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Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Alcohol News - 52/2015

Telegraph.co.uk - Sore head? Wine contains more alcohol than manufacturers claim
If you are struggling with a hangover this morning, it might not be entirely your own fault. Wine has more alcohol in than manufacturers claim, putting drinkers’ health at risk and raising the chance of being over the drink-driving limit.
The Guardian (UK) - Counting the cost of alcohol to the NHS – share your stories
Doctors, nurses, administrative staff and other healthcare professionals – tell us about your experiences and the impact of alcohol on the health service.
Vox (USA) - Way more Americans are drinking themselves to death. Here's why.
As the country deals with a rise in opioid painkiller and heroin overdose deaths, a drug that already kills more people is causing more and more deaths each year: alcohol.
The Daily Meal (Scotland) - Champagne-Style ‘Frozen’ Drink Tempts Children to Drink Alcohol, Parents Say
Disney later announced that it would no longer license products that evoke alcohol, though this particular product will be available through March.
The Citizen (South Africa) - Alcohol abuse a national crisis, doctors say
Consumption of alcohol is strongly associated with traffic deaths, the South African Medical Association said. The country’s alcohol abuse problem is a national disaster, according to the South African Medical Association (Sama).
Deutsche Welle (Germany) - Germany plans random drug and alcohol tests for pilots after Germanwings crash
Germany will implement random drug and alcohol tests for pilots if planned legislation is passed, the country’s transport minister says. The proposal comes after a Germanwings pilot deliberately crashed a plane in March.
RTE.ie (Ireland) - Varadkar 'committed' to minimum alcohol pricing
Minister for Health Leo Varadkar has said he is committed to the introduction of Minimum Unit Pricing and other measures in the Public Health Alcohol Bill which completed second stage in the Seanad last week.
Khmer Times (Cambodia) - Ministry Urged to Push Law Regulating Alcohol Ads and Sale
Youth organizations and civil society organizations are calling on the Ministry of Health to push ahead with a proposed law regulating the sale of alcohol, saying that alcohol is damaging the country’s development.
EN DELFI (Lithuania) - Lithuanian MP suggests denying benefits to heavy drinkers
A member of the Lithuanian parliament has proposed legal amendments denying benefits to individuals who indulge in "anti-social behaviour".
TASS (Russia) - Alcohol consumption in Russia down — newspaper
The lowering was registered from the time selling of alcohol was banned at night, head of the federal psychiatry and addiction research center of the healthcare ministry told the Izvestia daily.
Perth Now (Australia) - Road Safety boss blasts WA drink-drivers
WA’s Road Safety Commissioner has blasted WA drivers for ignoring drink-drive laws — after a third extreme high-level DUI reading.
Stuff.co.nz (New Zealand) - Facebook used for under-agers buying booze
Criminals are buying alcohol for under-age drinkers and advertising the service on social media, police say. With New Year's Eve on Thursday, police would be keeping a close eye on numerous Facebook groups that targeted young people, Wellington liquor licensing sergeant Damian Rapira-Davies said.
Times of India (India) - States must take steps to cut alcohol intake: SC
The Supreme Court on Tuesday gave a thumbs up to the Kerala government's decision to limit sale of liquor to shops and five-star hotels and threw out petitions by owners of three and four-star hotels that the policy is arbitrary and discriminatory.

Sunday, December 27, 2015

FASD News - 51/2015

Medscape (Canada) - New Guideline: Diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
A new Canadian guideline for diagnosing fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) updates recommendations last issued in 2005 and is specifically designed for multidisciplinary diagnostic teams.
Communitycare.co.uk (UK) - MPs call for urgent action on foetal alcohol spectrum disorder
MPs have highlighted the prevalence of children with foetal alcohol spectrum disorder in the adoption system and called for better training for social workers on the issue.
3News NZ (New Zealand) - Govt seeks ways to deal with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
The government is looking for ways to deal with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) and wants public input. It's caused by pregnant women drinking alcohol and Associate Health Minister Peter Dunne says an estimated 570 children are born with FASD each year.
KTUU.com (USA) - Alaska children with fetal alcohol disorders become eligible for special education
The board also agreed to allow advanced nurse practitioners -- not just doctors -- to diagnose fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
Hong Kong Standard (Hong Kong) - Warning labels needed on booze, say doctors
Health warning labels on alcoholic drinks should be required to lower deaths from booze-related disease and accidents, the Hong Kong Medical Association urged yesterday.
Buffalo News - UB Researcher: No level of alcohol is safe during pregnancy
The American Academy of Pediatrics announced new recommendations this fall that encourage women who are pregnant to refrain from drinking any alcohol or face a greater prospect of giving birth to a child with mental, behavioral or physical disabilities.

