www.alkoholpolitik.ch

www.alkoholpolitik.ch Newsletter August 2010    (issued 08/31/10)

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.

2994 articles in 109 categories and with 7784 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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Letter with mailed Newsletter

While moderate drinking – one to less than three drinks per day – is linked to a decrease in mortality in middle-aged and older adults, there is also concern that the health benefits of moderate drinking have been overestimated. A new study of the association between drinking and mortality during a 20-year period, which controlled for confounding factors such as previous problem drinking, confirms an association of moderate drinking and reduced mortality among older adults. …

So far part of the article in Medical News Today, 8/27/10. They should add: …compared with heavy drinkers. Because the following statement in that report is very clear:

“Our findings demonstrate that abstainers were significantly more likely to have had prior drinking problems, to be obese, and to smoke cigarettes than moderate drinkers and scored significantly higher than moderate drinkers on health problems, depressive symptoms, and avoidance coping,” he said. “In addition, abstainers were significantly lower than moderate drinkers on socioeconomic status, physical activity, number of close friends, and quality of friend support and significantly less likely to be married than moderate drinkers. Moreover, all of these factors that were associated with abstention significantly predicted mortality.” …

This study is the end of all those alcohol friendly research we have had in the last decade. We always said, that the control group of abstainers used in those studies was not correct and that those reseachers made use of the book “Who are the Abstainers” by ICAP, the Institute of the alcohol industry; now that’s the proof. In German newspapers the headlines still say the contrary. Perhaps they learn now that the wind has changed. We have to thank a lot to that team of researchers!

With this month the website www.alkoholpolitik.ch has entered its tenth year of existence. I thank you for your interest and the moral backing sometimes. I hope this website will still be of some use for you in its tenth year on the way towards a healthier and more worthy life.

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TOP NEWS

Does Moderate Drinking Confer Health Benefits Or Not? – 28. August 2010
While moderate drinking – one to less than three drinks per day – is linked to a decrease in mortality in middle-aged and older adults, there is also concern that the health benefits of moderate drinking have been overestimated. A new study of the association between drinking and mortality during a 20-year period, which controlled for confounding factors such as previous problem drinking, confirms an association of moderate drinking and reduced mortality among older adults. … “Our findings demonstrate that abstainers were significantly more likely to have had prior drinking problems, to be obese, and to smoke cigarettes than moderate drinkers and scored significantly higher than moderate drinkers on health problems, depressive symptoms, and avoidance coping,” he said. “In addition, abstainers were significantly lower than moderate drinkers on socioeconomic status, physical activity, number of close friends, and quality of friend support and significantly less likely to be married than moderate drinkers. Moreover, all of these factors that were associated with abstention significantly predicted mortality.” … (Source: Medical News Today, 8/27/10) our online-comment: This study is the end of all those alcohol friendly research we have had in the last decade. We always said, that the control group of abstainers used in those studies was a swindle, now that’s the proof. In German newspapers the headlines still say the contrary. Perhaps they learn now that the wind has changed. We have to thank a lot to that team of researchers!

GLOBAL

UK: Tax on alcohol should rise by ten per cent: charity – 29. August 2010
Tax on alcohol should rise by ten per cent to reduce deaths, fund treatment and discourage the production of extra strong beer, Alcohol Concern has said.
The issue of alcohol pricing has been a thorny one for the coalition government with the Liberal Democrats supporting a minimum price per unit while the Conservatives have rejected the idea.
In a letter to the Daily Telegraph, the charity highlights the Treasury’s own figures showing that a ten per cent rise in tax would cut deaths from alcohol-related conditions by a third. …(Source: Google Alcohol News, 8/28/10) quedit.com, 28.8.10

News from Marin Institute, California – 26. August 2010
E.g. Privatizing Alcohol Sales Could Cost Washington State $500M – Marin Institute

Children Empowered To Skirt Alcohol And Tobacco Marketing Messages Via ‘Media Detective’ Too – 26.August 2010
Playing “media detective” allows children to understand the intentions of marketers and the goals of advertising while empowering them to resist messages that encourage alcohol or tobacco use. (Source: Medical News Today, 8/25/10)

Alcohol use and older adults – 25. August 2010
Health and addictions professionals are well aware that adults over the age of 65 should drink less than younger people and know about important new risks of consuming alcohol. Now, a federal health website for older adults has published that information in a consumer-friendly format. (Source: Join Together, 8/24/10)

New Zealand: Government’s Alcohol Measures Welcomed – 25. August 2010
The New Zealand Medical Association (NZMA) welcomes the Government’s new policies to address the many problems caused by excessive alcohol consumption, but would have liked the Government to implement additional measures such as a tax increase on alcohol, says NZMA Chair Dr Peter Foley. …”We acknowledge that the evidence supports age as a significant factor in the problems of inappropriate and excessive alcohol consumption. We support the split purchase age… (Source: Medical News Today, 8/24/10)

Politicians Ignore Key Alcohol Policies Ahead Of Election, Australia – 24. August 2010
The Alcohol Policy Coalition has today released a document provided to all federal MPs outlining a suite of evidence-based strategies to address Australia’s growing problem with alcohol. All federal Members of Parliament received copies of the document last month but Australians are yet to see any serious action from the major parties. – Alcohol remains a major cause of death and illness in Australia. (Source: Medical News Today, 8/23/10)

Sheffield Modelling On Minimum Price For Alcohol, Scotland – 23. August 2010
The British Medical Association (BMA), Alcohol Focus Scotland (AFS) and Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP) have endorsed the updated findings of researchers at Sheffield University on the impact that a minimum price per unit of alcohol will have on Scotland’s drinking culture. (Source: Medical News Today, 8/22/10)

The opportunities for and obstacles against prevention: the example of Germany in the areas of tobacco and alcohol – 20. August 2010
In Germany, there are substantial health gains to be reaped from the implementation of evidence-based, cost-effective preventive interventions and policies. Barriers to more prevention include social, historical, political, legal and economic factors. While there is sufficient evidence to scale up prevention efforts in some public health domains in Germany, in general there is a comparative shortage of research on non-clinical preventive interventions. Some of the existing barriers in Germany are at least in principle amenable to change, provided sufficient political will exists….(Source: biomedcentral.com, 8/19/10)

Moscow bans overnight sales of vodka – 20. August 2010
City authorities in Moscow have announced a ban on the sale of spirits between 10pm and 10am, in the most recent of a series of measures designed to break the country’s drinking habit. …Medvedev announced a war on alcohol last summer saying he was shocked by the “colossal” level of consumption. He ordered the government to draw up measures to discourage excessive drinking and cut off supplies of bootleg liquor….(Source: Harvard World Health News, 8/20/10) guardian.co.uk, 8/18/10

Drug Policy: The Lindsey Lohan Effect – 18. August 2010
If actress/starlet/addict Lindsay Lohan accomplishes nothing else in this life — and this seems increasingly probable — we’ll at least be able to say that she has sparked a conversation about the relative merits of drug treatment versus incarceration. As you may know, Lohan used up even the long rope afforded repeat offenders in Hollywood and was sent to jail in July for violating the terms of her probation stemming from a drunk-driving conviction. Lohan’s teary courtroom appearances have elicited some sympathy. …(Source: Join Together, 8/16/10)

