www.alkoholpolitik.ch

www.alkoholpolitik.ch Newsletter February 2010 (issued 02/28/10)

Dear English speaking reader, dear friends,

I am glad to send you examples of the new entries on my website. See the website for more entries.
After modernising the website we had to alter the look of this newsletter too. We have split the articles in two separate language newsletters, German and English. With a mouseclick on the titles you come to the original article where you find also the links to the source. We hope to meet your requirements. It is now much shorter and better to read. Anyhow we are willing to improve it when you give us a feedback with proposals. Please check, if you have included our address in your list of accepted addresses that your SPAM-filter doesn’t exclude our newsletter.

1st anniversary of the new website-layout 2241 articles in 96 categories and with 5920 main expressions (tags) since 1/1/2009.

If you shouldn’t like to receive this newsletter anymore or wish to order a copy for someone else, please just send a short e-mail to:  htmeyer(at)alkoholpolitik.ch

In order to make the e-mail lighter we only send the Word.doc- version.

Kind regards
Yours Hermann T. Meyer

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Introduction for mailed Newsletter:

Dear reader, dear friends,

The celebration of the victory by the Canadian Icehockey-womens team with alcohol on the Icerink at the Olympics shows that now women sportscracks take men as an example. The example is still working. Let’s hope the IOC takes the necessary clear measures.

The new EU-Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, John Dalli was elected. He reported having had a position in a Brewery for the last 10 years.

In Germany the Leader of the Lutheran Church, Bishop Margot Kässmann retired from all positions after she was found by the police passing a red light in her car with 0.154 percent alcohol in her blood. In Switzerland the chief of security of the World Economic Forum (WEF), Markus Reinhardt, committed suicide after several cases of drunkenness on his job. Both tragic events got wide awareness in the medias. But there was no discussion on social responsibility of the community.

I should like to report on the extraordinary success of lowering the blood-alcohol limit from 0.08 to 0.05 percent in Switzerland in 2004. In the first two years after the new rule the number of mortalities with car-accidents went down by 47%. And five years after, there is still a reduction. In the Canton of Zurich (1 Mio. inhabitants) the number of alcohol related accidents dropped by 26% (0,05 till 0.079 percent) and 32% (0.08 and more percent) compared with the average figures of the last five years.
This should be something to think about in the USA and Canada.

Best regards
Yours passive-drinker
Hermann T. Meyer
www.alkoholpolitik.ch

Lindenstr. 32
CH-8307 Effretikon
Switzerland

PS   The next Newsletter will be issued end of March 2010

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TOP NEWS

Constellation Throwing Money Around in New York 23. Februar 2010
Constellation Brands, whose growth as a power player in the alcohol industry recently earned it a spot on Marin Institute’s website as one of the world’s top alcohol-producing companies, can now add political influence to its list of accomplishments, thanks to a $25,000 contribution to the re-election campaign of New York State Governor David Paterson…. (Source: Marin Institute, 2/21/10)

WHO: The draft Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol 8. Februar 2010
In the previous announcement about the WHO executive Board meeting in January we mentioned, the draft Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol was adopted there and will be put before the World Health Assembly in May. During the Executive Board meeting there were some negotiations over the text of the strategy, and the Member States made some amendments. The updated text is now available at the WHO website and here.

Alcohol policy training in Malawi and Botswana 2. Februar 2010
Malawi and Botswana became the two first countries to test a new training package on evidence-based alcohol policies. A third pilot course will be held in Namibia next week.
The new training program has been developed by FORUT and Blue Cross Norway. The background for the initiative is that there exists a broad knowledge base on which types of interventions that are most effective to reduce alcohol-related harm. However, there is a severe information gap. The existing knowledge is not sufficiently distributed to those who need it most; policy makers, politicians, government experts, NGO leaders and the media. This is case for most countries of the world, probably all. (Source: ADD Bulletin 1/2010) Comment: This training should come to Switzerland too.

