Newsletter September 2009e
Mittwoch 30. September 2009 von htm
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.
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1474 articles in 85 categories and with 3939 main expressions (tags) since the beginning of the year.
Kind regards
Hermann T. Meyer
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Introduction for mailed Newsletter:
After a long fight with three readings in both chambers the Swiss National Parliament decided to give up the ban on alcohol advertising on Swiss TV, following the demand by the European Union to accept the EU directives on TV over the frontiers. This was a condition because Switzerland wanted to have a Media-Agreement with the EU and profit from film sponsoring. Since the beginning of Swiss Television alcohol advertising was always banned for preventive reasons. It was one of the last national alcohol preventive measures left. The main force to get away with this ban was the rightwing peoples party, which normally fights against everything from the EU. But its alcohol friendliness was stronger. Now we hope, the EU will change its alcohol policies. It looks as if there is agreement that a joint alcohol strategy at Community level is needed. We are looking forward very much.
In the UK the British Medical Association (BMA) and Lancet, the leading Journal, published reports on the damaging effect of alcohol and of alcohol marketing on young people. But the pressure on the government seems still to be not strong enough to reach an effective alcohol policy.
Better In Australia, staffed by government-appointed population health experts, a health watchdog will start in January monitoring the health system, following also a 30% rise in alcohol-caused injury and disease in ten years, and the trend is set to continue.
In the USA recession has multiple effects: Nonprofits are facing growing demand for services, rising operating costs and lagging revenues. – There is a growing list of states that recognized the time has come for an increase in alcohol taxes to help alleviate budget deficits. – And now legislation that would cut beer taxes charged to brewers by 50% has garnered 218 cosponsors in the U.S. House of Representatives, enough to get the measure passed in the 435-member House. But watchdogs think that there is still some hope.
The next newsletter will be issued end of October 2009.
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TOP NEWS
USA: Beer Industry Tax Break Bill Wins Majority in House 28. September 2009
Legislation that would cut beer taxes charged to brewers has garnered 218 cosponsors in the U.S. House of Representatives, enough to get the measure passed in the 435-member House, according to the Beer Institute. The bill, H.R. 836, would roll back the federal excise tax on beer to 1991 levels, cutting taxes by 50%… (Source: Join Together, 9/25/09) Comment: Incredible!
Now alcohol ads on Swiss TV because of EU law! 25. September 2009
After three readings in both chambers of the Swiss Parliament, when the small Federal Chamber always said no and the big National Chamber said always yes to ads in all TV stations and private broadcasting for wine and beer they both agreed after a joint meeting of a commission to this new law, following the demand by the European Union to accept the EU directives on TV over the frontiers. This was a condition because Switzerland wanted to have a Media-Agreement with the EU and profit from film sponsoring. Since the beginning of Swiss Television alcohol advertising was always banned for preventive reasons.
Comment: This is a very sad moment, after a long fight in parliament. The only hope is now that future EU regulations on alcohol will be better and have to be taken by the Swiss legislation. …
EU Alcohol Strategy, Documents 22. September 2009
Alcohol is one of the key health determinants in the European countries which needs to be tackled. Europe is the continent where per capita alcohol consumption is the highest in the world. In established market economies such as the EU Member States the burden of disease and injury attributable to alcohol is estimated to be situated between 8 and 10%.