UK: Minister seeks control of alcohol licensing in Wales – 14. August 2010
Ministers in Wales could take charge of rules surrounding alcohol sales, including minimum price, licensing hours and advertising. The Welsh Assembly Government has confirmed that Health Minister Edwina Hart wants to “take control and take action” over alcohol. She will ask cabinet colleagues to request that the Licensing Act 2003 is devolved in Wales by the UK government. The SNP, which wants similar powers in Scotland, has welcomed the move. Mrs Hart has previously indicated that she would seek powers to act over alcohol if the UK government did not do the same soon. (Source: Google Alcohol News, 8/14/10) bbc.co.uk, 8/14/10

UK: David Cameron backs ban on cheap alcohol – 12. August 2010
The PM David Cameron supports plans by 10 councils in the North West to create a by-law making it illegal to sell alcohol for less than 50p.
The Prime Minister said he would look sympathetically at local initiatives to tackle “deep discounting”. However, he said he would not go so far as to support proposals for a tax to increase alcohol prices to a minimum level. (Source: Google Alkohol New, 8/12/10) telegraph.co.uk, 8/12/10

Event: Working Towards a Holistic Alcohol Strategy in Europe – 12. August 2010
Communication, Education and Public Awareness
The Silken Hotel, Brussels, Thursday 30th September 2010; KEY SPEAKER: Mr. Michael Huebel, Head of Unit – Health Determinants, DG SANCO, European Commission
Event Details – Website – Register to Attend

Statement on alcohol policy – 10. August 2010
IOGT International is the largest international non-governmental organization working for the promotion of an alcohol-free lifestyle. At its Congress this month it published the following statement:
According to the World Health Organization, WHO, alcohol is the third most prominent cause of ill health in the world, killing 2.6 million people every year. Alcohol is an obstacle to development and closely linked to poverty, inequity, violence, traffic accidents and the spread of various diseases such as HIV.
The Congress of IOGT International sees the need for a strong and global action and highly supports the WHO Global Alcohol Strategy, undertaken by the World Health Assembly in 2010.
IOGT International:
- Demands the governments…. (Source: IOGT International)

Maryland, USA: The “dime a drink” pledge – 10. August 2010
Aside from the self-destructive and Walter F. Mondale, politicians don’t generally run on a promise to raise taxes. They’re more inclined to run from that prospect. So health care advocates probably shouldn’t expect to hire extra mail sorters for all the candidates returning pledge forms committing themselves to a proposed “dime a drink” liquor tax increase. Members of the Maryland Citizens’ Health Initiative are probably aware of this. They’ve not even bothered with the governor’s race and instead directed the campaign entirely at those running for the House of Delegates and state Senate. There are primaries in hardcore Democratic districts where such a pledge might actually make a difference. (Source: Marin Institute, 8/10/10) healthcareforall.com, 7/20/10

USA: Alcohol Bill Means ‘Happy Hour’ for Lobbyists – 10. August 2010
Trade associations and lobbyists for alcohol manufacturers are brawling with their wholesale distributors over a bill that would strengthen states’ ability to regulate alcohol and make it harder to challenge state alcohol laws in court. (Source: Marin Institute, 8/10/10) law.com, 7/21/10

U.S. Senators Tell FDA Alcoholic Energy Drinks Unsafe and Possibily Illegal – 10. August 2010
Senators Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MI), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) have joined forces in a recent letter to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) calling on the agency to “immediately make public its findings from an investigation into possible health risks posed by so-called ‘energy drinks’ that combine alcohol and caffeine.” (Source: Marin Institute, 8/04/10)

Rally in San Francisco to Support a Charge for Harm Alcohol Mitigation Fee – 10. August 2010
Economic Analysis Shows Zero Job Impact While Raising Millions for City.
In an enthusiastic display of solidarity, 200 people rallied on the steps of San Francisco City Hall yesterday in support of a groundbreaking “Charge for Harm” alcohol-related fee ordinance. (Source: Marin Institute, 8/05/10

Minimum Pricing For Alcohol Only Credible Option – 6. August 2010
says BMA Scotland. Commenting in advance of the cross party meeting of politicians to discuss areas of consensus on alcohol policy, Dr Brian Keighley, Chairman of the BMA in Scotland, said: “I am pleased that the political parties are coming together to discuss alcohol policy but it will not be possible to reach consensus until public health is put before party politics…” (Source: Medical News Today, 8/4/10)

Technomic Sees A Rebound in 2010 Alcohol Sales – 2. August 2010
Citing a positive sales trend from restaurants and bars, Technomic has revised its forecast for sales of beverage alcohol sold away from home upward. Technomic now expects beverage alcohol sold in bars, restaurants and other on-premise establishments to grow by 1.1 percent this year, up from the decline of 2.5 percent forecasted at the end of 2009. (Source: Google Alcohol News, 8/2/10) ad-hoc-news.de, 21.7.10

Plans By The Government To Crack Down On Binge Drinking Hotspots, UK – 2. August 2010
Responding to the plan by the Government to crack down on binge drinking hotspots and give communities more influence over licensing applications, Chris Sorek, Chief Executive of alcohol awareness charity Drinkaware, says: “Alcohol misuse costs society £25 billion a year* and it is imperative our culture’s binge drinking problem is tackled head on. Drink related anti-social behavior causes misery for communities across the country, and the Government is right to take action. We hope this is the first step in a plan that goes right to the heart of the issue – changing attitudes and making it socially unacceptable to drink to excess. (Source: Medical News Today, 7/30/10) Comment: They cannot change attitudes with awareness programmes. The Government must do much more.

RESEARCH

Both Episodic Memory And Awareness Of Memory Are Damaged By Alcohol Dependence – 27. August 2010 Alcohol dependence (AD) has negative effects on cognitive processes such as memory. Metamemory refers to the subjective knowledge that people have of their own cognitive processing abilities, such as their monitoring and control of memory. A new study has found that AD has a negative impact on both episodic memory as well as metamemory. (Source: Medical News Today, 8/26/10)

Disruption Of Circadian Rhythms By Chronic Drinking – 27. August 2010
Circadian rhythmicity is regulated by circadian clock genes, and animal studies have shown that chronic drinking can alter expressions in these genes. A new study has found that significantly lower levels of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) – a molecule of RNA that helps to manufacture proteins – in circadian clock genes in alcohol-dependent (AD) patients support a relationship between circadian clock gene dysregulation and drinking in humans. (Source: Medical News Today, 8/26/10)

Alcoholic Liver Disease Is More Aggressive Than Other Chronic Liver Diseases – 27. August 2010
Many diagnostic and treatment options have been developed for chronic liver disease during the last 40 years, yet their influence on survival remain unclear. A new study of the prognosis for patients hospitalized for liver diseases between 1969 and 2006, and of differences in mortality and complications between patients with alcoholic and non-alcoholic liver diseases, has found that the general prognosis for patients hospitalized with chronic liver diseases has not improved. (Source: Medical News Today, 8/26/10)

Alcohol Consumption Linked To Subtypes Of Breast Cancer – 25. August 2010
Regular alcohol intake raises the risk of developing lobular and hormone receptor-positive breast cancer, but does not appear to be linked to invasive ductal carcinoma risk, says a report published in JNCI (Journal of the National Cancer Institute), August 23rd issue. This is the first major study to look at a possible relationship between alcohol intake and breast cancer risk by subtype, the authors wrote. (Source: Medical News Today, 8/24/10)