The latest Chairman’s Corner of CASA Chairman and President 2. Februar 2010
In his latest Chairman’s Corner CASA Chairman and President, Joseph A. Califano, Jr. talks about how to reduce the US deficit by addressing substance abuse and addiction. In fiscal year 2010 federal and state government spending on this problem accounts for more than $500 billion to taxpayers and almost all goes to shovel up the consequences of our failure to prevent and treat it. chairmanscorner.casacolumbia.org, 2/1/10

GLOBAL

Student Death Prompts Underage-Drinking Reporting Reform in Utah 26. Februar 2010
Youths who call for help when underage drinkers get sick from drinking will get leniency — but not a free pass — from the courts under legislation approved by a Utah Senate panel. (Source: Join Together, 2/24/10)

Latvia’s alcohol laws too lax, new proposal 25. Februar 2010
The Latvian parliament plans to vote on a proposal which would limit trade with alcohol in the near future. The daily Latvijas Avīze welcomes the initiative: “In Latvia more than 10 litres of pure alcohol are consumed per capita and per year, there are countless alcoholics and statistics show that the number of minors being brought into hospitals with alcohol poisoning is on the rise. … (Quelle: Google Alkohol Alert, 25.2.10) eurotopics.net, 24.2.10

Age 19 Drinking Bill Killed in South Dakota Legislature (USA) 25. Februar 2010
The South Dakota House Commerce Committee rejected a bill that would have lowered the state’s legal drinking age from 21 to 19, the Associated Press reported Feb. 22.
The measure went down to defeat on a 10-3 vote. Bill sponsor Rep. Tim Rounds had proposed allowing 19-year-olds to drink in certain clubs where only beer was sold, saying the measure would provide a controlled environment for young drinkers and cut down on drunk driving. (Source: Join Together, 2/23/10)

Sign the Charge for Harm Postcard 23. Februar 2010
Dear Legislator,
I support AB 1694 — The Alcohol-Related Services Program It’s time for Big Alcohol to pay its fair share of California’s annual $38.4 billion in alcohol-related trauma care, hospitalization, treatment, prevention and criminal justice costs. (Source: Marin Institute, 2/20/10)

USA: In Defense of Control States 23. Februar 2010
In this prolonged down economy, most states are looking at any and every idea that might produce revenue to cover budget shortfalls. In many control states, or alcohol beverage control states as they are sometimes called, the recession has led to a wave of sometimes heated discussions in state legislatures over whether to privatize the sale of alcohol in order to generate more revenue for the states. (Source: Marin Institute, 2/20/10)

Legislators Seek to Overturn Nebraska’s Ban on Serving Beer Mixed with Liquor 22. Februar 2010
A Prohibition-era law still on the books makes Nebraska the only U.S. state to ban bars from serving drinks that mix beer and liquor, and some lawmakers are trying to make the restriction history. (Source: Join Together, 2/19/10 )

Response To DCSF Half-term Crackdown On Underage Drinking, UK 22. Februar 2010
Reacting to a Government campaign which aims to educate and support young people to make sensible decisions about alcohol, especially during the school holidays, Chris Sorek, Chief Executive of Drinkaware, says: “For young people, boredom and drinking alcohol often goes hand in hand – nearly one in 10 young people aged 16 and 17 (8 per cent) drink at least once a week just because they are bored*. (Source: Medical News Today, 2/21/10)

Army Needs to Double Staff of Alcohol Counselors, General Says 17. Februar 2010
More soldiers are experiencing problems with alcohol and the Army needs to double its staff of addiction counselors to meet the demand, according to Army vice chief of staff Gen. Peter Chiarelli. USA Today reported Feb. 9 that Chiarelli said that the Army needs roughly 300 more counselors to ensure that soldiers’ needs are being met and to cut down on wait time for services. (Source: Join Together, 2/16/10)

Parity Bill Approved by Wisconsin Senate 17. Februar 2010
A bill that would require insurers to cover addiction and mental health services on par with other health conditions has been approved by the Wisconsin Senate, the Wisconsin Radio Network reported Jan. 29. The measure passed 19-13 and moved to the state Assembly for consideration. (Source: Join Together, 2/16/10)

RCN Calls For Mandatory Code On Alcohol Labelling, UK 17. Februar 2010
The Royal College of Nursing welcomed the launch of a UK-wide consultation on the labelling of alcohol. Tom Sandford, Director of RCN England, said: “Throughout the UK, nurses see the devastating consequences of alcohol misuse everyday. It is vital that tougher action is taken to turn the tide on the rising numbers of people who are suffering, or even dying, as a result of excessive drinking. (Source: Medical News Today, 2/16/10)

