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Sunday, April 30, 2023

FASD News - 17/2023


Family Law Week (UK) - FASD: The neurodevelopmental disorder frequently overlooked within Family Law
Dr Cassie Jackson is Chartered Clinical Psychologist based in Norwich at the Psychology Clinic of East Anglia (PCEA) and is due to begin a part-time role working with the Surrey FASD clinic alongside Dr Raja Mukherjee and colleagues.
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CCX Media (USA) - NEWSMAKERS: PROOF ALLIANCE WORKS TO PREVENT FETAL ALCOHOL SPECTRUM DISORDER
Mollie O’Brien, executive director of Proof Alliance Minnesota, says prenatal alcohol exposure impacts one in 20 babies in the U.S. and can result in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).
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Nextgov - Dad's Drinking Tied to Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Defects
New research challenges existing dogma that links fetal alcohol syndrome only to the mother’s drinking.
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The Conversation - Planning for a baby? Why both men and women should consider quitting alcohol before and during pregnancy
When a couple is planning on having a baby, it’s often the woman who is seen as responsible for the health of the unborn child.
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MJA Insight (Australia) - Complex neurodevelopmental disorders: MBS changes
Changes to the Medicare Benefits Schedule will benefit children and young people with complex neurodevelopmental disorders, write Elizabeth Elliott, Marcel Zimmet and Julie Flanagan.
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Times News Group (Australia) - Pittman talks up the benefits of alcohol-free pregnancies
Olympian turned women’s health doctor Dr Jana Pittman wants to get Australians talking about alcohol-free pregnancies, and safe breastfeeding practices.
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Neuroscience News - Exposure to Alcohol Through Breastmilk Affects Brain and Behavioral Development
Exposure to alcohol through a mother’s breastmilk can have serious and lasting implications for brain and behavioral development in children. Researchers found alcohol exposure via breastmilk resulted in smaller body and brain growth and decreased cortical length in mouse models.
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RTE (Ireland) - Over a thousand babies born addicted to drugs in past decade
More than a thousand babies have been diagnosed as being born addicted to or affected by illegal and legal drugs in Ireland over the past decade.
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VIDEOS and MATERIALS
Dr. Gwen Empowered - Ep78. What is Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)?
Shannon Iacobacci comes onto the show to teach us about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), it's misconceptions and stigmas, and how we can help individuals and families who are affected by FASD.
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Insight Queensland - 19 April 23: Dr Natasha Reid - Prenatal alcohol exposure and FASD
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and the potential impacts of prenatal alcohol exposure can be addressed by increasing access to reproductive health care and reducing alcohol use.
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JumpStartPsychology - FASD Levels of functioning
Explore how the concept of "levels of functioning" can be used to explain the support needs of people with FASD.
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Womack AMC - ASAP Class
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Every Moment Matters - EVERY MOMENT MATTERS – COMMUNITY STORIES
We are asking people across Australia to share their experiences. Below are a collection of the personal stories, reflections and quotes about alcohol, pregnancy, and Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).
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Alcohol Awareness - LIVING WITH FETAL ALCOHOL SPECTRUM DISORDER
Guillaume is a young adult with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). He is proud of the path he has taken despite the many obstacles and thanks to the support of his loved ones. With his father, Marc-André, they share their daily life with this disorder with an open heart and without taboos.
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CanFASD - Supporting Mental Health and Wellbeing for Individuals with FASD Across the Lifespan
This is a recording from a webinar with FASD Maine and CanFASD on March 28, 2023 on how to support mental health and wellbeing for people with FASD across the lifespan.
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PreventFASD - Experts agree - Your choices matter
Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is a neurodevelopmental condition with lifelong cognitive, emotional and behavioural challenges.
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FASD Awareness - Cindy Perkins - FASD Care Management Plans (Webinar #15)
Cindy Perkins (Elucidate Training) discusses  the FASD Care Management Plans – The Voice of the lived Experience with host Andrew Keeping. (A review of the FASD UK Alliance presentation at the FASD Conference in Salford March 2023).
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The Adoption and Fostering Podcast - Podcast Special with Jeff Noble, speaker and host of the FASD Success Podcast
In a short episode Scott chats to Jeff Noble from the Canadian FASD Success Podcast. Jeff is in the Ayr, Scotland to share to experience and insight to FASD and Scott collared him for a quick natter.
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CanFASD Blog - Build a better foundation with our online FASD Courses!
CanFASD has nine different online learning courses available to improve professional and community understanding of FASD.
