch den Alkoholkonsum von Frauen während der Schwangerschaft. Das berichteten Sachverständige im Gesundheitsausschuss des Bundestages Mitte Februar.

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Alcohol News - 33/2015

Paris Guardian - Women at greater risk of alcohol related cancer
Light to minimal drinking can increase risk of alcohol related cancer, mainly breast cancer, among women, but for men this risk is not increased with moderate drinking, a Harvard study has found.
Medical News Today - Even light, moderate alcohol intake may increase risk for certain cancers
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism define light to moderate alcohol consumption as up to one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men. But according to new research published in The BMJ, even this level of alcohol consumption can increase cancer risk.
WTSP 10 News - What alcohol really does to your body on an airplane
While on a flight, if you’ve only had a couple drinks and already you’re trying to convince your neighbor there’s a monster on the wing, you might not be entirely crazy — it might just be that the booze has gone to your head a little more than usual.
Vocativ - Alcohol Doesn't Stop Women From Remembering Rapes Accurately
Questions are often raised about the accuracy of sexual assault survivors’ memories when alcohol is involved—but a new study suggests that mistrust might be unfounded.
Herald Sun (Australia) - Alcohol abuse sending Victorian kids to hospital at ‘alarming rate’
MORE than 120 children aged 14 and under have been rushed to Victorian hospitals suffering from alcohol-related injuries in the past three years.
CBS Local - First Female Sex Pill Comes With Important Alcohol Warning
The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday approved the first prescription drug designed to boost sexual desire in women, a milestone long sought by a pharmaceutical industry eager to replicate the blockbuster success of impotence drugs for men.
BBC News (UK) - Alcohol abuse rise sparks minimum pricing call
More than half of people referred for help with substance misuse in Wales have alcohol problems, prompting calls for a minimum pricing.
Telegraph.co.uk (France) - Less than half of French order alcohol once a week, shock poll
reveals
The majority of French – historically seen as a nation of heavy wine guzzlers – order an alcoholic drink less than once a week, a shock poll revealed on Thursday.
The Sofia Globe (Bulgaria) - Mayor of Varna bans alcohol in public places in move against ‘alcohol tourism’
The mayor of Bulgaria’s largest Black Sea city Varna, Ivan Portnih, has issued a ban on alcohol in public places in the city and its holiday resorts.
The Nordic Page (Norway) - More Young Drinkers on West Oslo, More Alcohol Problem on East
Youths on the west side of Oslo drink more alcohol than youth in the east. But the risk for alcohol problems is greater in the east, a new study shows.
Diabetes In Control - Alcohol Consumption at Conception May Increase Risk of Diabetes in Later Life
A recent study published by the University of Queensland sought to further investigate how alcohol consumption can affect metabolic regulations, including glucose intolerance, in fetal development.
3AW (Australia) - Alcohol causes 'greatest harm' over any drug, new Victorian data shows
Victorian paramedics are increasingly being called to assist people affected by alcohol than any illegal drug, new data shows.
Times LIVE (South Africa) - What needs to be done to end South Africa’s status as a nation of heavy drinkers
Globally, there has been an increase in the amount of alcohol being consumed. Research suggests that this trend is driven by an increase in drinking in India and China. In Africa, the alcohol consumption trend has not increased since 2006.

Thursday, August 13, 2015

Susan Carlson: Alcohol-Related Birth Disorders

Susan Carlson, former first lady of Minnesota, talked about a recent study on drinking and drug use among pregnant teens. Interview was aired at the C-SPAN channel. She discussed her experiences as a juvenile court justice, the health implications of prenatal alcohol exposure, and other topics.