Super Bowl Alcohol Ads Take a Backseat Among America’s Youth 17. Februar 2010
While the big game itself is old news, the commercials are not: the impact of Super Bowl advertising is in full swing. And according to the more than 30,000 middle and high school students nationwide, who participated in the DrugFree Action Alliance Super Bowl Survey; while alcohol ads were widely remembered, they did not place in the top three favorites among youth, as in past surveys. (Source: Join Together, 2/12/10)

USA: Montana Ballot Initiative: Alcohol Taxes for Treatment, Prevention 17. Februar 2010
Montana Supreme Court Justice and former Attorney General Mike McGrath has unveiled a ballot initiative that would earmark $5 million per year in state alcohol taxes to pay for addiction treatment, prevention, and drug/DUI courts. The Montana Alcohol Abuse and Drug-Free Plan was announced during McGrath’s recent appearance before the legislature’s Law & Justice Interim Committee. (Source: Join Together, 2/12/10)

Chicago Cops Face Random Alcohol Tests 12. Februar 2010
Lieutenants and captains in the Chicago Police Department will be randomly tested for alcohol on the job and also will face alcohol and other drug tests whenever they fire their weapons, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Feb. 9. A new contract also bans officers from drinking within four hours of going on duty. (Source: Join Together, 2/11/10)

Big Alcohol Corporate Profiles, Top Seven 12. Februar 2010
Want to know who exactly we’re referring to when we talk about Big Alcohol? Learn more about the biggest alcohol producers by clicking on the corporate logos below. (Source: Marin Institute, 2/10/10)

Winners of the FREE THE BOWL From Big Al 2010 Video Contest 12. Februar 2010
Marin Institute awarded prizes in its 2nd annual Free The BowlTM video contest to seven young people ages 10 to 25. The prizes honored these young filmmakers compelling counter-alcohol ads, which were previewed at the Free The Bowl From Big Al (Big Alcohol) 2010 World Premiere in San Rafael, California on February 4. The message to Big Alcohol in these videos was clear: The alcohol ads you show during the Super Bowl are inappropriate for the millions of vulnerable young viewers who watch the event. (Source: Marin Institute, 2/8/10)

Alaska: All Alcohol Taxes Used to Fund Treatment, Prevention? 12. Februar 2010
Alaska Senate Majority Leader Johnny Ellis has proposed directing all tax revenues from sales of alcoholic beverages to paying for addiction treatment and prevention programs, the Associated Press reported Jan. 27.
Ellis recently introduced legislation that would roughly double the $40 million in tax money the state currently directs to treatment and prevention. The current law calls for using half of alcohol tax collections on addiction programs. (Source: Join Together, 2/9/10)

Neb. Alcohol Industry Opposes Beer Tax to Fund Treatment 9. Februar 2010
A proposal to use beer-tax revenues to fund an alcohol detoxification program in the notorious town of Whiteclay, Neb., is being opposed by alcohol industry lobbyists, the Omaha World-Herald reported Feb. 4.
Whiteclay is home to four stores that sell only beer, and most of that to residents of the “dry” nearby Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. The reservation is plagued by alcoholism, and Whiteclay has been dubbed the “Skid Row of the Plains.” (Source: Join Together, 2/8/10)

UK: Drinking at the last chance saloon…or – 8. Februar 2010
Drinking at the last chance saloon…or – there is no place for integrity in academic medicine.
Distinguished voices are lining up behind England’s chief medical officer Liam Donaldson in support of a minimum price for alcohol. The BMA and the Royal College of Physicians have made a good case, and this week they are joined by the combined weight of the Faculty of Public Health and the Royal Society for Public Health. These two bodies list a minimum price for alcohol among 12 policy changes that will save many lives and relieve pressure on the NHS. As the faculty’s president Alan Maryon-Davies says, in lean times such action is all the more essential…. (Source: Google Alkohol News, 2/7/10) schiwago.blogspot.com, 2/7/10

USA: Parity In Treatment Of Mental, Substance Use Disorders 8. Februar 2010
The U.S. Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Treasury jointly issued new rules providing parity for consumers enrolled in group health plans who need treatment for mental health or substance use disorders. (Source: Medical News Today, 2/6/10)

W. Va. Bill to Use Beer Tax Revenues for Addiction Programs 5. Februar 2010
A Republican member of the West Virginia House of Delegates wants to raise the start’s beer tax from 1 cent per bottle to 2 cents and use the expected $10 million in proceeds to pay for addiction treatment and prevention, the Charleston Gazette reported Feb. 3. Delegate Bill Hamilton said the bill, HB4253, was inspired by his son’s struggle with addiction and the state’s lack of treatment services. The state’s alcohol industry vowed to fight the measure; a similar bill was killed last year. (Source: Join Together, 2/4/10)