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NIH Gov - Interagency Coordinating Committee on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (ICCFASD) - April 2023
Public Meeting of the Interagency Coordinating Committee on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (ICCFASD) (open to the public)
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GM FASD Network - Things I wish I'd Known About FASD
The GM FASD Network have put together a resource on "Things I wish I'd Known About FASD" - for parents/carers, professionals, and anyone interested in FASD!
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RESEARCH
Journal of Clinical and Translational Endocrinology: Case Reports - Homozygous mutation in the ADH6 gene, involved in alcohol metabolism, associated with a multisystem disorder, analogous to the fetal alcohol syndrome
We identified a novel variant in ADH6, involved in the metabolism of alcohol, in a patient with a hereditary alcohol metabolism encephalopathy syndrome.
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Journal of Intellectual Disabilities - Knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards fetal alcohol spectrum disorder in the New Zealand social and community sector: An online survey
There is a need to improve training, professional development, and workplace support for social and community workers in New Zealand to support people with FASD.
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International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health - “Our Mothers Have Handed That to Us. Her Mother Has Handed That to Her”: Urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Yarning about Community Wellbeing, Healthy Pregnancies, and the Prevention of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
In Australia, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is a largely hidden disability that is currently under-recognized, under-resourced, and under- or misdiagnosed. Unsurprisingly, efforts to prevent FASD in urban Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are lacking.
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JMIR Public Health and Surveillance - Racial/Ethnic Disparity in Association Between Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Alcohol Intake During Pregnancy: Multisite Retrospective Cohort Study
The risk of delivering a baby with FAS was comparable among White, Black, and AI/AN women at similar levels of drinking during pregnancy. Regardless of race, a 1-gram increase in AAC resulted in increased odds of giving birth to a baby with facial anomalies or deficient brain growth.
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Australian Social Work - Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders and Social Work Practice in Australia: A Narrative Literature Review
We argue that research about FASD and social work practice can improve social workers’ understanding of the BPSSC characteristics and management of FASD across the life course and contribute to EBP development in these areas in Australian social work.
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Alcohol Research: Current Reviews - Reducing Prenatal Alcohol Exposure and the Incidence of FASD: Is the Past Prologue?
This narrative review summarizes and synthesizes the clinical trials and randomized clinical trials that evaluated selected and targeted approaches to reducing preconception and prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) and alcohol-exposed pregnancy (AEP) since 2011.
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International Journal of Molecular Sciences - Differential Early Mechanistic Frontal Lobe Responses to Choline Chloride and Soy Isoflavones in an Experimental Model of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder
The findings suggest that dietary soy, with the benefits of providing complete nutrition together with Choline, could be used to help optimize neurodevelopment in humans at risk for FASD.
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Biology of Sex Differences - Sex differences in the transcriptome of extracellular vesicles secreted by fetal neural stem cells and effects of chronic alcohol exposure
The EV transcriptome is distinctly different from, and more sex-variant than, the transcriptome of cell-of-origin NSCs. Ethanol, a common teratogen, results in dose-dependent sorting of RNA transcripts from NSCs to EVs which may reprogram the EV-mediated endocrine environment during neurogenesis.
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Plos one - Bioinformatic analysis predicts that ethanol exposure during early development causes alternative splicing alterations of genes involved in RNA post-transcriptional regulation
This bioinformatic analysis provides a reliable list of candidate genes whose splicing is affected by ethanol during nervous system development.
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Ursinus College - Establishing a Method for Microglial Morphology Analysis in Response to Binge Prenatal Alcohol Exposure in Dopaminergic Pathways
This research shifts from the focus on axons to the surrounding microglia that are responsible for axon guidance in developing embryos, especially in the subpallium.
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Neurology International - Sensory Motor Function Disturbances in Mice Prenatally Exposed to Low Dose of Ethanol: A Neurobehavioral Study in Postnatal and Adult Stages
The current data demonstrate the powerful neurotoxic effect of prenatal ethanol exposure on the sensory-motor and coordination functions, leading to suppose possible structural and/or functional neuronal disturbances, particularly the locomotor network.
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Preventing Chronic Disease - Screening and Brief Interventions for Alcohol Use During Pregnancy: Practices Among US Primary Care Clinicians, DocStyles 2019
Pregnancy presents a unique opportunity for clinicians to incorporate screening into routine obstetric care and encourage behavior change among patients.
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Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health - Prenatal alcohol exposure risk perception dimensions and influencing factors: A systematic review and conceptual model
The novel PARP conceptual model developed from the current literature provides a framework to guide understanding of risk perceptions, which includes a wide range of potential influencing factors.
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Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research - Prenatal alcohol exposure and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder independently predict greater substance use in young adulthood
the effects of PAE on alcohol and cannabis use in young adulthood is not attributable to being reared in an environment that is socioeconomically disadvantaged or in one in which there is extensive maternal drinking.