UK: Women’s knowledge and attitudes regarding alcohol consumption in pregnancy – 24. August 2010
Background: Alcohol exposure in pregnancy is a common and modifiable risk factor for poor pregnancy and child outcomes. Alcohol exposure in pregnancy can cause a range of physical and neurodevelopmental problems in the child including the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). In order to improve prevention strategies, we sought to describe the knowledge and attitudes of women of childbearing age regarding alcohol consumption during pregnancy and its effects on the fetus. (Source: BMC Public Health, 8/23/10)

USA: Most Underage Drinkers Seen in ER Are Male – 24. August 2010
The majority of U.S. emergency-room (ER) visits for underage drinking involve males, according to a new report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
HealthDay reported Aug. 11 that researchers in SAMHSA’s public health surveillance system analyzed 2008 data and found that one-third of drug-related ER visits among patients aged 12-20 involved alcohol. Of these, males accounted for 53 percent of patients aged 12-17 and 62 percent of patients aged 18-20. (Source: Join Together, 8/19/10)

Identifying Factors Which Predict Alcohol Use After Liver Transplantation – 24. August 2010
Patients who receive a liver transplant due to alcoholic liver disease need to demonstrate periods of abstinence and often attend addiction treatment before transplantation. However, alcohol use disorders can recur, as can other diseases requiring transplantation, and thus alcohol use after liver transplantation is not uncommon. A new study published in the American Journal of Transplantation reveals that those at highest risk to drink alcohol post transplant, especially in patterns that will damage their health, can be identified potentially preventing relapse. (Source: Medical News Today, 8/20/10)

The Lethal Mix Of Binge Drinking And High Blood Pressure – 24. August 2010
People with hypertension (high blood pressure) who binge drink are much more likely to die than other individuals, says a study published in the medical journal Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association. The definition of hypertension in this study was blood pressure of at least 168 /100 millimeters of mercury. (Source: Medical News Today, 8/20/10)

National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse XV: Teens and Parents – 20. August 2010
Twenty-seven percent of public school students ages 12 to 17 say that their school is both gang- and drug-infected (drugs are used, kept or sold on school grounds), according to the National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse XV: Teens and Parents, the 15th annual back-to-school survey conducted by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA*) at Columbia University. This means that 5.7 million public school students attend schools which are both gang- and drug-infected. (Source: casacolumbia.org, 8/19/10)

New Study Sheds Light On Recovery From Intoxication – 20. August 2010
A new study shows the impact of alcohol intoxication on reasoning and problem-solving abilities and may explain why some people feel they have recovered enough to drive after drinking. The research, led by Peter J. Snyder, PhD, vice president of research for Lifespan, is the first to explore how these cognitive abilities are impacted during both rising and declining blood alcohol concentrations, at matched blood alcohol level concentrations, and how self-evaluation of recovery differs from actual recovery from impairment. The study is published in the August 2010 issue of Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology, a publication by the American Psychological Association. (Source: Medical News Today, 8/19/10)

Strict Enforcement of College Alcohol Policies Reduces Binge and Underage Drinking on Campus – 20. August 2010
Tough college alcohol policies reduce underage and binge drinking on campus without causing a compensatory rise in marijuana use, according to investigators at the Center for Adolescent Substance Abuse Research (CeASAR) at Children’s Hospital Boston.
The CeASAR study team surveyed students and administrators at 11 Massachusetts colleges and universities to assess the results of a more restrictive alcohol use enforcement policy put forth by the Mass. Board of Higher Education. (Source: Join Together, 8/17/10)

Disadvantaged Adolescents Prone To Adult Crime And Substance Abuse Problems – 18. August 2010
A new article published in a forthcoming issue of The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry concludes that early intervention among young adolescents with delinquency problems may help prevent the development of long-term crime, alcohol use disorders (AUDs), and risky sex behaviors, especially among disadvantaged youth. (Source: Medical News Today, 8/17/10)

Women Who Drink Beer Regularly More Likely To Develop Psoriasis – 18. August 2010
Women who drink beer regularly seem to have a higher risk of developing psoriasis, according to a study published in Archives of Dermatology, a JAMA/Archives journal. The link does not apply to light beer or wines or spirits (liquor), the researchers say. They speak of modest amounts per week. (Source: Medical News Today, 8/16/10)

Report Pinpoints Substance Use Problems In Individual Localities – 16. August 2010
A new report shows that behavioral health problems affect every community throughout America but in unique, and sometimes surprising ways. The report, based on a nationwide survey commissioned by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), offers detailed analyses of the substance use problems occurring within these smaller geographical areas. (Source: Medical News Today, 8/14/10)

Alcohol Use May Be A Problem For Older Adults – 14. August 2010
Some people whose drinking habits do not change over the years and decades may find that they develop problems with alcohol when they get older – aging lowers the body’s tolerance for alcohol. A drink now and again as one ages will not usually cause any harm. However, alcohol can become a problem for older adults, especially if they are taking certain prescription medications, have health conditions, or do not control their alcohol intake. (Source: Medical News Today, 8/13/10)

USA: Nurses Increasingly Target Of Violence – 14. August 2010
“Violence against nurses and other medical professionals appears to be increasing around the country as the number of drug addicts, alcoholics and psychiatric patients showing up at emergency rooms climbs. Nurses have responded, in part, by seeking tougher criminal penalties for assaults against health care workers. … Visits to ERs for drug- and alcohol-related incidents climbed from about 1.6 million in 2005 to nearly 2 million in 2008, according to the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. From 2006 to 2008, the number of those visits resulting in violence jumped from 16,277 to 21,406, the agency said.” (Source: Medical News Today, 8/12/10)

Declining Youth Exposure To Alcohol Ads In Magazines – 12. August 2010
Youth exposure to alcohol advertising in magazines declined by 48 percent between 2001 and 2008, according to a new study by the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Although 325 alcohol brands advertised in magazines in 2008, just 16 brands accounted for half of the advertising placed in publications more likely to be seen per capita by youth than by adults. Leading the list were Patron Silver Tequila, Absolut Vodka, Kahlua Liqueurs, Ketel One Vodka and Jim Beam Bourbon Whiskey. (Source: Medical News Today, 8/11/10)

Forensic Laboratories Develops First Oral Fluid Test For Ethyl Sulfate Detection – 12. August 2010
Forensic Laboratories, a Denver-based laboratory specializing in toxicology services for drug and alcohol abuse, has announced the expansion of its oral fluid testing capabilities. The company is the first lab in the nation to develop an analytical test capable of detecting Ethyl Sulfate (EtS) in saliva, a chemical produced by the body after alcohol exposure. Forensic Laboratories’ new test method will also simultaneously detect Ethyl Glucuronide (EtG). (Source: Medical News Today, 8/10/10)

Death Rates Among Chronic Heavy Drinkers Can Be Reduced By Alcohol Taxes – 12. August 2010
Adjusting the alcohol tax in Florida to account for inflation since 1983 would prevent 600 to 800 deaths each year in that state from diseases caused by chronic heavy alcohol use, according to a new study from the University of Florida. The Florida legislature last increased alcohol taxes in 1983. The new study, which analyzed death rate and tax data from 1969 to 2004, is published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research (ACER). (Source: Medical News Today, 8/10/10)

Lancet Comment Calls For More Research Into Alcohol Use, HIV – 10. August 2010
According to a Lancet Comment, “alcohol remains conspicuously absent from the larger field of research and programming in HIV and substance use. … Patterns of hazardous alcohol consumption prevail in countries with the most severe HIV epidemics, notably eastern and southern Africa.” In addition, “hazardous drinking patterns also dominate in the concentrated epidemics of eastern Europe and Asia, where alcohol use by injecting drug users and other marginalised groups might be an additional barrier to effective efforts to prevent HIV infection.” T….(Fritz et. al, 8/7). (Source: Medical News Today, 8/09/10) our Online-Comment: “Conspicuously” is the correct wording in this connection. Alcohol is “tabu” regarding HIV, poverty, developing aid and sexual-risk behaviour. Public health authorities and politicians are afraid they would have to fight for less alcohol consumption.