USA: Friends of Underage Drinking Victim Sued 2. Februar 2010
A Massachusetts woman whose 17-year-old daughter died after a night of drinking has sued seven people in connection with the death, including five of her friends under the age of 18. Taylor Meyer went out drinking after a high-school football game in October 2008, attending hourse parties and ending up at an abandoned airport. Sometime during the night, Meyer wandered off into a nearby swamp; her body was found in the water three days later. (Source: Join Together, 1/29/10)

RESEARCH

US Black Adults’ Alcohol Use And Binge Drinking Levels 27. Februar 2010
Black Adults’ Alcohol Use And Binge Drinking Levels Are Below The National Average.
The current alcohol use rate for blacks aged 18 and older is significantly lower than the national adult average (44.3 percent versus 55.2 percent) according to a new study based on a national survey. The study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) also reveals that black adults have a lower rate of current binge drinking than the national adult average (21.7 percent versus 24.5 percent). Young black adults (aged 18 -25) are markedly less likely to be currently engaged in binge drinking than young adults in the general population (25.3 percent versus 41.6 percent). … (Source: Medical News Today, 2/26/10)

Study: Substance Abuse and America’s Prison Population 27. Februar 2010
New CASA* Report Finds: In 2006 65 percent of all U.S. inmates meet medical criteria for substance abuse addiction, only 11 percent receive any treatment. Drugs, alcohol implicated in 78 percent of violent crimes, 83 percent of property crimes, 77 percent OF weapon, public order, other crimes. Of the 2.3 million inmates crowding our nations prisons and jails, 1.5 million meet the DSM IV medical criteria for substance abuse or addiction, and another 458,000, while not meeting the strict DSM IV criteria, had histories of substance abuse; were under the influence of alcohol or other drugs at the time of their crime; …
The new 144-page report also reveals that alcohol and other drugs are significant factors in all crime.
Press Release: Behind Bars II: Substance Abuse and America’s Prison Population

Study: Blacks Drink Less, But More Likely to Use Illicit Drugs 26. Februar 2010
African-Americans are less likely to drink alcohol than other adults — and have lower rates of binge drinking — but their rate of illicit-drug use is higher, according to a new report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). (Source: Join Together, 2/25/10)

Socioeconomic deprivation, urban-rural location and alcohol-related mortality in England and Wales 26. Februar 2010
Conclusion: Large inequalities in alcohol-related mortality exist between sub-groups of the population in England and Wales. These should be considered when designing public health policies to reduce alcohol-related harm. The complete article is available as a provisional PDF. Published by BMC Public Health, 2/25/10, 10:99doi:10.1186/1471-2458-10-99

Figures Highlight The Human Cost Of Alcohol Misuse, UK 26. Februar 2010
Commenting on new figures published last Thuesday which show a sharp increase in chronic liver disease (CLD) mortality rates in Scotland, Dr Brian Keighley, Chairman of the BMA in Scotland, said: “These figures highlight the true human cost of alcohol misuse in Scotland. Today’s figures show a shocking rise in the death toll caused by a drinking culture that is out of control. (Source: Medical News Today, 2/25/10)

Anti-Drinking Ads Can Increase Alcohol Use 26. Februar 2010
Public service advertising campaigns that use guilt or shame to warn against alcohol abuse can actually have the reverse effect, spurring increased drinking among target audiences, according to new research from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business. (Source: Medical News Today, 2/25/10)

USA: More Drunk Driving Among Young Women 25. Februar 2010
The rate of alcohol-related fatal car crashes has risen among some populations of female drivers, a worrying trend that runs counter to the decline in such crashes among young men.
ScienceDaily reported Feb. 18 that an analysis of U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data found that the rate of fatal car crashes where drivers had alcohol in their system fell among all age groups of men studied up to age 20 (16 to 20) and remained the same among 21- to 24-year-olds. (Source: Join Together, 2/23/10)

Binge Drinking Confounds Any Health Benefits of Drinking 23. Februar 2010
Alcohol consumption may improve coronary health, some studies say, but new research suggests that even the occasional binge-drinking episode can foil any such health benefits, Reuters reported Feb. 18.
A review of 14 previously published studies finds that occasional binge drinkers — those who consumed five or more drinks at a sitting at least 12 times per year, but were not daily heavy drinkers — were 45 percent more likely to develop coronary heart disease than those who only drank in moderation (one or two drinks daily). (Source: Join Together, 2/22/10)