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Tobacco Prevention and Cessation - Interventions for tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis cessation in pregnancy: considerations for design and implementation
The key considerations identified regarding the preferences and expectations of the participants on smoking, alcohol and cannabis interventions should be taken into consideration whilst acknowledging that some of these considerations might be context-dependent.
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Voices in Bioethics - Policies Affecting Pregnant Women with Substance Use Disorder
This article highlights some misconceptions and underscores the challenges they face as they navigate the justice and healthcare systems while also providing possible solutions to address their underlying addiction.
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Obiter - Exploring the feasibility of criminalising maternal substance abuse in South Africa
With alcohol abuse by pregnant women being a significant problem in South Africa, particularly in the rural areas of the Western Cape province, the country carries one of the world's heaviest burdens of foetal alcohol syndrome (FAS).
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Drug and Alcohol Dependence - Polysubstance use during pregnancy: The importance of screening, patient education, and integrating a harm reduction perspective
One in five individuals who reported use of any substance during pregnancy engaged in polysubstance use, highlighting the importance of comprehensive screening and evidence-based interventions including harm reduction.
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IN OTHER LANGUAGES
PulsRadomska.pl (Poland) - FAS i FASD, czyli żadna dawka alkoholu nie jest bezpieczna w ciąży!
W sali obrad urzędu miasta w Radomsku podsumowano rozpoczętą 9 września akcję dot. świadomości na temat alkoholowego zespołu płodowego i spektrum płodowych zaburzeń alkoholowych (FAS/FASD).
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Il Fatto Quotidiano (Italy) - La sposa furiosa con la damigella d’onore: “Mi ha rubato la scena all’addio al nubilato parlando della sua malattia, la sindrome alcolica fetale”
La sposa furiosa con la damigella d’onore.
Il motivo? Sostiene che l’amica le abbia rubato la scena durante l’addio al nubilato e la cosa proprio non le va giù. Durante la serata, la damigella d’onore ha infatti raccontato di aver ricevuto una diagnosi di sindrome alcolica fetale.
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Wochenblatt Reporter (Germany) - Verleihung des Verdienstkreuzes am Bande des Verdienstordens der Bundesrepublik Deutschland an Katrin Lepke
Für ihre besonderen Verdienste bei der Aufklärung über die Auswirkungen von Alkohol während der Schwangerschaft wurde Katrin Lepke aus Mutterstadt das Bundesverdienstkreuz verliehen.
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Landratsamt Schweinfurt (Germany) - „Kein Alkohol in der Schwangerschaft“ – Präventionsprogramm des Gesundheitsamts Schweinfurt gestartet
Stadt und Landkreis Schweinfurt. Jugendliche und junge Erwachsene frühzeitig über die Gefahren von Alkohol während der Schwangerschaft und Stillzeit informieren – Das ist das erklärte Ziel des neuen Präventionsprogramms des Gesundheitsamts Schweinfurt.
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State of Mind (Italy) - Alcool in gravidanza: gli effetti sui bambini
Differenti studi dimostrano che il Disturbo da deficit di attenzione/iperattività (ADHD) è uno dei disturbi che più si presenta in comorbilità con la sindrome feto alcolica (FASD).
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Britt - DER TALK (Germany) - FASD - Luise erzählt von ihrem Syndrom | 1/3 | Britt
Alkohol ist eine immense Gefahr für das Kind im Mutterleib und kann zu Entwicklungsschäden führen. In der Sendung klären Experten über das Thema auf und Betroffene sprechen darüber, wie die Folgen sie noch heute im Alltag begleiten und einschränken.
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Afasaf Fasd (Spain) - Afasaf ConNecta_ Lo que hemos aprendido del SAF/TEAF: La Perspectiva de las familias. Nuria Beltrán
Se aborda la información que AFASAF ha difundido en charlas a centros de atención primaria, cuerpos de Seguridad, escuela judicial del Consejo General del Poder Judicial y/o centros ocupacionales desde el punto de vista de las familias que llevan años de experiencia educando y cuidando a sus hijos e hijas afectados por SAF / TEAF.
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Thursday, April 27, 2023

Alcohol News - 17/2023


NordAN (Finland) - Finnish organizations urge: Now is not the time to increase alcohol availability
The central element of a welfare state is welfare itself. Therefore, political decision-making should be guided by actions that strengthen and support citizens' safety, health, and well-being. That is why organizations appeal that now is not the right time to increase alcohol availability in Finland.
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Medscape - Ask Patients About Their Alcohol Consumption, Study Suggests
A cohort study from the United States has investigated the possibility of recognizing increased alcohol consumption on the first primary care visit and subsequently treating it without needing to refer the patient to a specialist facility.