Mental Illness And Hazardous Alcohol Usage In Doctors – 4. August 2010
Personality Traits Linked To Mental Illness And Hazardous Alcohol Usage In Doctors.
Certain personality traits, demographic and work related factors increase the likelihood that doctors will develop mental illness or hazardous alcohol habits according to a study published in the Medical Journal of Australia. Dr Louise Nash, from the New South Wales Institute of Psychiatry and University of Sydney and co-authors conducted a study to identify factors associated with psychiatric morbidity and hazardous alcohol use in Australian doctors. A total of 2999 doctors participated in the study. (Source: Medical News Today, 8/2/10)

Workers Significantly Affected By Co-Workers’ Drinking Habits – 4. August 2010
Australian workers are significantly affected by other people’s alcohol drinking and at a considerable cost, according to a study published in the Medical Journal of Australia.
Caroline Dale, from Epidemiology and Population Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and Michael Livingston, from Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre, Melbourne, conducted a study to estimate the cost of extra time worked by Australian workers due to their co-workers’ alcohol drinking. (Source: Medical News Today, 8/2/10)

Teenage Binge Drinkers Harm Abilities In Later Life – 2. August 2010
No Safe Level First Study To Show Teenage Binge Drinkers Harm Abilities In Later Life.
Academics at Northumbria University have demonstrated a link between teenage binge drinking and damage to prospective memory. Prospective memory is an important aspect of day-to-day memory function and is defined as the cognitive ability to remember to carry out an activity at some future point in time. Examples include remembering to attend an appointment at the dentist or to carry out a task such as remembering to pay a bill on time. (Source: Medical News Today, 7/31/10)

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lPlaying “media detective” allows children to understand the intentions of marketers and the goals of advertising while empowering them to resist messages that encourage alcohol or tobacco use. (Source: Medical News Today, 8/25/10)

Youth exposure to alcohol advertising in magazines declined by 48 percent between 2001 and 2008, according to a new study by the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
Although 325 alcohol brands advertised in magazines in 2008, just 16 brands accounted for half of the advertising placed in publications more likely to be seen per capita by youth than by adults. Leading the list were Patron Silver Tequila, Absolut Vodka, Kahlua Liqueurs, Ketel One Vodka and Jim Beam Bourbon Whiskey. (Source: Medical News Today, 8/11/10)

Newsletter online with important information from Europe and the European Union.

MillerCoors recently announced a new marketing campaign it calls a “bottle cap and can tab collection program,” for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans to earn “rewards” such as tickets to concert and professional sporting events. But is this really a good way to help vets? Studies show alcohol over-consumption is on the rise among veterans of combat in Afghanistan and Iraq. Doesn’t MillerCoors have more common sense than to make veterans drink Miller High Life in order to “win” “rewards?” – High Life for Vets? – Study: Alcohol Use Among Veterans (Source: Marin Institute, 7/12/10)

Certain brands of alcoholic energy drinks are marketed with the intent of appealing to underage drinkers, charged Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) in calling for an investigation by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
The Associated Press reported July 11 that Schumer singled out Joose and Four Loko brand energy drinks, which he said are packaged in colorful cans to resemble nonalcoholic energy drinks and fail to prominently disclose their alcohol content — which can be up to 12 percent by volume. …(Source: Join Together, 7/13/10)

Alert by Marin Institute: Don’t Let Big Alcohol Take Advantage of New Dietary Recommendations. New Guidelines on Alcohol consumption Threaten Public Health & Safety
TAKE ACTION:
Join Marin Institute in submitting your comments to the federal government on the Alcohol Section of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans DEADLINE FOR COMMENTS — THURSDAY, JULY 15, 2010
- We are especially concerned that despite the Report’s caveats, the industry will use the new recommendations to promote alcohol consumption and increased consumption.
- We ask that the Committee revise the Report and subsequent Guidelines to send a much more cautionary, evidence-based message regarding alcohol consumption to the public.
-We specifically ask that the new Guidelines maintain the formulation of 2/1 per-day consumption of alcohol for men and women, respectively.
To read the entire alcohol section of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans Report:
http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/DietaryGuidelines/2010/DGAC/Report/D-7-Alcohol.pdf
To read Marin Institute’s complete comments:
https://www.marininstitute.org/site/images/stories/pdfs/dietary_guidelines_letter.pdf

Doctors have said that alcohol purchases should not be eligible for “customer loyalty points” as part of a series of measures to tackle the promotion of cheap alcohol in supermarkets. Doctors, who were attending the BMA’s annual conference in Brighton yesterday (Tuesday 29 June 2010) also gave their backing to increasing the price of alcohol as a means of reducing alcohol consumption. (Source: Medical News Today, 7/1/10)

www.alkoholpolitik.ch Newsletter June 2010    (issued 06/30/10)

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.

2762 articles in 109 categories and with 7229 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 to E-Mail-Newsletter

Also in June there was not much to be seen as a result from the WHO-Resolution on a global alcohol strategy. It looks like a tactic game. The people is not allowed to get the information needed which would enable to demand an effective alcohol policy. The Swiss government even plans to reduce the budget for prevention.

The alcohol problem has had a difficult stand this month to find attention in the medias, beside the football/soccer world championship in South Africa and the oil catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico. Anyhow, an institution has taken up again the alcohol sponsoring by FIFA, after the Global Resolution hadn’t succeeded last time. Now FIFA has offered a lecture on alcohol, which looks like easing the own bad conscience.

Besides, the usual madness with alcohol goes on, on roads and public squares, in party scenes, hidden behind doors, during big festivals, etc. The alcohol lobby is lobbying, putting governments, politicians, economies and medias under pressure, the people is suffering and paying the social costs. The institution media critics, which could bring to light this tragedy is not effective. They don’t like to burn their fingers. Perhaps somebody is looking sometimes for a new job, understandable. Therefore an institution is needed which is in the long run independent.