More Alcohol Sales Sites Mean More Neighborhood Violence 23. Februar 2010
According To New Indiana University Research More Alcohol Sales Sites Mean More Neighborhood Violence.
More alcohol sales sites in a neighborhood equates to more violence, and the highest assault rates are associated with carry-out sites selling alcohol for off-premise consumption, according to new research released Feb. 21 by two Indiana University professors. (Source: Medical News Today, 2/22/10)

Sweet-Loving Kids More Likely to Have Family History of Alcoholism 22. Februar 2010
Children who have an extreme sweet tooth also may be at elevated risk of becoming alcoholics, according to researchers at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia. LiveScience reported Feb. 10 that researcher Julie Mennella and colleagues studied sweetness preference among 300 children ages 5-12. They found that the children who had a family history of alcoholism and had symptoms of depression were also the most likely to express a preference for intense sweetness. (Source: Join Together, 2/19/10)

Potent Caffeinated Wine Symbolizes Scottish Drinking Problems 17. Februar 2010
A sweet, caffeinated, high-alcohol wine has become a symbol of the growing drinking problems in Scottish society, the New York Times reported Feb. 4. Buckfast Tonic Wine goes by a number of popular names that reflect its reputation, including “Wreck the Hoose (House) Juice,” and Scotland’s former industrial heartland is sometimes referred to as the “Buckfast Belt.” One study found that 43 percent of youth offenders drank Buckfast before committing their crimes, and in one district alone the wine was mentioned in more than 5,600 crime reports over a three-year period. …(Source: Join Together, 2/12/10)

Denmark: For the first time less alcohol consumption 13. Februar 2010
In Denmark people drank less alcohol in 2009 than the previous year – the first drop for several years. The latest figures for first three quarters of 2009 show a 20% decrease in the quantity of taxable alcohol reported sold across the board. And the average of 11.7 litres of pure alcohol bought per person for the year was 1.5 litres less than five years ago. The Danish Brewers’ Association (Bryggeriforeningen) said that beer sales within the industry decreased by 8% last year compared to 2008. According to Statistics Denmark alcohol consumption had been gradually climbing for many years prior to 2009. (Quelle: Google Alkohol News, 12.2.10) globalmalt.de, 9.2.10 Comment: Denmark still belongs to the European top consumers.

Alcohol, Energy Drinks Add Up To Higher Intoxication Levels, etc. 12. Februar 2010
Energy drinks, favored among young people for the beverages’ caffeine jolt, also play a lead role in several popular alcoholic drinks, such as Red Bull and vodka. But combining alcohol and energy drinks may create a dangerous mix, according to University of Florida research. In a study of college-aged adults exiting bars, patrons who consumed energy drinks mixed with alcohol had a threefold increased risk of leaving a bar highly intoxicated and were four times more likely to intend to drive after drinking than bar patrons who drank alcohol only. (Source: Medical News Today, 2/11/10)

More Americans Drinking at Home, Industry Group Says 8. Februar 2010
Liquor sales are holding steady despite the recession, but industry data indicates that more Americans are drinking at home rather than going out to bars and restaurants, the Phoenix Business Journal reported Feb. 2.
Liquor sales were up 1.4 percent last year, to 187 million cases worth $18.7 billion, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. The study also found that off-premise consumption rose by 2.2 percent while on-premise drinking (e.g. at bars and restaurants) fell by 3 percent. (Source: Join Together, 2/5/10)

Peers, Other Social Factors Can Affect Drinking Among Older Adults 4. Februar 2010
As with underage drinking, social factors can help predict excessive drinking among older adults, according to new research from Rudolf H. Moos of the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care System in Palo Alto, Calif. Moos and colleagues studied 719 men and women ages 55 to 65 over a 20-year period and found that those with more money, a more active social life, and friends who approved of drinking were more likely to engage in risky or excessive drinking. (Source: Join Together, 2/2/10)

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Editor:

Hermann T. Meyer, Projekte und Dienstleistungen, Lindenstr. 32, CH-8307 Effretikon, Switzerland
Tel. +41 (0)52 343 58 75, Fax: +41 (0)52 343 59 29         e-mail
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Last entry February 27, 2010