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Technology Networks - Newborn Health Impacted by Alcohol Consumption While Breastfeeding
Studies have shown that consuming alcohol during pregnancy can alter the brain and behavioral development of gestating offspring.
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The Conversation (Australia) - Treatment for drug and alcohol misuse should involve families and communities
Alcohol and other drug treatment in Australia is generally only provided for individuals, often away from their families.
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SheKicks (Scotland) - SWF and SHAAP issue new alcohol and sport guidance
Scotland’s elite youth players in women’s football are being reminded about the adverse impact of alcohol on their health and ability to compete at the highest level.
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Slate - Pour One Out
The boozy story of how we decided alcohol was a health boon in the ’90s—and how it all fell apart.
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Newstalk ZB (New Zealand) - New study confirms early teen alcohol use leads to harmful drinking practices
Fewer teenagers are drinking alcohol than in previous generations, however alcohol is still one of the biggest contributors to death and illness in young people, including via injuries, accidents and suicide.
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Armenia News (Armenia) - Armenia government plans to cancel licensing for sale, import of certain types of alcohol
The government intends to considerably facilitate the business environment in some domains of activity in Armenia. Deputy Minister of Economy Ani Ispiryan said this during the debates on the second and final reading of the package of bills on the notification of the implementation of activities and changes in related laws at the meeting of the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs of the National Assembly of Armenia.
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Royal College of Psychiatrists (Scotland) - College writes to new minister for drugs and alcohol policy in Scotland
The Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland has written to the new minister for drugs and alcohol policy Elena Whitham MSP to request an urgent meeting.
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BBC (UK) - Third of islanders in Jersey binge drinking says report
Binge drinking remains an issue in Jersey, but overall consumption is down, says a report.
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University Hospitals - The Link Between Drinking Alcohol and Cancer Risk
Most people know that using tobacco products can cause cancer of the lungs, mouth, throat and other parts of the body. What is less known is that drinking alcoholic beverages is also linked to an increased risk for developing several types of cancer.
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Boston University School of Public Health - Alcohol Use by Age 14 Increases Risk of Drinking into Adulthood
New study findings signal a need for continued alcohol misuse prevention and related programming from adolescence into early adulthood, even among people who do not drink frequently.
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AlcoholCampaigns - EXCLUSIVE WEB INTERVIEW: DISSECTING ALCOHOL CAMPAIGNS
In today’s digitally connected world, social media has become a powerful tool for communication and influence. With the pervasive reach of these platforms, it begs the question: Can social media campaigns effectively address public health issues, such as alcohol consumption and its related harms?
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IAS Blog - At what cost? The economic impact of alcohol-related cancer deaths
Drinking alcohol increases the risk of at least seven different cancer types. These include cancers of the mouth and throat, the oesophagus, the breast, the liver, and bowel.
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Thursday, April 20, 2023

Alcohol News - 16/2023

WHO - A public health perspective on zero- and low-alcohol beverages
There is an expanding market of no- and low-alcohol beverages (NoLos). However, their effects on global ethanol consumption and public health are still questioned.
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Psychology Today - Alcohol Is Not Good for Your Health, Even in Moderation
It turns out that drinking moderate amounts of alcohol daily does not—as previously thought—protect against heart disease or contribute to a longer life.
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News Medical (Baltics/Poland) - How did alcohol control policies reduce all-cause mortality in Baltic countries and Poland?
A recent study published in the Scientific Reports Journal examined the impact of alcohol control policies on all-cause mortality between 2001 and 2020.
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Medical Xpress - Managing stress with food and alcohol consumption connected with faster lifelong weight gain
Food and alcohol consumption as means of easing stress are linked with body weight in both the long, and short terms.
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ADF (Australia) - Alcohol’s harm to others in Australia
Typically, when we think about the harms associated with alcohol we tend to think about the impact on people who drink. But what about the impact on those around them?
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IAS (UK) - How the cost of living crisis affects alcohol harm
The impact of the cost-of-living crisis on health is linked to, and exacerbated by harmful alcohol use. In our recent article in The Lancet Regional Health Europe, we explored the cost-of-living crisis in the UK and its potential impact on public health.
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BBC (Scotland) - Call to tackle rise in alcohol-related deaths in Scotland
Tougher measures are needed to tackle the highest level of alcohol-related deaths for more than a decade, medical experts have said.
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Hepatitis B Foundation - Understanding the Impact of Drinking Alcohol on Liver Health
Hepatitis B is a virus that can damage the liver. The liver is a critical organ in the human body and is responsible for energizing cells, removing toxins and waste, and strengthening the immune system.