Combating alcohol-related harm therefore is a public health priority in many Member States, and at EU level. … There is agreement among the Member States that, beyond individual national efforts, a joint alcohol strategy at Community level is needed. EU-review, 9/22/09
Health Watchdog Unleashed In Australia 11. September 2009
“Australians will be told to drink and smoke less and eat less junk food by a new preventative health watchdog that will begin monitoring the health system within months. … It will begin in January, staffed by government-appointed population health experts.” (Source: Harvard World Health News, 9/10/09) The Sydney Morning Herald, 9/6/09
British study on alcohol promotion: Under the influence 10. September 2009
Under the influence – The damaging effect of alcohol marketing on young people – by The British Medical Association (BMA) September 2009
A Global Look at Alcohol Burden and Policies 4. September 2009
A three-part series recently published in The Lancet (the British equivalent of the Journal of the American Medical Association) brings attention to the substantial harm that alcohol causes around the world, most of which could be prevented or reduced. (Source: Marin Institute, 9/3/09) (We reported earlier on it)
GLOBAL
How Scotland could prevent 370 deaths annually 29. September 2009
Setting a minimum price for alcohol could save the Scottish economy £950m over 10 years and prevent 370 deaths annually, according to research published on Monday. The Sheffield University report, commissioned by the Scottish government, based its findings on setting a minimum price of 40p per unit of alcohol, combined with a ban on off-licence promotions. (Source: Google Alkohol Alert, 9/29/09) Financial Times, 9/28/09
Editorial: Tax Soda to Produce Health 25. September 2009
“A series of academic studies have drawn a clear line between the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and a host of unhealthy outcomes: obesity, diabetes and heart disease. Medical costs for obesity and excessive weight alone are estimated to be about $147 billion — and half of those costs are paid for through Medicare and Medicaid. It’s no stretch to say that soda drinking affects us all.” (Source: Harvard World Health News, 9/25/09) San Francisco Chronicle, 9/21/09 Comment: taxing alcohol would compensate health costs as well, but the tax should be high enough in order to reduce consumption.
MADD to Sell Line of Branded Nonalcohol Drinks 24. September 2009
USA: Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is getting into the beverage business, inking a deal to sell a new line of nonalcoholic MADD Virgin Drinks. … (Source: Join Together, 9/24/09)
Better global governance at WTO’s Public Forum 24. September 2009
The role of the multilateral trading system in the context of the current economic crisis will be the central focus of this year’s WTO Public Forum and representatives of civil society, academia, governments and the media will be encouraged to engage and debate on how the system can best provide global answers to the crisis. During the course of the three day meeting, 28-30 September, participants can choose to attend 44 interactive workshops covering the full spectrum of trade related issues and concerns. WTO Pressrelease, 9/24/09
Straight Dope For Parents 24. September 2009
The newest website for parents who want to raise drug-free kids just got even better.
Stop by the brand new Get Informed section of StraightDopeForParents.org for a wealth of user-friendly, research-based tools that complement Joseph A. Califano Jr.’s new book, How to Raise a Drug-Free Kid: The Straight Dope for Parents. In Get Informed, you’ll find online tips and downloadable fact sheets for parents on many topics. (Source: Join Together, 9/23/09)
Need For Urgent Action On Problem Drinking, Australia 23. September 2009
Two new reports demonstrate the need for a comprehensive set of measures to be put in place to combat problem drinking, AMA President, Dr Andrew Pesce, said today. … risky alcohol consumption caused the death of 32,696 Australians in the 10 years from 1996 to 2005, and 813,072 Australians were hospitalised due to alcohol-caused injury and disease over the same period. This is a 30% rise in alcohol-caused injury and disease in ten years, and the trend is set to continue, according to NDRI.