MATERIALS
POPFASD – FASDcasts
Using web casting technology, POPFASD is able to deliver flexible FASD worjshops to any school site.
Government of Saskatchewan - Planning for Students with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
This document is intended to assist educators in meeting the needs of students who are affected by prenatal alcohol exposure. Across Saskatchewan, school personnel have been working to find the best approaches for meeting the needs of all students. This document is provided to assist them in this process.
CMAJBlogs - [Podcasts] Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder guideline + recording physician-assisted dying on death certificate
Diagnosis of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder is essential to improve outcomes for affected individuals and families, and to inform pre-pregnancy counselling to prevent future cases.

RESEARCH
Neuroscience - Prenatal binge-like alcohol exposure alters brain and systemic responses to reach sodium and water balance
The aim of the present work is to analyze how prenatal binge-like ethanol exposure to a moderate dose (2.0 g/kg; group Pre-EtOH) during gestational days (GD) 17–20 affects hydroelectrolyte regulatory responses.
Neuroreport - Effects of binge ethanol exposure during first-trimester equivalent on corticothalamic neurons in Swiss Webster outbred mice
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders range in severity depending on the amount, timing, and frequency of alcohol exposure. Regardless of severity, sensorimotor defects are commonly reported.
EXCLI Journal - Protective role of taurine in developing offspring affected by maternal alcohol consumption
Maternal alcohol consumption is known to affect offspring growth and development, including growth deficits, physical anomalies, impaired brain functions and behavioral disturbances.
JMIR Research Protocols - Guided internet-based parent training for challenging behavior in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (Strongest Families FASD): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is a term used to encompass the full range of neurobehavioral and cognitive dysfunction that may occur as a consequence of prenatal alcohol exposure. There is relatively little research on intervention strategies that specifically target the behavioral problems of children with FASD.

IN OTHER LANGUAGES
Quotidiano Sanità (Italy) - Prevenzione e diagnosi della sindrome feto-alcolica. Le nuove Linee guida canadesi
Bambini e adulti che hanno avuto un’esposizione prenatale ad alcol e che presentano disturbi dello sviluppo neurologico e/o dismorfismi facciali specifici, dovrebbero essere indirizzati verso controlli per una possibile diagnosi di un disturbo della sindrome feto-alcolica.

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Alcohol News - 51/2015

BBC News (EU) - Minimum alcohol pricing plan 'may breach EU law'
A European court has said the Scottish government's case for a minimum unit price for alcohol is contrary to EU law if other tax options exist.
Washington Post (USA) - Americans are drinking themselves to death at record rates
Alcohol is killing Americans at a rate not seen in at least 35 years, according to new federal data. Last year, more than 30,700 Americans died from alcohol-induced causes, including alcohol poisoning and cirrhosis, which is primarily caused by alcohol use.
Medscape (UK) - Most Weekend ED Attendances in UK Hospital Alcohol-Related
Analysis of the prevalence and temporal pattern of alcohol-related visits at the emergency department (ED) of a large, inner-city hospital in northeast England confirms this burden is considerable and costly, suggesting such visits present an opportunity to intervene, according to study results published online December 21 in the Emergency Medicine Journal.
Wall Street Journal - The Effects of Chronic Heavy Drinking on Brain Function Are Underdiagnosed
Here’s a sobering thought for the holidays: Chronic heavy drinking can cause insidious damage to the brain, even in people who never seem intoxicated or obviously addicted.
Reuters - Underage kids get alcohol ads directly to smartphones
Kids as young as 13 may be inundated with daily ads from the alcohol industry on social media, and while Twitter has an age-gate which blocks direct-to-phone updates for underage users, Instagram does not, according to a new study.
Imperial College London - Why alcohol makes your brain feel good…and very bad
“Not only are we increasingly realising that alcohol effectively shuts the whole brain down – and can even trigger inflammation within the brain - but we’re also seeing how long these effects last. This knowledge is crucial to understanding alcohol dependency, and giving people effective treatments.”
National Post (Canada) - New research supports graphic health warnings on alcohol bottles — including photos of diseased livers
New research is adding fuel to the movement for graphic, cigarette-style health warnings on alcohol bottles — and at least one Canadian jurisdiction is reportedly poised to turn the contentious idea into reality.
EJ Insight (Hong Kong) - Medical association calls for health warnings on alcohol
The Hong Kong Medical Association wants new labels on old wine bottles. Health warnings should be legally required on the packaging of alcoholic products, the HKMA said.
The Independent (UK) - Men in England drink twice as much alcohol as women, NHS study reveals
A new NHS study has found that age, gender and wealth are key factors to understand how much alcohol we drink.