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TOP NEWS

USA: N.C. Rejects Bud Light as Arena Sponsor – 23. Juni 2010
A proposal to name Raleigh, N.C.’s new outdoor performance venue the Bud Light Amphitheater has been shot down by the state’s liquor-control agency, the News Observer reported June 17. Awarding the naming rights to Anheuser-Busch would have netted the city $1.5 million annually, but the N.C. Alcohol and Beverage Control Commission rejected the exception to state liquor laws that would have been required for the deal to go forward. The law explicitly prohibits public venues from being named for alcoholic beverages or brands. (Source: Join Together, 6/22/10)

Smirnoff Ices Viral Game Website – 21. Juni 2010
The main website promoting the viral “icing” drinking game has been taken down — most likely shut down by Diageo, the parent company of Smirnoff, Ad Age reported June 16. The company, whose Smirnoff Ice is the centerpiece of the game, said it had taken “measures” against promotion of the game, which centers on consumption of warm bottles of Smirnoff Ice. … (Source: Join Together, 6/18/10)

The Adelaide Statement on Health in All Policies 2010 – 21. Juni 2010
moving towards a shared governance for health and well-being – Taking account of health – means more – effective government – More effective government – means improved health The Adelaide Statement on Health in All Policies is to engage leaders and policy-makers at all levels of government—local, regional, national and international. It emphasizes that government objectives are best achieved when all sectors include health and well-being as a key component of policy development. This is because the causes of health and well-being lie outside the health sector and are socially and economically formed. Although many sectors already contribute to better health, significant gaps still exist. Health in All Policies, International Meeting, Adelaide 13-15 April 2010

Forum Syd Sweden addresses alcohol and development – 17. Juni 2010
Alcohol is now recognised as a strategic development issue in Forum Syd, Sweden, according to a decision taken in the general assembly of the Forum. – A decision of great importance, comments Per-Åke Andersson from IOGT-NTO in Sweden. Andersson says that this decision has made alcohol as an obstacle to development a concern for mainstream development NGOs in Sweden. Forum Syd is an umbrella organisation which gathers almost two hundred Swedish organisations working with international development cooperation and advocacy on global issues. The common aim is global justice. (Source: ADD-Bulletin 4/2010)

What if Drug Addiction were as Important to the President as Oil Addiction? – 9. Juni 2010
Form the blog by Joseph A. Califano, Jr. Can you imagine how many children and families–and how many tax dollars–would be saved if the President, the governors and the media paid as much attention to our addiction to drugs as they are giving to our addiction to oil! ….In pressing for his energy bill, President Obama has noted that we Americans are five percent of the world’s population, but we consume 25 percent of the world’s oil. What about this one, Mr. President: We Americans are five percent of the world’s population and we consume 66 percent of the world’s illegal drugs. This other American addiction ruins millions of individuals and families each year. These drugs pour across our borders–they come across many of the same beaches now polluted by BP’s oil–and our government is just as inept at keeping them out of our country. (Source: CASA, THE CHAIRMANS CORNER, 6/7/10)

GLOBAL

Lower Drink Drive Limit – say Doctors in Northern Ireland – 28. Juni 2010
Lowering the drink drive limit will save lives, Northern Ireland doctors said last Friday, 25 June. The BMA’s statement comes amid reports that the Republic of Ireland will move to cut the drink drive limit. Fermanagh GP and member of the BMA’s GP committee Dr John Porteous said, “It has been estimated that there would be 8 fewer deaths on our roads in Northern Ireland by lowering blood alcohol levels to 50mg from the current level of 80mg. (Source: Medical News Today, 6/27/10)

Alcohol And Drugs ‘Stifle Artistic Creativity’ – 26. Juni 2010
The idea that alcohol and drugs can stimulate artists, writers and musicians to create great works of art is a “dangerous myth” and can actually stifle creativity, a psychiatrist has said. Dr Iain Smith, a consultant in addiction psychiatry at Gartnavel Royal Hospital in Glasgow, was speaking at the International Congress of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Edinburgh. He said that while many artists and writers, such as the 19th century French poet Baudelaire and American writer Ernest Hemingway, were well known for their use of intoxicating substances (cannabis and alcohol respectively), most produced their greatest works when they were sober. (Source: Medical News Today, 6/25/10)

UK: Late-night bars and pubs face levy … – 25. Juni 2010
..to meet cost of policing binge drinkers. Bars and pubs that stay open after 11pm will have to pay a “law and order” fee, following police concerns over the levels of drink-fuelled disorder. Under plans to dismantle round-the-clock drinking, the government wants late-night bars to help pay for the cost of tackling antisocial behaviour and alcohol-related violence. Town halls will be given the power to charge premises additional fees for late-night licences, with the amount likely to be graded on the establishment’s popularity. The proposals will run alongside new powers reducing the number of outlets selling alcohol. … (Source: Harvard World Health News, 6/24/10) guardian.co.uk, 6/20/10

UK: Late-Night Drinking Laws Brought Violence and Binge Drinking – 25. Juni 2010
Police press home secretary to call time on late-night drinking laws. Campaigners says Labour’s introduction of late licences has encouraged binge drinking and led to more violent crime. (Source: Harvard World Health News, 6/24/10) guardian.co.uk, 6/20/10 Comment: It’s a pity the government didn’t listen to public health specialists.

Experts Critical of Purported Hangover Curative – 25. Juni 2010
A new drink debuting in France claims to reduce drunkenness and lessen hangovers but has health experts wary, Fox News reported June 16. The drink, Outox, purports to “greatly speed up” the breakdown of alcohol in the blood, which the company says has been medically tested, though this has not been independently verified. “If someone invented a product capable of really lowering the level of alcohol in the blood, he would deserve a Nobel prize,” said Alain Rigaud, president of the French anti-alcoholism group Association Nationale de Prevention en Alcoologie et Addictologie (ANPAA). (Source: Join Together, 6/24/10)

Russia hopes shock ads and price hikes will dampen love for vodka – 25. Juni 2010
President Dmitry Medvedev spearheads Kremlin offensive against spirit blamed for 500,000 deaths a year With sensationalist adverts, steep price rises and bombastic rhetoric, Russia is pulling out all the stops to curb the national love affair with vodka that is estimated to cause 500,000 deaths a year, especially among men. (Source: Harvard World Health News, 6/23/10) guardian.co.uk, 6/21/10

Focus On Links Between Alcohol And Cancer, Australia – 25. Juni 2010
AMA President, Dr Andrew Pesce, said today that more needs to be done to stop young people from taking up drinking at an early age, including banning alcohol advertising and promotions that are targeted at teenagers and adolescents. Dr Pesce said that excess alcohol consumption is known to be a contributor to cancer rates in Australia. The 2010 edition of Australia’s Health, released yesterday, showed that there are rising rates of cancer in the community and that cancer is the leading cause of disease burden in Australia. (Source: Medical News Today, 6/24/10)

EU Open Health Forum conference – 23. Juni 2010
“Together for Health – a Strategy for the EU 2020″ (Brussels, 29-30 June 2010) – The Conference will be broadcast live. Read the programme and watch the event. The Open Health Forum will be broadcast live on this page. All day long, you will have the possibility to watch and listen to all the different speakers taking part in the conference.