(Source: Medical News Today, 9/22/09)
Calif., USA: Alcohol Self-Checkout Bill Dropped 23. September 2009
A California lawmaker has pulled a bill that would have banned alcohol sales via self-service checkouts but said he would reintroduce the measure next year. … the lawmaker wants to get backing from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger as well. Supporters of the bill say it would prevent underage youth and intoxicated individuals from easily buying alcohol at stores. (Source: Join Together, 9/21/09)
Group Targets Alcohol, Other ‘Adult’ Ads on Sports Broadcasts 23. September 2009
Half or more of the ads aired during Major League Baseball (MLB) and National Football League (NFL) games are for alcohol, drugs, or sexually related products, according to the group Common Sense Media. The Associated Press reported Sept. 17 that the group has called on sports leagues and networks to curb advertising they say is inappropriate for young viewers — so far, without success. (Source: Join Together, 9/21/09)
Russian Leader Wants Ban on Alcohol Ads 22. September 2009
Alcohol advertising would be banned and sales limited by location and time of day under a plan endorsed by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. Medvedev called alcoholism in Russia a “national disaster” in unveiling plans that also include bans on sales of large containers of beer and prison sentences for those convicted of selling alcohol to youths under age 18. The new rules would go into effect before the end of the year. (Source: Join Together, 9/19/09)
USA: Recession Putting Triple Strain on Nonprofits 18. September 2009
Nonprofits are facing growing demand for services, rising operating costs and lagging revenues in the face of the nationwide recession, according to a variety of studies. An overview report published by the National Council of Nonprofits cited more than a dozen studies in documenting the extent of the recession’s effects on nonprofits. (Source: Join Together, 9/17/09)
Police Trained to Draw Blood from DWI Suspects 17. September 2009
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled four decades ago that police can draw blood from drunk-driving suspects without a warrant, and a federal program is now examining whether police nationwide should be trained to do so. (Source: Join Together, 9/16/09) Comment: In Europe blood tests are done by medical staff.
Economic Woes Spark Revival of Beer Sales at College Stadiums 17. September 2009
Some college stadiums are turning to beer sales to improve their bottom line as the economic downturn puts a dent in their other revenues. (Source: Join Together, 9/16/09)
Mandatory Alcohol Testing For Truck And Bus Drivers Effective 15. September 2009
Mandatory alcohol testing programs for truck and bus drivers have contributed to a significant reduction in alcohol involvement in fatal crashes, according to a new study by researchers at the Mailman School of Public Health and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. … the estimated net effect attributed to the mandatory alcohol testing programs for drivers of heavy trucks and buses was a 23% reduced risk of alcohol involvement in fatal crashes. (Source: Medical News Today, 9/14/09)
U.S. Hospitals to Screen Patients for Addictions? 14. September 2009
Proposed Accreditation Standards Could Compel U.S. Hospitals to Screen Patients for Addictions
A proposal to include screening and brief intervention for addictions in national quality and accreditation standards for hospitals could be one of the most important developments ever for addiction treatment — or wind up being something far less significant, depending upon the outcome of ongoing discussions and feedback from the medical community. (Source: Join Together, 9/11/09)
NYC Seeks Ban on Carrying Guns While Drunk 14. September 2009
Seeking to close a loophole in the city’s already tough gun laws, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg wants to make it illegal to carry a gun while drunk. “Carrying while intoxicated is just as dangerous as driving while intoxicated, and it should be just as illegal,” said Bloomberg, who also called for possession of armor-piercing bullets and giving a gun to a child to be classified as felony offenses. (Source: Join Together, 9/11/09)
Canada: Felony DUI Leads to Life in Prisonhttps://www.alkoholpolitik.ch/2009/09/14/canada-felony-dui-leads-to-life-in-prison/6151/ 14. September 2009
A Canadian man with a long history of drunk driving has been sentenced to life in prison for running down and killing a woman in a wheelchair. A Quebec judge imposed the sentence on Roger Walsh, 57, who struck and killed Anee Khudaverdian, 47, while driving drunk. Walsh had 18 previous convictions for driving while impaired as well as 114 previous convictions on a variety of other offenses. (Source: Join Together, 9/11/09)
Online debate on consumers’ health and safety at EU 14. September 2009
Online debate on consumers’ health and safety at EU level starts on September 14.
To mark the 10th anniversary of its creation the Directorate-General for Health and Consumers (DG SANCO) is launching an on-line discussion on European health and consumer policy. A dedicated channel on the Debate Europe forum will be open in all EU official languages from 14 September to 9 October 2009.
… The online discussion will be available via the Debate Europe forum on: http://europa.eu/debateeurope.