Monday, December 21, 2015

How was alcohol in the headlines in 2015

JANURAY
New York Times (USA) - Alcohol Poisoning Kills 6 Americans a Day, a Federal Report Finds
World Health Organization - Lifetime-risk of alcohol-attributable mortality report
Cancer Research UK (UK) - Majority of public unaware of alcohol's link with cancer
EurActiv (EU) - Holiday season hangovers cost €155.8 billion a year in Europe
MediaPost Communications - Alcohol Ads Linked To Underage Drinking

FEBRUARY
Colorado Springs Gazette (USA) - Alcohol redefined as 'weapon' in sexual assault cases by prosecutors, military officials
EurActiv (EU) - MEPs push for alcohol strategy on the EU's health agenda
Medical News Today - Mortality benefits of moderate alcohol use 'may be overestimated'
The Riviera Times (France) - France’s alcohol consumption halved in 20 years
WalesOnline (Wales) - Drink-related deaths up by nearly 50% since start of the millennium, new figures reveal

MARCH
Budapest Business Journal (Hungary) - Alcohol consumption in Hungary jumps 25%
EurActiv (EU) - Lords press Commission to act on alcohol
Medscape - Links Between Alcohol Consumption and Breast Cancer

APRIL
EurActiv (EU) - Lawmakers urge Commission to table new alcohol strategy
Irish Times (Ireland) - One glass of wine can stop foetus breathing, new study claims
Prague Post (Czech Republic) - Alcohol licenses rise sharply
EP News (EU) - Alcoholic drinks should state calorie content, say MEPs

MAY
Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) - Australian alcohol consumption at 50-year low, ABS says
Daily Mail (UK) - Britain has the biggest alcohol problem while Australians take the most drugs: Study reveals the world's vices by country for the first time
Times of India (India) - Indians drinking alcohol up 55% in 20 years
YLE News (Finland) - Finland sobering up as alcohol consumption declines
EurActiv (EU) - Commission set to dump EU alcohol strategy

JUNE
TIME (USA) - Alcohol Problems Affect About 33 Million U.S. Adults
EurActiv (EU) - Health NGOs walk out of EU alcohol forum
Medscape - 'Sherlock Holmes' on the Question of Alcohol and Cancer
The Guardian (France) - France in denial over alcohol abuse, says health minister
The Portugal News (Portugal) - All alcohol banned to under-18s

JULY
Prague Post (Czech Republic) - Czech Republic leads European alcohol drinking statistics
Times LIVE (South Africa) - Alcohol fuels violence in Africa's drunkest nation
Politico (EU) - Health chief blasts alcohol lobbyists

AUGUST
Herald Sun (Australia) - Teen girls lead ballooning booze culture in Australia
swissinfo.ch (Switzerland) - Alcohol consumption continues to fall
Medical News Today - Even light, moderate alcohol intake may increase risk for certain cancers
The Times (Russia) - Alcohol and suicide to halve crisis-hit Russian population

SEPTEMBER
The Guardian (Scotland) - Nicola Sturgeon vows to fight for minimum alcohol price in Scotland
The BMJ (EU) - Europeans are “world champions” at drinking and smoking
Ottawa Citizen (Canada) - Public largely ignorant of damage alcohol can cause unborn babies, says report
Medical Xpress - Deaths from heart disease and stroke could rise unless countries address risk factors
Medscape - Alcohol Ups Mortality and Cancer Risk; No Net Benefit