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Alcohol News - 32/2015

Renal and Urology News - 1 in 3 People Think Alcohol Is Heart-Healthy
Approximately one-third of the public believes alcohol is heart-healthy, according to a study published in The American Journal of Cardiology.
ABC Online (Australia) - Drinking alcohol during pregnancy: Report finds inconsistency in information for expectant mothers
Pregnant women have been told a zero-tolerance approach to drinking alcohol is the safest option, as a new report highlights the inconsistencies in the information provided to expectant mothers.
ABC Online (Australia) - Children being dangerously exposed to thousands of alcohol ads watching sport on TV
New research from Monash University shows children are being dangerously exposed to thousands of alcohol ads when watching sport on television.
EndocrineWeb - The Risks of Drinking Alcohol When Trying to Get Pregnant
Most women know to stop drinking during pregnancy because of the risks to their developing fetus. But a new study shed light on the risk of women drinking alcohol while trying to conceive. The study on laboratory rats found an increased risk of type 2 diabetes in the offspring of rats that were given alcohol around the time of conception.
MainStreet (USA) - The Epidemic of Senior Citizen Drug and Alcohol Abuse
Your golden years aren't supposed to be full of misbehavior and depravity. The widespread belief is that seniors live wholesome lives filled with tumblers of warm milk and bowls filled with tapioca soft foods while taking required minimum distributions from their diligently cultivated 401(k)s. Yet the prevailing evidence is a stark contrast showing that many are plunging into addiction.
euronews (Latvia) - Air Baltic crew detained in Norway on allegations of ‘alcohol abuse’
Two pilots along with two Air Baltic crew members have been arrested on suspicion of ‘alcohol abuse’. The Latvian crew were taken off their flight at Oslo airport bound for Greece after an anonymous tip off.
PsychCentral.com - Motivational Interventions in ERs for Alcohol, Partner Violence Come Up Short
A large clinical trial of emergency department motivational interventions for women experiencing alcohol abuse or relationship violence failed to discover a significant improvement over traditional care.
Futurity: Research News - GASTRIC BYPASS CAN MAKE 2 DRINKS SEEM LIKE 4
Women who have gastric bypass surgery should keep a close eye on their alcohol consumption.
swissinfo.ch (Switzerland) - Alcohol consumption continues to fall
The average Swiss drank 8.1 litres of pure alcohol last year, down from 8.3 litres in 2013. One reason was a drop in popularity of Swiss wine, the Swiss Alcohol Board said on Monday.
U.TV - Grieving dad calls for airlines to ban duty-free alcohol
The father of Alan Drennan who was found dead in his hotel room in Ibiza less than 24hrs after he arrived there, is calling on airlines to ban duty-free alcohol on flights from the UK to the Spanish island.
Australian Journal of Pharmacy (Australia) - DOCTORS DEMAND ACTION ON ALCOHOL HARMS
Ahead of Federal Parliament resuming next week, the AMA is calling on the Government to renew its focus on addressing the many ways that the misuse of alcohol is causing harm across the Australian community.


Sunday, August 9, 2015

FASD News - 31/2015

Alaska Public Radio Network - On Love, Adoption and Raising 3 Kids With FASD
Not many people wish to raise a child with a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, or FASD. Diane Lohrey is no different. But when she and her husband adopted three children, all later diagnosed with an FASD, they accepted the hardships and the rewards.
SYS-CON Media (Canada) - Government of Canada Announces Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Funding in Yukon
Today, the Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Health and Yukon Minister of Health and Social Services Mike Nixon, announced an investment to strengthen training and support for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) in Yukon. This investment will increase community awareness, focus on prevention and fund training for front-line staff.
Kelowna Capital News - New report looks at the health of homeless and street-involved youth across BC
McCreary Centre Society has today published the results of a survey looking at the health of 12 to 19 year olds who are homeless, precariously housed, or involved in a street lifestyle.
Medical Daily - Drinking At Conception May Be Just As Bad As Drinking While Pregnant
Many mothers-to-be are aware of the damage drinking can do to their baby. Because of this, most women take a break from alcohol while pregnant instead of putting their child at risk of developing fetal alcohol syndrome, a condition that often results in long-term brain damage and developmental issues. But can alcohol cause damaging effects at the moment of conception?
CBC News (Canada) - Pregnant aboriginal women find 'world of difference' in Edmonton inner-city program
It's not often a job description includes monitoring fetal heart rates and taking blood samples in the back of a car or in the bathroom of a fast food joint.