Top Doctor Backs BMA’s Call To Ban Alcohol Advertising 12. September 2009
The BMA’s call to ban alcohol advertising because of its damaging effects on young people is “a logical recommendation to attempt to reverse the all embracing pro-alcohol culture that has grown up in a period of deregulation and liberalisation over the last quarter of a century,” …(Source: Medical News Today, 9/11/09)
How to Raise a Drug-Free Kid 11. September 2009
UPCOMING CASACONFERENCES: How to Raise a Drug-Free Kid: The Straight Dope
This important and timely CASACONFERENCE is designed especially for those who want to know how to help children make it to age 21 without smoking, abusing alcohol or using illegal drugs: parents, pastors, principals, teachers, psychologists, social workers, nurses, and community leaders. .…
(Source: CASA, Columbia University, 9/11/09)
Ban Alcohol Ads on State Property, Mass., USA 10. September 2009
The Massachusetts legislature is considering a bill that would prohibit alcohol advertising on all state-owned property, including the transit system,.. (Source: Join Together, 9/9/09)
Drinking While Pregnant 10. September 2009
Drinking While Pregnant Poses A Serious Risk To Children, Health Department Reminds Women
In recognition of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Awareness Week, the Pennsylvania Department of Health today reminded women about the serious implications of drinking while pregnant. (Source: Medical News Today, 9/9/09)
UK: Nurses Echo Call For Action On Binge Drinking 10. September 2009
Following the publication of the BMA’s report Under the Influence – the damaging effect of alcohol marketing on young people, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) renewed calls for tighter regulation of the sale and promotion of alcohol. (Source: Medical News Today, 9/9/09)
UK: Would an alcohol advertising ban work? 9. September 2009
All alcohol marketing should be banned, including sponsorship of major sporting and music events, and cut price promotions like happy hours, doctors leaders have warned. A report by the British Medical Association said tough measures were needed to tackle the medical, psychological and social harm caused by excess drinking. (Source: Google Alkohol Alert, 9/9/09) Channel 4 News, 9/8/09
US: Beer Price Hikes Spark Antitrust Concerns 9. September 2009
The recently announced price hikes by Anheuser-Busch InBev and MillerCoors — which together control 80 percent of the U.S. beer market — has some observers wondering if the industry is setting itself up for an antitrust investigation by the Obama administration. (Source: Join Together, 9/4/09) Online comment: To make it very clear: It would be better if the state would rise the price by taxing beer to such an extent that the harm created by beer is compensated. (With minimum prices fixed)
Need For Tough Measures On Alcohol, Scotland 5. September 2009
Commenting on the publication on Wednesday of surgical mortality rates, which showed that alcohol abuse was a factor in 1 in 15 reported deaths, the BMA called on politicians to be bold and implement a raft of tough measures to tackle Scotland’s destructive relationship with alcohol. (Source: Medical News Today, 9/4/09)
Lakers Games Need More “Excitement” 4. September 2009
1800 Tequila Is Just the Ticket. When the Los Angeles Lakers won the 2009 NBA Championship in June, the streets outside the Staples Center erupted in violence. Instead of simply celebrating the victory, many fans rioted, a local gas station was looted, a police car was torched, and a bus was vandalized. But here’s the amazing thing about this story: … (Source: Marin Institute, 8/23/09) Comment: Just unbelievable.