Retailer Seeks Overhaul of Wash. Liquor Sales System – 23. Juni 2010
Washington voters will be asked this fall whether private companies should be allowed to sell liquor, part of a ballot initiative driven by big-box retailer Costco. The Wall Street Journal reported June 18 that Costco wants to be able to sell liquor in its stores, but Washington currently restricts such sales to state stores, although beer and wine can be sold in grocery stores and elsewhere. Costco contributed more than half a million dollars to the campaign run by a group called Modernize Washington and had its employees collect ballot signatures from customers. (Source: Join Together, 6/21/10)

THE GLOBE – issue 1/2010 – 19. Juni 2010
From the content: Global alcohol strategy endorsed. – UK Government “too close to drinks industry”. – Indian Government urged to formulate National Alcohol Policy. – Articles on Russia, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Pacific Region, etc. THE GLOBE 1/2010 online

Eurocare: What’s NOT on the bottle? – 17. Juni 2010
Eurocare response to vote of the EP on ‘Food Information to Consumers’. Eurocare (European Alcohol Policy Alliance) is extremely disappointed with the shape of the Food Information to Consumers legislation which exempts alcoholic beverages from obligation to list its content. This is despite the fact that alcohol is high in calorie content, carbohydrates and certain ingredients used in its production can cause allergies or intolerances. We strongly believe that we all have the right to make informed choices and the current proposal will mean that one will know what is in a bottle of a fruit juice but not in a bottle of alcoholic beverage. (Source: Eurocare, 6/17/10)

USA: Budget Cuts Gut Mo. Alcohol Enforcement – 17. Juni 2010
The Missouri legislature has cut over $1 million from its Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control, leaving just five agents to monitor 12,000 liquor licenses, the Associated Press reported June 14. The burden will now be on local law enforcement to bridge the regulatory gap — checking licenses and monitoring the sale of alcohol to minors — a task police officials say stresses an already overextended police force. (Source: Join Together, 6/16/10)

UK: Drink-driving review wants to lower alcohol limit – 17. Juni 2010
The legal alcohol limit for drivers should be lowered by almost half to save lives and reduce casualties on the roads, a report published on Wednesday advises. The Whitehall-commissioned study outlines 51 recommendations, including reducing the drink-drive limit from 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood to 50mg. (Source: news.yahoo.com, 6/16/10)

F: L’Alliance prévention alcool, devient une association – 15. Juni 2010
L’Alliance Prévention Alcool organise une conférence de presse le 15 juin. Cette conférence de presse revête une importance particulière, en effet à cette occasion, la constitution en association Loi 1901 de l’Alliance Prévention Alcool sera annoncée. Ce collectif national pour la prévention du risque alcool (qui rassemble des associations, des fédérations, des mutuelles et des personnalités de toute nature, qui veulent agir et communiquer dans le domaine de la prévention du risque alcool) devient officiellement une association…. (Source: anpaa.asso.fr, 15 juin 2010)

More Austrian women become alcohol dependent – 15. Juni 2010
The amount of alcohol dependent women in Austria is increasing rapidly, warns the director of the Austrian Anton Proksch Institute Michael Musalek. If this trend continues, the amount of alcohol dependent women in Austria is going to redouble. Alcohol seems to be very popular in the Alpine Republic. The country takes the top places in the international comparison. (Source: Google alcohol news, 6/14/10) austrianews.co.uk, 6/14/10 Comment: It seems the prevention work of the Institute ist not successful. At least the politicians are not listening to them.

USA: College Official: Don’t Ask Us to Solve Student Drinking – 15. Juni 2010
Binge and underage drinking are societal problems that college officials can’t be expected to solve, according to a speaker at the annual meeting of the American College Health Association (ACHA). USA Today reported June 4 that Edward P. Ehlinger, head of the Boynton Health Service at the University of Minnesota, said that current efforts to combat dangerous drinking among college students aren’t working. “I don’t think the problem of alcohol is an underage problem. It is not a college or university problem,” he said. “I think alcohol is a community problem — it is a societal problem.” (Source: Join Together, 6/11/10) with our online comment

Alcohol targeted in Venezuela by Chavez – 13. Juni 2010
Venezuela’s president Hugo Chavez has promised tighter restrictions on alcohol sales. President Hugo Chavez says he wants Venezuelans to stop drinking so much alcohol, and he has ordered the military to crack down on businesses selling beer on the streets or after legal hours. Chavez said his government is considering raising taxes on alcohol and cigarettes. Venezuelans’ taste for beer and Scotch whisky is an irritation to the leftist president, and he raised liquor and cigarette taxes three years ago while calling for similar measures – to little effect. (Source: Google alcohol news, 6/12/10) nzherald.co.nz, 6/12/10

USA: ‘Icing’ Drinking Game Goes Viral – 10. Juni 2010
Smirnoff Denies Responsibility. From college campuses across the U.S. to Twitter, Facebook, and blogs, “icing” has become the first viral drinking game of the modern era, the New York Times reported June 8. A modification of “tag” involving alcohol, players “ice” one another by handing off a warm Smirnoff Ice malt beverage, which must then be consumed on one knee immediately, regardless of the setting. The only way to avoid being “iced” is if the target also has a Smirnoff Ice in their possession – in which case the attacker must consume both drinks in the same fashion. Thanks to social media and websites like BrosIcingBros.com, the fad has spread almost overnight, even targeting celebrities like Coolio and rock band The National. (Source: Join Together, 6/9/10)

USA: New Indiana Alcohol Law: ID Everyone – 10. Juni 2010
Starting July 1, store owners in Indiana will be required to check legal photo identification from all alcohol buyers, regardless of how old they appear, the Associated Press reported June 5. The law will apply to any establishment selling “carry-out” alcohol — such as liquor stores, convenience stores, pharmacies and supermarkets — but not restaurants, bars, and other businesses where drinks are consumed on the premises. (Source: Join Together, 6/8/10)

California Proposes Raising Alcohol Taxes – 9. Juni 2010
In a move long overdue, California’s Senate Democrats have proposed legislation to increase the state’s alcohol taxes to help close the $19 billion budget deficit. The proposal would raise $4.9 billion in taxes and other revenues, including $210 million from alcohol taxes. While this increase would add less than 2 cents to the cost of a beer, it would go a long way toward preserving critical programs. The last time California increased its alcohol tax was 1991. (Source: Marin Institute, 6/4/10)

USA: Costco Using Employees to Take Control of Spirits – 9. Juni 2010
..in Washington State, USA Just how low is a big-box retailer willing to stoop to undermine state authority over alcohol to increase its own bottom line? Costco is apparently willing go pretty darn low. The retail giant is making its employees gather signatures from customers in Washington State for a ballot initiative that would eliminate the state’s control over spirits sales. Initiative 1100 would remove the state’s role in the sale of alcohol once and for all, as well as remove current restrictions on volume discounts, among other worrisome provisions that would deal a serious blow to state-based alcohol regulation. (Source: Marin Institute, 6/4/10)

EU: DG Health and Consumers, new Update – 9. Juni 2010
The on-line database RAYPRO (Resource on Alcohol and Youth Projects) is now accessible. (Source: EU, 6/9/10)

Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals – 7. Juni 2010
United States Public Health Foundation Adopts Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals, Council on Linkages between Academia and Public Health Practice unanimously adopted a new set of Core Competencies for Public Health Professionals. United State Public Health Foundation website: http://www.phf.org/ List of competencies available online at: http://bit.ly/bmIjUF These competencies can be used by you and your organization to help guide public health workforce development efforts that are vital for achieving high-performing public health organizations to protect and promote the public’s health.