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NordAN (Sweden) - Swedish Social Democrats take initiative to protect alcohol monopoly
The Swedish Social Democratic Party is taking action in Parliament to protect the Swedish alcohol monopoly.
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Caron (USA) - Behind the Numbers: Alcohol is Killing More People Than Fentanyl
Several years ago I wrote a piece about how alcohol was killing more people annually than opioids asking why we weren’t giving alcohol the same attention.
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NordAN (Norway) - Norwegians buy less alcohol in Sweden
Norwegians buy less alcohol in Sweden compared to before the pandemic, according to a new report from CAN.
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Alcoholcampaign.org - WHY ALCOHOL AWARENESS MONTH IS IMPORTANT
Alcohol Awareness Month, held annually from April 1st to April 30th, is crucial in raising public awareness about alcohol abuse and dependence.
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AlcoholAndCancer - Alcohol-attributable cancer deaths cost European economies billions in lost productivity
A recent study conducted by Rumgay, H., Ortega-Ortega, M., Sharp, L., Lunet, N., & Soerjomataram, I. (2023) and published in Cancer Epidemiology reveals that alcohol consumption led to more than 23,300 premature cancer deaths in the EU, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and the UK in 2018, resulting in €4.58 billion in lost productivity.
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Thursday, April 13, 2023

Alcohol News - 15/2023


ERR News (Estonia) - Alcohol and tobacco excise duties increase rate should be known by summer
Estonia's incoming government coalition also wants to raise excise duties on tobacco and alcohol, starting in 2024.
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Independent Herald - The dangers of alcohol
Millions of Americans — including many Scott Countians — enjoy a drink with their meal, or when socializing with friends and family.
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News Medical - Male alcohol consumption before conception causes facial growth defects in offspring
According to the U.S. Surgeon General, women should not drink alcoholic beverages during pregnancy because of the risk of birth defects in their unborn child.
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PsyPost - Research reveals link between alcohol and poorer visual perspective taking
Being in the presence of alcohol beverages may make it harder to take another’s perspective and heavier alcohol consumption may be linked to difficulties with visual perspective taking, according to new research published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence.
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News Medical (USA) - Study reveals substantial decline in alcohol screening rates during the first COVID-19 surge
New research from Boston Medical Center found that alcohol screening rates dropped substantially during the first COVID-19 surge.
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The Conversation (Australia) - Australia’s system of taxing alcohol is ‘incoherent’, but our research suggests a single tax rate isn’t the answer
The best word to describe the way Australia taxes alcoholic drinks is “incoherent”. It was the word used by the 2010 Henry Tax Review to describe a system in which some wine effectively faces no alcohol tax, expensive wine is taxed heavily and cask wine lightly, beer (but not wine) is taxed by alcohol content, brandy is taxed less than other spirits, and cider is taxed differently to beer.
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Psychology Today - The New A-Word: Should We Stop Using the Word 'Alcoholic'?
For centuries, the word “alcoholic” has been used to refer to people who have difficulties with their drinking.
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Stuff (New Zealand) - Alcohol and Sport: Should Kiwi sports grounds go alcohol-free like Qatar World Cup stadia?
As the peak sporting viewing season approaches should New Zealand’s sporting grounds be looking at the Qatar World Cup experience and going alcohol-free?
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IamExpat in Germany (Germany) - Majority of Germans support a ban on advertising alcohol
Everyone knows that Germans love beer. But according to the results of a recent poll by the German government’s drug czar, they don’t want anyone to tell them to love it.
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Mirage News (USA) - High Prevalence of Alcohol, Opioid Use in Crohn’s Disease Patients in U.S
Newly diagnosed people with Crohn’s disease (CD) in the United States are more likely to experience drug and alcohol use compared with the general population, according to a recent study led by Johns Hopkins Medicine researchers.
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New York Post (USA) - Boston weighs banning tiny bottles of alcohol
The city of Boston is considering a possible ban on miniature liquor bottles, known to Bostonians as “nips” and to others across the country as “minis” or “shooters,” due to the amount of waste they add to the city.
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Vancouver Is Awesome (Canada) - Counting the cost of substance use — and finding solutions
Harms from substance use cost Canada $49 billion in 2020, with almost two-thirds of that linked to alcohol and tobacco use, according to the Canadian Substance Use Costs and Harms report with collected data from 2007 to 2020.
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Canadian Public Health Association - Big Alcohol and the Commercial Determinants of Health: What can public health do?
The commercial determinants of health (CDoH) are “the strategies and approaches the private sector uses to promote products and choices that are detrimental to health”.