OCTOBER
Herald Scotland (Scotland) - Sturgeon to tell international alcohol experts: No let up in Scotland's plans for minimum pricing
EurActiv - Alcohol and flying – not a good cocktail
Baltic Times (Estonia) - Estonian Health Minister proposes curb on alcohol advertising and Happy Hour ban
EuroBelarus (Belarus) - Point of view: Alcohol as a tool of authoritarianism in Belarus

NOVEMBER
BT.com (UK) - Most women 'unaware' of breast cancer risks linked to alcohol or obesity
EN DELFI (Lithuania) - Petrol stations in Lithuania banned from selling alcohol
The Independent - Countries that drink the most alcohol in the world revealed
Dutch News (Netherlands) - New Dutch healthy diet guidelines say don’t drink alcohol at all
Science Nordic - Study: Alcohol does not have any health benefits
International Business Times AU (Australia) - Drug and alcohol use in the workplace costs billions to Australian businesses: Allianz
Iceland Monitor (Iceland) - Majority oppose freeing up alcohol sales
Medscape - Alcohol and Cancer: Drink at Your Own Risk

DECEMBER
EurekAlert (EU) - Inequalities in alcohol-related mortality in Europe
Baltimore Sun (USA) - Study ties Md. alcohol tax increase to decline in gonorrhea cases
RT (Ireland) - Whiskey business: Irish government introduces strict alcohol bill to curb binge drinking
Politics.co.uk (EU) - EU council calls for an alcohol strategy
National Post (Canada) - New research supports graphic health warnings on alcohol bottles — including photos of diseased livers

Thursday, December 17, 2015

Alcohol News - 50/2015

The Independent (UK) - Men in England drink twice as much alcohol as women, NHS study reveals
A new NHS study has found that age, gender and wealth are key factors to understand how much alcohol we drink. It was found that one in 20 men in England drink more than 50 units of alcohol units each week – that is the equivalent of six bottles of wine or 25 pints of beer.
CBS News (USA) - Survey reveals new trends in teen drug and alcohol use
Alcohol and cigarette use are down among teens, but marijuana use has not declined, a new report shows. For the first time, researchers found that more high school seniors smoke marijuana than regular cigarettes on a daily basis.
National Post (Canada) - New research supports graphic health warnings on alcohol bottles — including photos of diseased livers
New research is adding fuel to the movement for graphic, cigarette-style health warnings on alcohol bottles — and at least one Canadian jurisdiction is reportedly poised to turn the contentious idea into reality.
KTUU.com (USA) - Alaska children with fetal alcohol disorders become eligible for special education
The State Board of Education & Early Development adopted the new regulation during its meeting in Anchorage last week, according to a news release.
Yorkshire Post (UK) - Wealth linked to dangerous levels of alcohol consumption
MIDDLE-CLASS and wealthy Britons are more likely to drink alcohol at dangerous levels than those who are poorer, new official data shows.
EurekAlert - Binge drinking with chronic alcohol use more destructive than previously thought
Excessive alcohol consumption is a global public health issue. In the United States, binge drinking is the most common form -- so common, in fact, that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports approximately one in six adults binge drinks about four times each month.
Extract - Alcohol ads saturate social media but marijuana ads are often banned
While marijuana ads are outright banned from most social media platforms, alcohol ads are so pervasive on these same platforms that they’re nearly unavoidable, even for individuals who are not of legal drinking age.
Medscape (Canada) - New Guideline: Diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
A new Canadian guideline for diagnosing fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) updates recommendations last issued in 2005 and is specifically designed for multidisciplinary diagnostic teams.
ThaiVisa News (Thailand) - New Thai alcohol laws come into effect from January
In Thailand, companies selling alcohol, such as wine shops and beer merchants, will no longer be able to continue selling alcohol in some parts of the country from January the 1st 2016.
Express.co.uk (Scotland) - Majority of weekend ambulance call-outs in Scotland are alcohol related
ALCOHOL is a factor in more than half of all weekend ambulance call-outs in Scotland, a survey has revealed.
Express.co.uk (UK) - Lowering of drink-drive limit supported by 70% of motorists
ALMOST 70% of British motorists would like to see the legal drink-drive limit reduced across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, to match the level introduced in Scotland at the end of last year.
Times LIVE - What damage alcohol does to your body after of 40
Tony Rao, psychiatrist at the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, sees people in their 60s with alcohol-related brain damage after a lifetime of casual drinking.
Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) - Children at risk as alcohol and gambling get free kick in new television code
The federal government's media watchdog has been accused of failing to protect children after it refused to close a loophole that allows alcohol and gambling companies to advertise in peak children's viewing hours during sporting events.