TJ Maxx Pulls Drinking Games . 4. Juni 2010
An inquiry from a Boston Globe reporter led retailer TJ Maxx to remove a series of drinking games from store shelves, the Globe reported May 30. Reporter Beverly Beckham spotted the games — which require players to drink shots of liquor when they lose — in TJ Maxx stores in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. The games were on display near Father’s Day and graduation gifts. Some of the games were based on classics like Bingo, tic-tac-toe, and checkers; others had names like Drink Like a Fish, Gargle, Drink Til You Drop, Ship Wrecked, and Battle Drinks. (Source: Join Together, 6/2/10)

Eurocare Newsletter April-May 2010 – 4. Juni 2010
Items: News from Eurocare; News from Eurocare members; News from the EU; News from the WHO; News from the Member States; Alcohol Industry News; New research; Upcoming Events; Past Events; Questions from MEPs to the Commission on Alcohol. Eurocare Newsletter

Officials Not Crazy About Potent ‘Four Loko’ Energy Drink – 2. Juni 2010
A new energy drink called “Four Loko” has a 12-percent alcohol content and is loaded with caffeine and sugar, WABC-TV reported May 28. Twice the size of a regular can of soda, the 24-ounce energy drink sells for under $3 — cheaper than a beer — which officials in New York say makes it appealing to kids. Four White Plains teenagers recently were hospitalized after drinking Four Loko, prompting warnings from White Plains Public Safety Commissioner David Chong. “The kids have a nickname for it, they’re basically calling it coke in a can,” he said. (Source: Join Together, 6/1/10) See Video

Portman concern: Tesco moves alcohol units to front of pack – 2. Juni 2010
The Portman Group has challenged a decision by Tesco to move information on alcohol units from the back to the front of alcohol packaging. The supermarket giant said last week that it would move information on alcohol units from the back label of the pack to the front in order, it said, to “help consumers make responsible decisions” about drinking. The announcement came as a new poll found that three in five UK adults would support tobacco-style health warnings on alcohol packaging….Alcohol marketing watchdog The Portman Group questioned Tesco’s move decision, saying that it would make more sense to keep all warnings in one place on the back of the pack. (Source: Google Alcohol News, 6/2/10) packagingnews.co.uk, 24 May 2010

UK Government rejects health watchdog’s alcohol policy – 2. Juni 2010
The Government clashed with its medical advisers yesterday over how to tackle Britain’s burgeoning problem of heavy drinking. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (Nice) called for the introduction of a minimum price per unit of alcohol to discourage supermarkets from discounting the cheapest products and promoting heavy drinking. It said its recommendations were backed by more than 100 scientific studies. But Health Secretary Andrew Lansley rejected its analysis and said ministers instead favoured banning supermarkets and off-licences from selling alcohol “below cost price”. Mr Lansley said: “It is not clear that [Nice's] research examines specifically the regressive effect on low-income families [of a minimum price], or proves conclusively that it is the best way to impact price in order to impact demand.” (Source: Google Alkohol News) n2day.com, 6/2/10 / bbc.news.co.uk, 6/2/10) with our online-comments. (2)

RESEARCH

Most Evangelical Leaders Abstain from Alcohol – 29. Juni 2010
Practicing What they Preach. A family history of alcoholism and religious teachings were among the reasons cited by the 60 percent of U.S. evangelical leaders who said they don’t drink alcohol socially, CNN reported June 24. About two out of three Americans drink, but the Evangelical Leaders Survey found that even those religious leaders who do drink typically say they do so in moderation or rarely. (Source: Join Together, 6/25/10) with interesting comments.

Addicts Need to Deal with Stress to Ensure Recovery – 29. Juni 2010
Recovering addicts who failed to take steps to deal with the stress in their lives were more susceptible to craving — a major predictor of relapse — according to researchers at Penn State University. Sify News reported June 24 that researchers analyzed recovery diaries kept by college students in recovery and found that those who avoided problems in their lives rather than dealing with them were more likely to experience craving when they experienced stress or negative moods. (Source: Join Together, 6/25/10)

Greater Risk Of Drunken Violence In Those Who Suppress Anger – 25. Juni 2010
A study published in the journal Addiction reveals that drunkenness increases the risk for violent behaviour, but only for individuals with a strong inclination to suppress anger. The two authors, Thor Norström and Hilde Pape, applied an approach that reduces the risk of drawing erroneous conclusions about cause and effect. They conclude that their study adds to the body of evidence suggesting that drinking may in fact inflict physical aggression. The authors elaborate this conclusion: “Only a tiny fraction of all drinking events involve violence and whether intoxicated aggression is likely to occur seems to depend on the drinkers’ propensity to withhold angry feelings when sober.” (Source: Medical News Today, 23.6.10

Greater Religiosity During Adolescence May Protect Against Developing Problem Alcohol Use – 23. Juni 2010
Phenotypes are measurable and/or observable traits or behaviors. The heritability of an alcohol-related phenotype depends upon the social environment within which it is measured, such as urbanicity, marital status, or religiosity. A new study of the effects of religiosity on the genetic variance of problem alcohol use in males and females has found that religiosity can moderate genetic effects on problem alcohol use during adolescence but not during early adulthood. (Source: Medical News Today, 6/22/10)

Alcohol Companies Use New Media to Lure Young Drinkers – 17. Juni 2010
New American report: The alcohol industry uses the whole menu of new social media to reach new drinkers and to promote their brands. Sophisticated marketing techniques are being used, concludes a new report just launched in the US. The report starts by describing how Heineken developed a new marketing concept in order to reach young people in Puerto Rico. The company’s marketing strategists realized that 30-second TV spots or other traditional media would not be effective in reaching Puerto Rican youth. Instead, they decided to benefit from the new social media and young people’s 24/7 access to these media as a tool to promote Heineken beer. (Source: ADD Bulletin 4/2010)

US-Report: Violent Crime Increasing At Hospitals/Clinics – 17. Juni 2010
“More and more violent crimes are occurring in America’s hospitals, clinics and other health care facilities, according to a new alert issued by the Joint Commission, an independent health care oversight group,” USA Today reports. “Since 2004, there have been ’significant increases in reports of assault, rape and homicide, with the greatest number of reports in the last three years,’ the group said in its ‘Sentinel Event Alert’ released last week, the latest in a series of alerts on serious adverse events occurring in health care settings.” Russell L. Colling, a health care consultant who advised the Joint Commission, “cited a number of reasons for the increase in violent outbreaks in health care settings, including an increase in drug and alcohol abuse and a lack of adequate care for psychiatric patients.” (Source: Medical News Today, 6/15/10)

Substance Abuse And Mental Illness in US States – 13. Juni 2010
A new report providing state-by-state analyses of substance abuse and mental illness patterns reveals that despite wide variations among the states in the types and levels of behavioral health problems they experience — every state suffers from these problems. For example, among those aged 12 and older, Iowa had less than one third the current illicit drug use rate of Rhode Island (4.1 percent vs. 13.3 percent) – yet Iowa’s population aged 12 and older was among the group of states with the nation’s highest levels of people participating in binge drinking in the past month (27.2 percent). (Source: Medical News Today, 6/12/10)

Alcohol Labels To Help Prevent Harm To Babies – 11. Juni 2010
New research released today shows one in three Australian women are drinking while pregnant or breastfeeding, prompting health experts to renew calls for health advisory labels on all alcohol products. These labels would better inform consumers and help prevent harms, such as fetal alcohol syndrome. (Source: Medical News Today, 6/10/10)