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Greenhouse Treatment Center (USA) - Movement Builds for Cancer Warning Labels on Alcohol
Did you know the last time alcohol warning labels were adjusted was in 1989? This was also the first time the government implemented them. Now, over 30 years later, alcohol warning labels remain the same.
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IAS Blog - How the alcohol and gambling industries frame harm in the same way
Regulating unhealthy commodity industries (UCIs) – for example the tobacco, alcohol, gambling and ultra-processed food industries – is complex, at least partly due to their corporate political activity (CPA).
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AlcoholAndCancer.eu (EU) - Alcohol-attributable cancer deaths cost European economies billions in lost productivity
A recent study conducted by Rumgay, H., Ortega-Ortega, M., Sharp, L., Lunet, N., & Soerjomataram, I. (2023) and published in Cancer Epidemiology reveals that alcohol consumption led to more than 23,300 premature cancer deaths in the EU, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and the UK in 2018, resulting in €4.58 billion in lost productivity.
Read more

NordAN (Sweden) - Fewer Swedes Think It's Wrong to Drive After Drinking a Glass of Wine
A recent IQ survey shows that only 72% of Swedes believe it's wrong to drive after having a glass of wine or beer. This number has dropped significantly from 88% in 2010.
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Sunday, April 9, 2023

FASD News - 14/2023


FASD Me (UK) - UK FASD Manifesto
People with FASD here in the UK have created a manifesto that says how they would like doctors, teachers, parents and others to better support people with FASD.
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The Clare Champion (Ireland) - Ireland’s first FASD hub launched in Ennis
IRELAND’S first national hub to support individuals, families and carers living with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) launched this week in Ennis.
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the Vernon Morning Star (Canada) - Report calls on B.C. to fully fund mental health screening for neurodivergent children
A new research report is reiterating a call for B.C. to fully fund and implement mental-health screening, assessment and treatment for children and youth with neurodevelopmental conditions.
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Family Fund (UK) - “Family Fund has had a huge impact on our lives”
Seven-year-old Isaac lives in Halifax, England, with his adoptive mum, Amanda, and older sister, Andraya,14. Isaac was diagnosed with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), which is classed as organic brain damage that first occurs within the womb when the foetus is growing.
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Run FASD - Get Ready! Run FASD 2023- An Interview with Coach Rebecca
April is a busy month, and the rest of 2023 seems to promise the same. It is our immense honor to re-introduce Run FASD and Coach Rebecca Tillou.
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Adoption UK - FASD – Building on 20 years of progress
The FASD conference FASD in the UK: Building on 20 years of progress, held last week, was an opportunity to look back on the progress that has been made in that time. I’ve been part of the FASD community for 14 of those 20 years.
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FASD Ireland - Salford FASD Conference
FASD Ireland's Maggie May reviews the Salford FASD Conference as someone living with FASD.
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Stuff (New Zealand) - Abuse and violence from disabled children to caregivers commonplace
Anita Gibbs is a professor of social work and criminology at the University of Otago, and is an adoptive mum of neuro-diverse children; one of whom lives with FASD. She is actively engaged in organisations and support for families living with FASD.
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Creating a Family - Explaining Prenatal Exposure to Your Child
Are you raising an adopted, foster, or kinship child who was exposed to drugs or alcohol while their birth mother was pregnant? Many of us parenting kids with prenatal substance exposure grapple with what to tell them about prenatal exposure. Avoiding the topic can contribute to our kids feeling shame, confusion, and even self-blame.
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Channel 103 - Calls For Attention On Alcohol In Pregnancy
Jersey's government's being asked to do more to support children who are suffering as a result of being exposed to alcohol before birth.
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ITV (UK) - Women asked to share whether they drank alcohol while pregnant
Public Health Jersey is looking for women to share whether they drank alcohol while they were pregnant.
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VIDEOS and MATERIALS
Inclusion Collaborative - Including the Child with FASD in Your Classroom
Many teachers are aware of the physical characteristics of fetal alcohol syndrome but fetal alcohol spectrum disorder includes children and adults who look like neurotypical children and also have normal intelligence.
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3D Learning Experts - Everything You Need to Know About Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and IEPs
As a mom of neurodiverse children and advocate for legislative change, Shannon has a wealth of knowledge to share on navigating FASD and behavioral challenges at home, school, and in the community.
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PCA Families - Certain nutrients can slow the impacts of FASD on children from disrupted families. Diet matters.
Melanie McGrice is an Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian with a Masters in Dietetics.  She specialises in Early Life Nutrition, also known as the 1st 1000 days, from preconception to toddlerhood, when a child's brain, body and immune system grows the fastest to set the foundations for a child's future.