Sunday, December 13, 2015

FASD News - 49/2015

Buffalo News - UB Researcher: No level of alcohol is safe during pregnancy
The American Academy of Pediatrics announced new recommendations this fall that encourage women who are pregnant to refrain from drinking any alcohol or face a greater prospect of giving birth to a child with mental, behavioral or physical disabilities.
The Scientist - How one generation’s experience can affect the next
These findings have helped motivate modern research into the oft-discredited study of transgenerational effects of the environment. Researchers are now beginning to understand the mechanisms of epigenetic inheritance and to generate evidence for the idea that the experiences of an ancestral population can influence future generations.
Stuff.co.nz (New Zealand) - Greater recognition of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) within the court system in Marlborough
Judges and lawyers are changing the way they communicate to help mentally impaired defendants navigate the justice system. Youth Court Judge Tony Fitzgerald said awareness of neurological disabilities, including fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, was increasing within the justice system.
Communitycare.co.uk (UK) - What social workers need to know about foetal alcohol spectrum disorders
Advice on consuming alcohol during pregnancy in the UK is woefully inadequate. Current official guidance given by midwives is: “It is better not to drink, but if you do, then 1 or 2 units, once or twice a week is alright”.
The Globe and Mail (Canada) - Couple honoured in Ottawa for work on fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
A husband and wife team known around the world for raising awareness of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) has received an award from the Governor-General in recognition of their contributions.

VIDEOS and MATERIALS
Indigenous Hip Hop Projects - IHHP - Batchelor - Raise Awareness FASD
IHHP in partnership with Batchelor Area School and the Batchelor Institute, wrote this deadly song about FASD. The students, with help from IHHP, have written a song to help raise awareness about Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.
NordAN - Dr Raja Mukherjee on diagnosing FASD
Dr Raja Mukherjee (National Clinic for Fetal Alcohol, UK) explains why diagnosing FASD is important.
European Conference on FASD 2016
Dr Raja Mukherjee´s invitation to EUFASD 2016 in London.
FASD and Homelessness
NordAN - Dr Peter Hepper: there is no safe limit
Dr Peter Hepper (Queen’s University Belfast, Northern Ireland): Ultrasound observation of the behaviour of the fetus indicates that both chronic and acute alcohol exposure influences the fetus’ brain and behaviour and, significantly, at low doses.
NordAN - Dr Kieran O´Malley: FASD is an transgenerational issue
Dr Kieran O´Malley (College of Psychiatrists of Ireland) speaks about fetal alcohol spectrum disorders and the need and possibilities to prevent it.
Al Jazeera English - Hidden Harm: Australia's Drinking Mums
Alcohol is a big part of the Australian culture across every region, and every social class. But for Australian mothers this could be a disaster. The latest research shows there is no safe limit for drinking when pregnant. All it takes is a few drinks at the wrong stage of the pregnancy for mother’s unborn babies to suffer permanent brain damage.
BBC - Teenage FASD sufferer: 'I can't make friends'
Katrina was born with FASD - foetal alcohol spectrum disorder - as a result of the alcohol her biological mother consumed during pregnancy.