The economic costs of alcohol consumption in Thailand – 10. Juni 2010
There is evidence that the adverse consequences of alcohol impose a substantial economic burden on societies worldwide. Given the lack of generalizability of study results across different settings, many attempts have been made to estimate the economic costs of alcohol for various settings; however, these have mostly been confined to industrialized countries. To our knowledge, there are a very limited number of well-designed studies which estimate the economic costs of alcohol consumption in developing countries, including Thailand. Therefore, this study aims to estimate these economic costs, in Thailand, 2006. (Source: BMC Public Health, 6/9/10)

Alcohol Risk Factor For Headaches And Migraines In Teens – 9. Juni 2010
A novel study by German researchers reported that alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking were associated with increased migraines and tension-type headaches (TTH) in high school students. Coffee drinking and physical inactivity were associated specifically with migraines. Results of this study, the first to investigate modifiable risk factors for different types of headaches in a youth population, appear online early in Headache, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Headache Society. (Source: Medical News Today, 6/7/10)

College Athletes Take Risks With Alcohol And Energy Drinks – 9. Juni 2010
Among 401 NCAA athletes at a major Division-I university, more than one-third reported mixing alcohol and energy drinks in the previous year, according to a study presented at the American College of Sports Medicine’s 57th Annual Meeting in Baltimore. (Source: Medical News Today, 6/7/10)

Combined Therapies For Alcohol Dependency Reduce Societal Costs – 4. Juni 2010
Combining medications and behavioral interventions for treating alcohol-dependent patients reduces social costs of health care, arrests and motor vehicle accidents, according to a new study by researchers at RTI International, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of Pennsylvania and Yale University. The study, published in the May issue of Medical Care, looked at the economic impact of combined alcohol dependency treatments, including the treatment costs and the economic costs of other health care use, arrests and motor vehicle accidents. Source: Medical News Today, 6/3/10)

Substance Abuse On An Average Day In USA – 4. Juni 2010
New Report Provides Startling Look At Substance Abuse On An Average Day In The Life Of American Adolescents On an average day, 508,000 adolescents aged 12-17 in the United States drink alcohol; 641,000 use illicit drugs; and more than 1 million smoke cigarettes, according to a national survey sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). (Source: Medical News Today, 6/3/10)

USA: Doctors’ role in drug studies criticized – 4. Juni 2010
Some recommend drugs, vouch for studies but don’t see raw numbers Richard Page thinks Multaq is an excellent new drug for treating atrial fibrillation, a type of irregular heartbeat that affects more than 2 million Americans. And Page, chairman of the department of medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, should know. He co-authored a large, international study that led to the drug’s approval by the Food and Drug Administration last year, a move that could mean hundreds of millions in sales for Sanofi-Aventis, the company that makes the drug. But in putting his name on the influential paper, Page allowed Sanofi-Aventis to dictate the terms. He vouched for the accuracy and completeness of the study despite not seeing the raw data. The company, which paid for the study, collected that information and performed the analysis without an external audit for accuracy or completeness. Page says it comes down to trusting the drug company. (Source: Harvard World Health News, 6/3/10) jsonline.com, 5/30/10 Comment: The same problem with the alcohol industry and their studies.

Some Binge Drinkers Report Sub-Optimal Health Status – 3. Juni 2010
Binge Drinkers Report Sub-Optimal Health Status More Often Than Non-Binge Drinkers Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that excessive drinking is responsible for approximately 79,000 deaths annually in the United States. Binge drinking accounts for more than half of those deaths. A new study has looked at the frequency of binge drinking in relation to drinkers’ own perceptions of their overall health status. Findings indicate that binge drinkers have a 13 to 23 percent greater likelihood of self-reporting sub-optimal health status. (Source: Medical News Today, 6/2/10)

Portugal’s Burden Of Disease From Alcohol Consumption – 2. Juni 2010
The World Health Organization has estimated that 3.2 percent of the “burden of disease” around the world is attributable to the consumption of alcohol. Portugal is currently ranked eighth in the world in alcohol consumption. A new study has found alcohol consumption in Portugal represents a heavy economic burden for that country’s health system. “This is a brilliant study,” said Helmut K. Seitz, professor of internal medicine, gastroenterology and alcohol research at the University of Heidelberg, and president of the European Society for Biomedical Research on Alcohol (ESBRA). “It shows very clearly on the basis of real data that alcohol consumption is not only a risk factor for various diseases, especially liver disease, but it also shows that these alcohol-related diseases cost enormous money. We have data from Canada and England and some other countries, but we need more accurate data to convince the public, the doctors and the politicians that we have to do something about it.” (Source: Medical News Today, 6/1/10)

Major Decrease In Impulsivity-Related Problem Drinking – 2. Juni 2010
… Seen In 18- To 25-Year-Olds Personality traits associated with impulsivity normally decrease during emerging and young adulthood, and these decreases are associated with reduced substance use. A new study of “trajectories” of impulsivity and their association with problem alcohol use has found that the 18-to-25-years-of-age group exhibited the largest declines in impulsivity as well as the sharpest decreases in alcohol consumption. (Source: Medical News Today, 6/1/10)

Increased Alcohol Traffic-Risk Among College Students – 2. Juni 2010
Increase In Alcohol-Related Traffic-Risk Behaviors Among College Students At Age 21. Alcohol-impaired driving and associated motor-vehicle accidents are a major public-health problem. National studies have shown that approximately 25 percent of college students report that they have driven while intoxicated in the past month, and an even greater percentage report having driven after having any amount of alcohol and/or ridden with a driver believed intoxicated. A new study on how these behaviors may change as students move through their college years has found that prevalence and frequency of alcohol-related traffic-risk behaviors took a significant upturn when students turned 21 years old. (Source: Medical News Today, 6/1/10)

Parental attitudes and behaviours regarding teenage drinking – 2. Juni 2010
A telephone survey of parental attitudes and behaviours regarding teenage drinking Irish teenagers demonstrate high rates of drunkenness and there has been a progressive fall in age of first drinking in recent decades. International research indicates that parents exert substantial influence over their teenager’s drinking. We sought to determine the attitudes and behaviours of Irish parents towards drinking by their adolescent children. … Conclusions: We found no evidence of widespread permissive attitudes and behaviours among Irish parents. Given that parental influences have been demonstrated to exert substantial impact on teenage drinking, it may be possible to harness the concerns of Irish parents more effectively to reverse the trends of escalating alcohol related harm in Ireland. (Source: BMC Public Health 2010, 10:297doi:10.1186/1471-2458-10-297, Published: 1 June 2010)

Underage Drinking: Hospital Emergency Department Visits – 1. Juni 2010
A new study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reveals that daily underage drinking-related visits to hospital emergency departments are 11 percent higher during the Memorial Day weekend than they are on an average day. The latest Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) report estimates that on an average day, there are 519 hospital emergency department visits involving underage alcohol use. For the three day Memorial Day weekend, however, the number of daily hospital emergency department visits jumps to 577. (Source: Medical News Today, 5/30/10)

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Last entry: June 29, 2010

A new drink debuting in France claims to reduce drunkenness and lessen hangovers but has health experts wary, Fox News reported June 16. The drink, Outox, purports to “greatly speed up” the breakdown of alcohol in the blood, which the company says has been medically tested, though this has not been independently verified. “If someone invented a product capable of really lowering the level of alcohol in the blood, he would deserve a Nobel prize,” said Alain Rigaud, president of the French anti-alcoholism group Association Nationale de Prevention en Alcoologie et Addictologie (ANPAA). (Source: Join Together, 6/24/10)