N. Carolina Latest State to Raise Alcohol Taxes 4. September 2009
North Carolina, USA, has joined the growing list of states that recognized the time has come for an increase in alcohol taxes to help alleviate budget deficits. Effective September 1, 2009, the state’s beer tax will increase from 53 cents per gallon to 61.7 cents, while wine will increase from 21 cents per liter to 26.4 cents. Nothing earth-shattering, but the changes will generate new revenue of approximately $19.8 million, which will certainly help stave off cuts in important social programs. (Source: Marin Institute, 9/3/09)
US embassy bans alcohol at guards’ quarters 4. September 2009
US embassy bans alcohol at guards’ quarters after claims of ‘lewd’ parties. Inquiry into allegations that Kabul security staff engaged in drunken behaviour and sexual misconduct. (Source: Google Alkohol Alert, 9/4/09) guardian.co.uk, 9/3/09
Editorial: Britain and Alcohol: Drink Problem 4. September 2009
“Tucked away in yesterday’s OECD (Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development) report on childhood was a dismal if unsurprising figure: British children get drunk, or claim to get drunk, far more often than their counterparts anywhere else in the developed world. …(The Guardian, London, 9/2/09) Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
The Breathalyzer Behind the Wheel 4. September 2009
Here are two compelling facts about ignition-interlock devices for preventing drunk driving. One is that these devices are highly effective, despite the logical possibilities for bypassing them. The second is that they are rarely installed in the cars of people who have been known to drive while intoxicated.
… (Source: Harvard World Health News, 9/3/09) New York Times-Opinion, 8/31/09
Russian Leader Set to Tackle Nation’s Drinking Problem 2. September 2009
Russian President Dmitri Medvedev, who calls alcoholism a “national calamity,” plans to work with the nation’s parliament this fall to tackle the country’s drinking problem by proposing an increase in taxes, stricter labeling laws, and restrictions on where alcohol can be sold. …(Source: Join Together, 9/1/09)
Lawmaker Wants Kids Banned from Wisconsin Bars 1. September 2009
Children have long been able to drink in bars in Wisconsin if they are accompanied by a parent or guardian over age 21, but lawmakers are now looking to curtail the practice. … (Source: Join Together, 8/28/09Join)
U.S. Navy Cracking Down on Sailors’ Drinking, Drug Use 1. September 2009
The U.S. Navy has announced that it is increasing the pace of drug tests and implementing other measures to deter illicit drug use and binge drinking. … (Source: Join Together, 8/28/09)
RESEARCH
Alcohol Abuse, Depression And Obesity In Young Women 25. September 2009
There is new evidence that depression, obesity and alcohol abuse or dependency are interrelated conditions among young adult women but not men. Using data collected when young adults were 24, 27 and 30 years of age, a team of University of Washington researchers found that nearly half the sample of 776 young adults tracked during the study met the criteria for one of these conditions at each of these time points. (Source: Medical News Today, 9/24/09)
Teens with infrequent family dinners likelier to drink 24. September 2009
Compared to teens who have frequent family dinners (five or more per week), those who have infrequent family dinners (fewer than three per week) are twice as likely to use tobacco or marijuana; more than one and a half times likelier to use alcohol; and twice as likely to expect to try drugs in the future, according to The Importance of Family Dinners V, a new report by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University. full press release Remember that Monday, September 28th is Family Day—A Day to Eat Dinner with Your ChildrenTM
Education And Reward Genes Influence Alcoholism 22. September 2009
Education And Reward Genes Interact To Influence Alcoholism Among Mexican-Americans.