RESEARCH
Linköping University - The voice of non-pregnant women on alcohol consumption during pregnancy: a focus group study among women in Sweden
Consensus is that fetal exposure to alcohol is harmful. Abstinence while trying to conceive and throughout pregnancy is recommended. Despite this, there are many women who consume alcohol around conception and until pregnancy recognition.
Substance Abuse: Research and Treatment - Establishment of the South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority resource center for children with prenatal alcohol/drug exposure
This paper presents a new initiative in the South-Eastern Health Region of Norway to establish a regional resource center focusing on services for children and adolescents aged 2-18 years with prenatal exposure to alcohol or other drugs.
Behavioural Brain Research - Prenatal ethanol exposure impairs temporal ordering behaviours in young adult rats
Prenatal ethanol exposure (PNEE) causes significant deficits in functional (i.e., synaptic) plasticity in the dentate gyrus (DG) and cornu ammonis (CA) hippocampal sub-regions of young adult male rats.
Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities - FASD prevalence among schoolchildren in Poland
Prenatal Alcohol Exposure is a major cause of brain damage and developmental delay, known as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) but in Poland is rarely diagnosed and the scale of problem is not known.
Metabolic Brain Disease - Alcohol exposure in utero is associated with decreased gray matter volume in neonates
Neuroimaging studies have indicated that prenatal alcohol exposure is associated with alterations in the structure of specific brain regions. However, the temporal specificity of such changes and their behavioral consequences are less known.
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research - Systematic review of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder interventions across the life span
Individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) can experience profound impairments and long-term adverse outcomes. This systematic review adopts a life span perspective providing an extensive analysis of the available literature.

IN OTHER LANGUAGES
Delfi (Estonia) - Briti teadlane: alkohol on lootele ohtlikum kui heroiin ja kahjustused võivad ilmneda ka alles teismeeas
Mõnes kogukonnas kannatab loote alkoholisündroomi all ligi 40 protsenti lastest, tõdeb Dr Raja Mukherjee Suurbritannia riiklikust loote alkoholikahjustuse kliinikust. Dr Muhkerjee sõnul kahjustab alkohol nii ema kui loote aju ja loodet isegi ulatuslikumalt kui suitsetamine või heroiin.

Thursday, December 10, 2015

Alcohol News - 49/2015

Baltimore Sun (USA) - Study ties Md. alcohol tax increase to decline in gonorrhea cases
Sexually transmitted diseases didn't factor heavily into the debate when state lawmakers approved an increase in the sales tax on alcohol four years ago. But research published Wednesday suggests a surprising consequence to the levy: thousands of fewer cases of gonorrhea.
RT (Ireland) - Whiskey business: Irish government introduces strict alcohol bill to curb binge drinking
Ireland’s reputation for heavy drinking could be about to change. A new draft law tackling the sale of cheap booze is set to introduce a minimum price tag on all alcoholic beverages, as well as limit advertising and distribution.
The Independent (UK) - Middle-class parents more likely to turn their children to alcohol
Teenagers from middle class families are twice as likely to become regular drinkers after parents allow them to drink at home.
Khmer Times (Cambodia) - Health Workers Call for Tougher Alcohol Laws
Health advocacy groups called on the government to speed up the adoption of a law on alcohol regulation yesterday, given their extensive research which found worrying links between the consumption of alcohol and citizens’ health, traffic accidents, domestic violence and family financial problems.
Scotsman (Scotland) - More alcohol issues in poorest areas
Calls have been made to tackle alcohol abuse among the poorest communities as new figures revealed chronic liver disease mortality rates were more than six times higher in the most deprived areas last year.
News-Medical.net - Seeing alcohol abuse, drug use can make teens engage in antisocial behavior on the same day
Seeing others drink alcohol or use drugs makes it more likely that teenagers will engage in antisocial behavior on the same day, according to new findings from Duke University.
Stuff.co.nz (New Zealand) - Greater recognition of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) within the court system in Marlborough
Judges and lawyers are changing the way they communicate to help mentally impaired defendants navigate the justice system.
The Baltic Course (Lithuania) - Lithuanian excise duties on tobacco, alcohol set to rise in March 2016
The Lithuanian Seimas [parliament] on December 8th raised excise taxes on tobacco and alcohol, which will come into effect on March 1, 2016.
Politics.co.uk (EU) - EU council calls for an alcohol strategy
“Europe is the heaviest drinking region in the world, so it is vital the EU has a strategy that allows Member States to effectively tackle alcohol harm. There have been repeated calls for the Commission to produce an EU Alcohol Strategy, including from the Parliament, Member States and health bodies. Today’s call from the Council must be heeded. With alcohol harm costing societies in Europe €155,8 billion each year, we can’t afford for the Commission not to take action in this vital policy area.”