MATERIALS and VIDEOS
FASD Forever - SUCCESS STORIES
The success stories that you will read about on these next few pages are from Caregivers and families all over the world who share many of the same challenges and battles, but they also share all the amazing little A-Ha! moments and celebrations, but mostly importantly, these stories are from families just like yours.
The Arc - Pathways to Justice™: Get the Facts
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs) are a spectrum of conditions that can occur to a fetus when a mother drinks alcohol while she is pregnant.
Telethon Kids Institute – Alcohol, Pregnancy and FASD
Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can result in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) which can cause lifelong disabilities for a person. The damage to the brain can result in developmental delays; problems with learning, behaviour, memory, language and communication skills; and everyday living and socialising skills.
Pregnant Woman Drinking Alcohol | What Would You Do?
What would you do if a pregnant mom is thirsty for some booze?

RESEARCH
International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health - Smoking and alcohol drinking during pregnancy as the risk factors for poor child neurodevelopment - a review of epidemiological studies
Maternal active and passive smoking and low or moderate alcohol drinking during pregnancy, taking into account the level of exposure and developmental or behavioral outcomes, are recognized as a significant issue from both a clinical and a public health perspective.
Neuroimage: Clinical - Parietal dysfunction during number processing in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders
Number processing deficits are frequently seen in children prenatally exposed to alcohol. Although the parietal lobe, which is known to mediate several key aspects of number processing, has been shown to be structurally impaired in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), effects on functional activity in this region during number processing have not previously been investigated.
Alcohol Research: Current Reviews - Prenatal alcohol exposure and the developing immune system
Evidence from research in humans and animals suggest that ingesting alcohol during pregnancy can disrupt the fetal immune system and result in an increased risk of infections and disease in newborns that may persist throughout life.
Child Psychiatry and Human Development - Neurobehavioral disorder associated with prenatal alcohol exposure (ND-PAE): proposed DSM-5 diagnosis
Over the past 40 years, a significant body of animal and human research has documented the teratogenic effects of prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE). Neurobehavioral Disorder associated with PAE is proposed as a new clarifying term, intended to encompass the neurodevelopmental and mental health symptoms associated with PAE.
Toxicology Letters - Prenatal ethanol exposure induces the osteoarthritis-like phenotype in female adult offspring rats with a post-weaning high-fat diet and its intrauterine programming mechanisms of cholesterol metabolism
Osteoarthritis (OA) development is associated with hypercholesterolemia in adults. Our previous study demonstrated that offspring with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) due to prenatal ethanol exposure (PEE) had a high risk of developing hypercholesterolemia and metabolic syndrome when fed a post-weaning high-fat diet (HFD).
European Psychologist - Prenatal maternal substance use and offspring outcomes: overview of recent findings and possible interventions
Evidence from both human and preclinical studies seems to indicate that maternal smoking, alcohol drinking, or other drug use during pregnancy can affect offspring outcomes.

IN OTHER LANGUAGES
FAZ - Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (Germany) - Warum bin ich so anders?
Auf die Versorgung von Menschen, die im Mutterleib durch Alkohol geschädigt wurden, sind Medizin und Gesellschaft hierzulande nicht vorbereitet. Dabei sind Zehntausende davon betroffen. Über ein Leben, das nicht ins Schema passen will.
Freie Presse (Germany) - Mitleid verwandelt sich schon bald in Anerkennung
Judo hat für Anna alles verändert. Die Achtjährige, die mit dem Fetalen Alkoholsyndrom geboren wurde, feiert nicht nur sportliche, sondern auch Entwicklungserfolge.
Teatro Naturale (Italy) - Per combattere l'alcolismo occorre aumentare le accise. La ricetta dell'Ocse
Il consumo medio annuo nei Paesi dell'Ocse equivale a 9,1 litri di alcol puro pro capite ed è diminuito del 2,5% negli ultimi 20 anni. A rischio danni da alcol non solo i maschi meno agiati ma anche ledonne più istruite e con uno status socioeconomico più elevato. 
Delfi (Estonia) - Ma ei teadnud, et olen rase ja jõin alkoholi — mis nüüd juhtub?
On ju teada, et alkohol raseduse ajal mõjutab sinu loote arengut, isegi see klaasike veini või kerge suvine kokteil. Järgnevalt seletame lahti, mis täpsemalt lootega juhtub kui sa alkoholi jood.

Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Alcohol News - 31/2015

BBC News (UK) - Alcohol abuse in danger of being ignored, AMs say
The devastating effects of alcohol abuse risk being ignored amid concern over so-called legal highs, AMs warn.
The Guardian (India) - Indians push for alcohol prohibition in street protests
Activists in Tamil Nadu state say police are threatening and beating them up, as hundreds of officers protect government-owned liquor shops.
Huffington Post - Think Drinking Alcohol Before Bed Can Help You Sleep? Not Even Close.
We've all heard about the negative impact of screen time before bed and how it can disrupt our ability to sleep, but there's an even worse nighttime habit that prevents you from catching those zzz's. As Sleep Medicine Specialist Dr. Dianne Augelli tells the digital series #OWNSHOW, the bigger culprit in sleep disruption is alcohol.
CBC.ca (Canada) - Uber reduces alcohol-related driving deaths: study
The launch of controversial ride-share service Uber in a city results in a decrease in alcohol-related driving deaths, an independent study from Temple University in Philadelphia has found.
The Baltic Course (Estonia) - Estonian Government relying on hiking excise tax to reduce alcohol consumption
During the past five years, consumption trends have not changed much, although in the next five years, Government is planning to reduce consumption of alcohol to 8 litres per resident. The principal method chosen for reducing consumption is to increase excise tax on alcohol.
Fusion - What alcohol does to your brain
You had a few too many Manhattans. You’re less coordinated. Your reflexes aren’t as sharp as usual. Your speech is slightly slurred, but making conversation seems easier. Suddenly the dude sitting across the bar looks more like Ryan Gosling than Steve Buscemi.
Vox - What it’s like to be a recovering alcoholic in an office where booze is everywhere
I am 16 months out of an intensely abusive relationship with alcohol. At home, my wife helps me stay sober by supporting me and encouraging me to drink flavored seltzer water instead of the craft beers I used to down at every opportunity. But for the majority of my waking hours, I am constantly tempted to drink — at work, where alcohol is everywhere.
Daily Mail - Women who consume just FIVE alcoholic drinks around the time of conception 'at greater risk of having an obese child'
Women who drink alcohol around the time they become pregnant dramatically increase the odds that their baby will become fat in later life, according to a study.
The Guardian (UK) - I used to drink too much. We Brits have an alcohol problem – video
Deborah Coughlin found herself at an alcohol counsellor after drinking 220 units over a birthday weekend. Ten years and some therapy later, she hardly hits the recommended allowance of 14 units weekly for women. She argues that Britons have a big problem with drink, and that many are searching for excuses to stop
The Independent (UK) - Temptations of alcohol being replaced by lure of social media for many young Britons, says new study
The temptations of drink are being replaced by the lure of social media for many young Britons, some of whom worry that their reputations would suffer from drunken antics posted online, according to new research.
The Slovak Spectator (Czech Republic) - Children can easily buy alcohol
YOUNG people in the Czech Republic are the biggest drinkers in Europe in their age group, and while there has been a slight improvement among Slovak youth they can still buy alcohol without a problem, the Sme daily reported on July 16.
Herald Sun (Australia) - Teen girls lead ballooning booze culture in Australia
TEENAGERS are drinking almost double the amount of alcohol than adults, as our national culture of boozing continues to balloon.