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GoodHealthTV - FASD | GoodHealthTV
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Spotlight on FASD - Podcast Season 5 Episode 7 - Laura Hernandez & Mama Systems
n this episode Jessica talks to Laura Hernandez, founder of Mama Systems.
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FASD Hub Scotland and FASD Hub UK - Wednesday Webinar: Mike and Kristin Berry, Honestly Adoption Co.
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McLeanHospital - Prenatal Alcohol Exposure – The Past Decade of Research
Presented by Grace Chang, MD, MPH, Harvard VA Boston Healthcare System Psychiatry
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FASD Hub Scotland and FASD Hub UK - Wednesday Webinar - the Value of a FASD Diagnosis
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Clare FM - FASD Ireland Officially Launch National Hub In Ennis
On Tuesday's Morning Focus, Pat was joined live in studio by Tristan Casson-Rennie who is the Chief Executive Officer of FASD Ireland.
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RESEARCH
Georgia College - An Application of the Transtheoretical Model for FASDs in the United States
Overall the study can assist in preventing fetal alcohol spectrum disorders by educating pregnant women on the risks of alcohol consumption.
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Children - Heated Behaviour in the Classroom for Children with FASD: The Relationship between Characteristics Associated with ADHD, ODD and ASD, Hot Executive Function and Classroom Based Reward Systems
Possession of characteristics related to Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, Oppositional Defiance Disorder, and Autism Spectrum Disorder in children prenatally exposed to alcohol contributes to challenges within the diagnostic pathway for Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).
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International Journal of Molecular Sciences - Expression Quantitative Trait Methylation Analysis Identifies Whole Blood Molecular Footprint in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)
To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to assess whole blood gene expression and DNAm-gene expression associations in FASD.
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The FASEB Journal - A multi-organ analysis of the role of mTOR in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders
The current review focuses on novel FASD research within the context of the mTOR signaling and sheds light on mechanistic etiologies at various biological levels including molecular, cellular, and functional, across multiple stages of development and illuminates the dichotomy between the different mTOR complexes and their unique signaling roles.
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Archives of Disease in Childhood - Assessing maternal alcohol consumption in pregnancy: comparison of confidential postnatal maternal interview and measurement of alcohol biomarkers in meconium
We investigated whether alcohol biomarkers fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs) and ethyl glucuronide (EtG) in meconium are predicted by maternal or newborn demographics and/or correlate with confidential early postnatal self-report of alcohol consumption in pregnancy.
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Contemporary Clinical Trials - A virtual randomized controlled trial of an alcohol-exposed pregnancy prevention mobile app with urban American Indian and Alaska Native young women: Native WYSE CHOICES rationale, design, and methods
Our study offers a template for building trust and extending reach to this underserved population while also providing important lessons and insights on advances in virtual or hybrid research approaches.
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Research in Developmental Disabilities - Parenting stress and FASD: A scoping review
5 studies were deemed eligible for this review. This literature suggests that caregivers of children with FASD experience heightened levels of parenting stress.
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Current Research in Toxicology - Assessing the Sensitivity and Specificity of Phosphatidylethanol (PEth) Cutoffs to Identify Alcohol Exposed Pregnancies
In the literature on alcohol use biomarkers, there has been debate as to what a valid and/or utilitarian cut off level should be for various research applications.
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Women's Health - A cross-sectional study on alcohol and contraception use among sexually active women of childbearing age: Implications for preventing alcohol-exposed pregnancies
With 20% of women at risk of an alcohol-exposed pregnancy, public health measures to address alcohol consumption and the effective use of contraception are critical to reducing the risk for alcohol-exposed pregnancies in NZ.
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CJC Pediatric and Congenital Heart Disease - Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in individuals with prenatal alcohol exposure
Children with PAE did not have abnormalities in MRI derived measures of cardiac structure or function despite smaller brain volumes and sex-specific differences in body composition, relative to healthy controls.
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Journal of addiction Medicine - The Postpartum Period: An Opportunity for Alcohol Screening and Counseling to Reduce Adverse Health Impacts
These findings suggest missed opportunities to promote health and prevent adverse alcohol-related health outcomes during the postpartum period through evidence-based tools such as alcohol SBI.
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Experimental Physiology - Even periconceptional alcohol consumption can have long-term consequences on heart health in the offspring
It is well established that consumption of alcohol during pregnancy negatively impacts fetal development, causing a range of physical and mental impairments
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American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Reduced prevalence of fetal exposure to alcohol in Italy: a nationwide survey
Ethylglucuronide (EtG) is a direct metabolite of ethanol and is widely accepted as a reliable biomarker for the assessment of gestational consumption when measured in maternal hair and prenatal exposure to alcohol when measured in neonatal meconium.