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Hidden Harm

Al Jazeera - Alcohol is a big part of the Australian culture across every region, and every social class. But for Australian mothers this could be a disaster. The latest research shows there is no safe limit for drinking when pregnant. All it takes is a few drinks at the wrong stage of the pregnancy for mother’s unborn babies to suffer permanent brain damage. 101 East meets families who are now living with the tragic consequences, guilt and fear from fetal alcohol exposure.

Thursday, December 3, 2015

Alcohol News - 48/2015

Reuters (Malaysia) - Malaysia says it plans to raise age for drinking alcohol
Malaysia plans to raise the minimum age for alcohol consumption from 18 to 21, it said in a filing to the World Trade Organization on Tuesday.
Fusion (USA) - College students spend $5.5 billion on alcohol every year across the U.S.
Fusion spent a typical weekend at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, which was ranked by Playboy Magazine as America’s number one party school in 2015.
Auburn Citizen (USA) - Cuomo: Higher drinking age has led to fewer alcohol-related traffic deaths over past 30 years
Gov. Andrew Cuomo attributed a significant drop in the number of alcohol-related traffic fatalities to raising the legal drinking age — and the work of his father, the late Gov. Mario Cuomo.
Science World Report - Teenage Alcohol Abuse: Relationships Affect How Teens Consume Alcohol, Study Finds
A five-year, first of its kind longitudinal study from a team of Florida Atlantic University researchers tested the hypothesis that young people become less similar to their friends, and more like their partners in their drinking habits when they enter romantic relationships.
EurekAlert (EU) - Inequalities in alcohol-related mortality in Europe
Alcohol-related conditions are an important contributing factor to the socioeconomic inequality in total mortality in many European countries, according to a study published this week in PLOS Medicine.
The Local.no (Norway) - 'Alcohol-free Christmas' aids integration: expert
An expert on Islam has suggested that Norwegians could improve integration by removing beer, wine and spirits from the Christmas party table.
CBS Local (USA) - Study: Women Nearly Drinking As Much Alcohol As Men
Medical News Today reports the gap between men and women shrank between 2002 to 2012 as women started to drink more and men less.
Medical Xpress (Australia) - Extended trading hours prompt spike in alcohol-fuelled injuries
Further extending the trading hours of Perth's licenced premises will result in more people with alcohol-related injuries presenting at metropolitan emergency departments, according to research from the National Drug Research Institute
Daily Mail (UK) - Do you want a beer with that? Burger King becomes first fast food chain to sell alcohol in the UK
Burger King has become the first fast-food chain to be allowed to sell alcohol in the UK. The company has won a drinks licence for its branch in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, despite strong police opposition.
Irish Times (Ireland) - Taking the initiative in facing up to alcohol addiction
Two people die every week in Ireland from overuse of alcohol. Alcohol addiction is so prevalent in Irish society that many experts say we don’t even notice it any more. In fact, it is often brushed off as a lifestyle choice.
thenews.pl (Poland) - Increasing number of Poles shun cigarettes and alcohol
The longtime guilty pleasures of smoking and drinking alcohol have consistently been dropping in popularity in Poland in recent years, a Central Statistical Office (GUS) study shows.
Telegraph.co.uk (India) - Alcohol ban in Indian state of Bihar to begin next year
Alcohol is to be banned in India’s third-most populous state in a move that will affect nearly 100 million people.
Communitycare.co.uk (UK) - What social workers need to know about foetal alcohol spectrum disorders
Advice on consuming alcohol during pregnancy in the UK is woefully inadequate. Current official guidance given by midwives is: “It is better not to drink, but if you do, then 1 or 2 units, once or twice a week is alright”.
SBS (Australia) - Alcohol, drugs most important youth issues: survey
Alcohol and drug abuse has overtaken the economy as the most important issue for young people, according to a Mission Australia survey.
Globalnews.ca (Canada) - NSHA study finds links between alcohol and repeat trauma patients
More than 40 per cent of people who have one alcohol-related trauma repeat their behaviour, according to research coming out of the Nova Scotia Trauma Program.