Alcohol News - 46/2020

News Medical - Alcohol consumption before bedtime can impact quality of sleep
Think twice before drinking that holiday nightcap. Sure, that late-night cocktail or final glass of wine or beer before bed may help you feel sleepy, but it won't guarantee a good night's rest.
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Daily Mail (USA) - CDC holiday guidelines tell Americans not to sing, listen to loud music or drink ALCOHOL to prevent the spread of COVID-19
The holidays will look different this year as coronavirus cases surge across the country and new guidelines from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advise Americans to forego caroling, loud music and even drinking alcohol.
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RTE.ie (Ireland) - Fines considered for outdoor groups drinking alcohol
The Government is considering fines of less than €300 for people gathering outside to drink alcohol, under proposals going to Cabinet.
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Science Daily - Chronic alcohol use reshapes the brain's immune landscape, driving anxiety and addiction
Deep within the brain, a small almond-shaped region called the amygdala plays a vital role in how we exhibit emotion, behavior and motivation; it's also strongly implicated in alcohol abuse.
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Phoenix Sun (South Africa) - Alcohol is the biggest inducer of crimes
A sample of 5068 of the cases reveal that 3578 incidents occurred in the homes of the perpetrators. Majority of the rape victims were women and 1000 rapes occurred in open places such as parks, beaches, parking areas and open fields.
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Glasgow Times (Scotland) - Campaign launched to ban all alcohol advertising in Scotland
A CAMPAIGN group has urged every candidate in next year’s Holyrood election to support a “total ban” on alcohol advertising. In its manifesto ahead of the vote in May, Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP) is pushing for parties to support four “focus areas” aimed at reducing alcohol-related harms.
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CBC (Canada) - Fort Simpson needs more resources to handle lifting of alcohol restrictions, say community leaders
Restrictions on the amount of liquor residents of Fort Simpson, N.W.T., can buy in a day will be lifted in the coming weeks, but the Liidlii Kue First Nation (LKFN) is concerned the community lacks the resources to meaningfully address a potential surge in alcohol consumption.
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Aberdeen Evening Express (Scotland) - Alcohol addiction warning as almost 24,000 Scots admitted to hospital in year
Scottish Labour has pushed for an increase in funding for alcohol addiction services amid fears of a “ticking health time bomb”.
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The Thaiger (Thailand) - Domestic violence on the rise amid falling incomes and rising alcohol consumption
The Thai Health Promotion Foundation says the Covid-19 pandemic may be causing a spike in domestic violence, as incomes fall, debt rises, and more people turn to alcohol.
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ABC News (Australia) - Children exposed to gambling and alcohol ads on devices during pandemic
A new report has found many children have significantly increased the amount of time they spend on digital devices during the pandemic.
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Washingtonian (USA) - Virginia Restaurants and Bars Can’t Sell Alcohol After 10 PM Anymore
Virginia Governor Ralph Northam has announced a slate of new restrictions designed to prevent the spread of covid in the commonwealth.
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AWARH (Europe) – 8th Awareness Week on Alcohol Related Harm
Health is high on the European Agenda as noted in President von der Leyen’s State of the Union speech, the European Commission’s Work Programme 2021, the ENVI Report on the EU4Health programme and the first meetings of the Special Committee on Beating Cancer.
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Public Health Matters (UK) - Alcohol dependence and mental health
There are an estimated 589,000 people who are dependent on alcohol in England and about a quarter of them are likely to be receiving mental health medication; mostly for anxiety and depression, but also for sleep problems, psychosis and bipolar disorder.
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WHO Europe - New WHO/Europe factsheet: policy action needed to reduce cancers attributable to alcohol use
The new WHO/Europe factsheet, “Alcohol and cancer in the WHO European Region: an appeal for better prevention”, emphasizes causal links between alcohol use and a range of cancers, including some of the most common types, such as female breast cancer and colorectal cancer.
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WHO Europe - WHO/Europe highlights how alcohol undermines sustainable development across the WHO European Region
A new factsheet, “Alcohol consumption and sustainable development”, prepared by the WHO Regional Office for Europe, draws attention to the barriers alcohol consumption presents across the Region to achieving 13 of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
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SaxInstitute - A drink a day won’t keep cancer at bay
The link between alcohol and cancer is the subject of an important new research paper using data from the Sax Institute’s 45 and Up Study – and the findings are disturbing to say the least. The authors found not only that regular alcohol consumption confers a significant risk of cancer, but that just seven drinks a week raises the relative risk of alcohol-linked cancers by an average of 10%.
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Alcohol Action Ireland (Ireland) - THE ALCOHOL FILE
‘The Alcohol File’ is a podcast produced by Alcohol Action Ireland providing independent analysis of our societal preoccupation with alcohol.
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NordAN - NordAN resolution 2020: Alcohol – a risk factor for cancer
Drinking alcohol raises the risk of cancers of the mouth and throat, larynx (voice box), esophagus, colon and rectum, liver, and breast (in women). Based on that knowledge European Code against Cancer states that “If you drink alcohol of any type, limit your intake. Not drinking alcohol is better for cancer prevention.”
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NordAN - NordAN webinar: Alcohol in times of COVID-19
On November 18, NordAN organized a network meeting on alcohol and COVID-19 in Nordic and Baltic countries.
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