Alcohol News - 6/2021

News Medical - Pandemic-fueled alcohol abuse creates wave of hospitalizations for liver disease
As the pandemic sends thousands of recovering alcoholics into relapse, hospitals across the country have reported dramatic increases in alcohol-related admissions for critical diseases like alcoholic hepatitis and liver failure.
Read more

The Conversation (Australia) - A minimum price for alcohol helped curb problem drinking in the Northern Territory — is it time for a national rollout?
The “floor price” for alcohol introduced by the Northern Territory in 2018 reduced the consumption of cask wine by half, without significantly impacting sales of other types of alcohol, according to our new analysis of the policy’s effectiveness.
Read more

Otago Daily Times (New Zealand) - The link between alcohol and rugby
The Highlanders, by all measures the most popular sports team in the South, have never been afraid of doing things a little differently.
Read more

NBC News - Covid crisis is exacerbating LGBTQ alcohol abuse, studies find
Social-distancing measures and lockdowns have disproportionately increased alcohol use in the LGBTQ community, studies find. Abigail Mazzarella, 26, often went to gay bars in Baltimore before Covid-19 stay-at-home measures were introduced.
Read more

TIMESLive (South Africa) - Ramaphosa urged to tackle 'alcohol-related harm' after lockdown ends
President Cyril Ramaphosa has been urged to spell out in his state of the nation address (Sona) what practical steps the government will take to ensure a “sustained reduction in alcohol-related harm” after the lockdown is lifted.
Read more

The Wall Street Journal - Giving Up Alcohol in the Era of Covid-19
Back in mid-March, as schools and businesses began to close and people headed home to hunker down, Amanda, a 44-year-old yoga instructor in Portland, Maine (who asked that her real name not be used for privacy reasons), decided to address one of the many worries that had begun to consume her day.
Read more

Daily Mail - Teenagers with friends from a different school are more likely to drink alcohol and lie to their parents, study warns
New research has revealed that teens with friends outside school are more likely to drink alcohol and lie to their parents, than those whose main friendship group is at their own school.
Read more

Business Tech (South Africa) - Push to raise the drinking age in South Africa: report
President Cyril Ramaphosa’s cabinet is currently reconsidering the Draft Liquor Amendment Bill in response to the harmful effects of alcohol seen during South Africa’s lockdown.
Read more

UNSW Newsroom (Australia) - Can't remember last night? 48% of drinkers have had a blackout by age 19
Adolescents who had more and more blackouts each year had a much higher risk of developing severe alcohol problems.
Read more

Eurocare (EU) - Is the EU official really asking the EU alcohol industry to help write other countries public health policies?
The EU delegation of the European Union to South Africa has requested European alcohol producers to carry out “activities…..around risks of alcohol abuse and mitigation measures” following changes in Government alcohol policy introduced in South Africa in response to the Covid- 19 pandemic.
Read more

Insider (USA) - Millennials are irreparably damaging their livers as Americans drink more alcohol, doctors say
In the 11 months since the pandemic began, drinking rates and alcohol sales have been steadily increasing.
Read more

PolandIn (Poland) - Poles spent more on alcohol, groceries in 2020: Nielsen
The pandemic has already diverted many shopping habits and has consequently driven thousands of companies to the brink of extinction, but last year, the fast-moving consumer goods market (FMCG) in Poland grew by 4.8 percent compared to 2019, to PLN 198.2 bn (EUR 44.1 bn), according to the Nielsen’s report referenced by Rzeczpospolita daily.
Read more

Newark Advertiser (UK) - Southwell Town Council brings in alcohol ban during its Zoom meetings
Drinking alcohol during council meetings has been banned by a council. While updating its Zoom protocol, where Southwell Town Council has conducted its virtual meetings, a no alcohol rule caused a stir among councillors.
Read more

Abp Live (India) - Liquor Likely To Become 50% Costlier As Delhi Govt Mulls New Excise Policy
An expert panel formed by the Delhi government has recommended a near 50% increase in liquor prices. It is pertinent to mention here that new guidelines pose a major threat for small and medium booze manufacturers.
Read more

CTV News (Canada) - Disciplining sex-assault complainants for violating alcohol policy will no longer be allowed at Ontario colleges and universities
Ontario colleges and universities will no longer be allowed to ask sexual assault complainants irrelevant questions about their sexual history or discipline them for violating an institution’s drug and alcohol policy.
Read more

STAT - Governments’ alcohol subsidies are harmful to public health
Each January, millions of people around the world make resolutions to cut back on the amount of alcohol they drink; many participate in the popular “dry January” pledge to give up alcohol altogether for a month.
Read more