Hispanics with alcohol-induced problems – especially male Mexican Americans – have significantly worse health and welfare than those with other ethnic backgrounds. … (Source: Medical News Today, 9/21/09)
Gene complex and AD among Spanish Caucasian males 22. September 2009
Polymorphisms Of The Interleukin-1 Gene Complex May Influence Alcohol Dependence
… A study of three polymorphisms of the interleukin-1 gene complex (IL-1) and one of the tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) has found that IL-1 may directly contribute to AD among Spanish Caucasian males. (Source: Medical News Today, 9/21/09)
High Suicide Rates in Rural America With Too Many Bars 21. September 2009
There is a strong relationship between drinking and taking one’s own life. In any given year, people with alcohol dependence (AD) commit more than 20 percent of suicides in the general population; … both attempted and completed suicides occur at greater rates in rural communities with greater bar densities. (Source: Medical News Today, 9/21/09)
Early First Drink May Modify Youth Risk For Alcohol Dependence 21. September 2009
Individuals who begin drinking at an early age are more likely to subsequently develop alcohol dependence (AD). While age at first drink (AFD) and AD are influenced by similar genetic and environmental factors, AFD may also have an impact on the risk for AD. … (Source: Medical News Today, 9/21/09)
USA: Later Drinking Ages Mean Less Alcohol Use 21. September 2009
A new study finds that adults who legally were able to purchase alcohol before the age of 21 in their states are more likely than others are to be alcoholics or addicted to drugs. Researchers are not certain how to explain the difference, but it is possible that a higher drinking age could cut back on the intensity of alcohol use before the age of 21, said lead study author Karen Norberg, M.D., a research instructor in psychiatry at Washington University in St. Louis. (Source: Medical News Today, 9/19/09)
How Binge Drinking Undermines The Immune System 21. September 2009
US researchers have confirmed that binge drinking undermines the immune system and weakens the body’s ability to fight off infection for at least 24 hours afterwards by inhibiting certain signalling molecules that launch pro-inflammatory responses. (Source: Medical News Today, 9/18/09)
Any Drinking Raises Risk of Traffic Accidents 18. September 2009
Even one or two alcoholic drinks can increase the risk of getting into an automobile accident, even if it’s not technically drunk driving, according to Italian researchers. Reuters reported Sept. 10 that individuals who consumed one or two drinks within 2-6 hours of driving more than doubled their risk of getting into an accident. Having more than two drinks tripled the risk of a crash. (Source: Join Together, 9/17/09)
Alcohol-Related Disparities in the USA 16. September 2009
Today minorities make up one-third of the U.S. population, and by 2050, it is predicted they will become the majority in the United States. The demographic changes anticipated over the coming decades magnify the importance of addressing health disparities. Alcohol causes more harm than any illicit drug in the United States. A focus on alcohol-related health disparities is particularly important as major changes unfold in the way in which health care is delivered and financed. Where’s the research? (Source: Marin Institute, 9/7/09)
Some U.S. Colleges Have Failed To Turn The Tide 12. September 2009
The research, published in the September issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, found that at 18 heavy-drinking U.S. campuses, students’ alcohol habits showed little change over a dozen years. In 1993, 58 percent of students reported binge drinking in the past two weeks; in 2005, 56 percent said the same. … (Source: Medical News Today, 9/11/09)
UK: Young People Fuzzy About Drinking Limits 11. September 2009
Young people are unaware that government guidelines would class them as binge drinkers. This is the finding of Dr Richard Cooke from Aston University and Dr Falko Sniehotta from the University of Aberdeen… (Source: Medical News Today, 9/10/09)
Prevention System Cuts Rate Of Teen Binge Drinking by 37% 9. September 2009
USA: Rates of binge drinking were 37 percent lower among eighth-grade students in communities in seven states that used a prevention system designed to reduce drug use and delinquent behavior compared to teenagers in communities that did not use the system. … (Source: Medical News Today, 9/8/09) and (Source: Medical News Today, 9/8/09)
Study on the beginnings of the alcohol experience of 12-year-olds 8. September 2009
Clues looking into the ferret causes of alcoholism are emerging from new findings that center on the genetic patterns of young drinkers, with particular focus on why adolescents are more likely to beverage bountiful quantities of alcohol even if they need more alcohol to get the effects they prurience. (Source: Google Alkohol Alert, 9/7/09) hopedlogic, 9/7/09
Survey tries to map colleges’ alcohol policies 7. September 2009
The Datasphere has launched a long process of collating information about young drinkers.