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IN OTHER LANGUAGES
NDR (Germany) - Rostock: Erste Beratungsstelle für FASD in MV eröffnet
In Rostock ist eine Beratungsstelle für Menschen eröffnet worden, die durch den Alkoholkonsum ihrer Mutter während der Schwangerschaft behindert sind. Es ist die erste Einrichtung dieser Art in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Träger ist die Rostocker Stadtmission.
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Chaos im Kopf Podcast - Dein FASD Podcast (Germany) - FASD und die Lebenshilfe Essen
In dieser Podcast-Episode hören wir von Lena Meister, der Leiterin des FASD-Zentrums bei der Lebenshilfe Essen.
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Afasaf Fasd (Spain) - Afasaf ConNecta_Terapia Ocupacional con Aina Gaya
Sesión informativa que realizará una aproximación a la ocupación y a la terapia ocupacional, como dos componentes fundamentales para el desarrollo de una vida diaria significativa y equilibrada.
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Thursday, April 6, 2023

Alcohol News - 14/2023


Washington Post - No, moderate drinking isn’t good for your health
Drinking moderate amounts of alcohol every day does not — as once thought — protect against death from heart disease, nor does it contribute to a longer life, according to a sweeping new analysis of alcohol research.
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BBC (Northern Ireland) - NI licensing laws: No more supermarket points for alcohol sales
Alcohol sellers in Northern Ireland can no longer run loyalty schemes which award points or allow them to be redeemed for alcohol, under new laws.
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Radio Free Europe - British Intelligence Cites Alcohol Abuse As Contributor To Russian Losses In Ukraine
The British Defense Ministry said in its daily intelligence update on April 2 that alcohol abuse was among the noncombat causes of many deaths among Russian troops deployed in Ukraine.
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The Conversation - ‘Drinking isn’t an option, it’s more of a requirement’: the reasons for high alcohol consumption among some student athletes
Binge drinking is commonplace in university sport. Students who play sport drink more heavily and frequently than other students.
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RNZ (New Zealand) - Swarbrick's Alcohol Harm Minimisation bill fails at first reading
Green Party MP Chloe Swarbrick's Alcohol Harm Minimisation bill has failed at its first reading, after only a handful of Labour MPs voted for it.
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MyCG - Take a guess – what compound kills more people every year than opioids?
Almost every day in the media, we hear about deaths due to opioids and fentanyl. But another compound kills more people every year than opioids: that compound is alcohol.
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Daily Mail - Brain switch that gets people hooked on booze, drugs or cigarettes is identified by scientists
Scientists say they have identified a brain switch that gets people hooked on alcohol, drugs and cigarettes.
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SciTechDaily - Breaking the Vicious Cycle: Unraveling Alcohol’s Grip on the Brain and the Drive To Drink
Heavy alcohol consumption alters brain signaling pathways, impacting cognitive functions and promoting further drinking.
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Lovin.ie (Ireland) - Holiday alcohol warning issued for Irish people travelling to Spain this summer
The Department of Foreign Affairs has listed a number of safety concerns for Irish people visiting Spain to be aware of.
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Bizcommunity - Police presence, breath tests key to cutting alcohol-related deaths this Easter weekend
During the Easter weekend, there is usually a rise in the number of vehicles on the road, as individuals take trips for leisure or to visit loved ones.
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The National (Scotland) - Glasgow City back campaign to end alcohol sponsorship
ONE of Scotland’s top women’s football teams have come out in support of a campaign to end alcohol sponsorship in Scottish sport.
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InSight+ (Australia) - Booze still a big killer: alcohol harm on the rise
A new report shows almost 2000 people are dying each year from an alcohol-related injury, including suicide, accidental poisoning, road accidents and falls, prompting an advocacy group to call for stronger restrictions on online alcohol purchases.
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HealthDay - Drinking Alcohol Brings No Health Benefits, Study Finds
Dozens of studies have purportedly shown that a daily glass of wine or mug of beer could reduce your risk of heart disease and death.
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NordAN (Norway) - Blue Cross Norway: Reduced alcohol consumption has a significant impact on public health
Alcohol consumption causes both health damage and social problems, making it one of the main reasons why the population has a shorter life expectancy.
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AlcoholAndCancer (Sweden) - Bridging the Knowledge Gap: Dr. Lena Sharp on Alcohol and Cancer Risk
To address the concerning lack of awareness about the link between alcohol consumption and cancer risk, we interviewed Dr Lena Sharp. Dr Sharp is the Head of the Department at the Regional Cancer Center Stockholm Gotland, Sweden, and the Project Lead of the PrEvCan project and the "Alkohol ökar risken för cancer" project in Sweden.
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