Our ongoing series, Under 21, which looks at college drinking and the Amethyst Initiative to re-examine the legal drinking age, didn’t take a summer break. This summer, we sent an alcohol policy and discipline survey to all 44 of Virginia’s four-year residential colleges —…(Source: Google Alkohol Alert, 9/6/09) roanoke.com, 9/6/09
‘Addiction Gene’ Identified In European Women 5. September 2009
Researchers at the Yale School of Public Health have identified a gene associated with multiple cases of alcoholism, drug abuse and other addictive behaviors in white women of European origin. (Source: Medical News Today, 9/4/09)
Drink Specials Encourage Heavy Drinking 4. September 2009
Researchers who studied the relationship between alcohol cost and intoxication concluded that drink specials encourage high levels of consumption, rather than just attracting customers to bars as some in the hospitality industry contend. … (Source: Join Together, 9/3/09) Comment: It is common sense, but now it is proven. That’s why high alcohol taxes and minimum prices are needed and a ban on drink specials.
Research: Binge Drinkers Often Drive Drunk 3. September 2009
A study of 14,000 binge drinkers found that 12 percent admitted driving after their most recent episode of heavy alcohol consumption. Researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also found that about half of those who drove drunk did so within two hours of consuming seven or more drinks, and that about a quarter drove after downing 10 drinks or more. (Source: Join Together, 9/2/09)WHO: Global health risks: progress and challenges 2. September 2009
WHO’s upcoming report Global health risks will identify the global and regional mortality and disease burden associated with 24 health risks. … (Source: Bulletin of the World Health Organization 2009;87:646-646. doi: 10.2471/BLT.09.070565)
Study of alcohol, meals and the risk of road traffic crashes 2. September 2009
This study aims at investigating the association between alcohol and meal consumption and the risk of RTCs (Road traffic crashs) using intrapersonal comparisons of subjects while driving. Conclusion: Each single unit of acute alcohol consumption increases the risk of RTCs, in contrast with the ‘legal’ threshold allowed in some countries….(Source: BMC Public Health, 9/1/09)
Greater Risk Of Depression In Teetotallers? 2. September 2009
Abstaining from alcohol consumption is associated with an increased risk of depression according to a new study published in Addiction journal. (Source: Medical News Today, 9/1/09) Online-Comment: (pending) Why people with possible physical or psychical diseases were not excluded like former alcoholics? This problem is known since those many false studies on heart diseases. Isn’t it just a study to get a sensational headline again for alcohol marketing? The German press already brought an article without mentioning the restrictions. Of course we could also argue, abstainers are depressed because of a society which didn’t learn anything about alcohol in 100 years and still allows the alcohol industry to terrorize it with disease, death, poverty and harm.
Drinkers More Physically Active Than Abstainers 2. September 2009
Drinkers aren’t just bending their elbows: according to a new study, the more alcohol people drink, the more likely they might be to exercise. “Alcohol users not only exercised more than abstainers, but the differential actually increased with more drinking,” said lead author Michael French, Ph.D. … However, these results do not suggest that people should use alcohol to boost their exercise programs, as the study was not designed to determine whether alcohol intake actually caused an increase in exercise.” (Source: Medical News Today, 9/1/09) Online-Comment: This again is a study for alcohol marketing. Perhaps the researchers didn’t know studies which show that in many sportsclubs alcohol is a common social tool, especially in team sport. And many are sponsored by the alcohol industry. That’s why sports clubs often are not a preventive measure for youth regarding alcohol. For me the result isn’t surprising. And many newspapers will bring the headlines without a critical statement.
Alcohol and coffee, risk to get heartbeat problems 1. September 2009
Drinking more than ten alcoholic drinks a week or four cups of strong coffee each day can increase the risk of developing an irregular heartbeat, new research suggests. Two studies presented at the European Society of Cardiology congress in Barcelona found that alcohol and caffeine intake can affect the chances of developing an abnormal heart rhythm, known as atrial fibrillation. … (SOURCE: GOOGLE ALKOHOL ALERT, 8/31/09) TIMES ONLINE, 8/30/09
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