www.alkoholpolitik.ch

Wenn holländische Autofahrer Alkohol im Blut haben, könnte ihr Wagen künftig automatisch streiken. Dafür sollen ab Mai 2011 sogenannte Alkoholschlösser sorgen, deren Einbau für Promillesünder Pflicht wird. Nur wer dann beim Atemtest in seinem Wagen nüchtern ist, kann ihn starten. Das kündigte die für den Straßenverkehr zuständige Ministerin für Infrastruktur und Umwelt, Melanie Schultz van Haegen, am Mittwoch an. (Quelle: Google Alkohol News, 11.11.10) tt.com, 10.11.10

Phusion Projects, LLC, which makes the alcoholic energy drink Four Loko — known to college students as „blackout in a can“ — has suddenly gotten „serious“ about alcohol abuse and underage drinking on college campuses.
On Nov. 4, company founders sent a letter to about 300 college presidents, deans, and alcohol counselors with information about its products. They offered to help subsidize alcohol education programming, and sought to work with college representatives to address alcohol abuse and underage drinking, which they described as “both a fundamental priority and an ultimate responsibility that we share with the entire alcoholic beverage industry.” … (Source: Join Together, 11/10/10)

An Indiana University study (APHA 2010) found that Indiana spends more on the health care consequences of substance abuse than on its prevention.
Eric Wright, director of the Center for Health Policy at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, said that for every dollar Indiana spends on services dealing directly and indirectly with substance abuse, 66 cents are used for health care-related consequences while only 1 cent pays for prevention/intervention initiatives. (Source: Medical News Today, 11/10/10)

…Says BMA Scotland.
The BMA in Scotland today (Wednesday 10 November 2010) called on the Conservatives, Liberal Democrat and Labour MSPs to reconsider their opposition to minimum pricing as they prepared to debate the Alcohol etc (Scotland) Bill for the final time. (Source: Medical News Today, 11/10/10)

Within the framework of the European Alcohol and Health Forum (EAHF) a 3rd Open Forum will be held in Brussels (Centre Albert Borschette) on 19 November 2010 from 10h00 till 17h00.
The Open Forum is an opportunity for exchange of information and discussion with a broader range of interested parties than the EAHF membership. It also provides networking possibilities among stakeholders who wish to contribute to the reduction of alcohol-related harm.
The 3rd Open Forum presents the European Alcohol and Health Forum’s work, and provides an update of policy developments in the Europe and internationally. Topics for debate will be the Social Cost of Alcohol, Information to Consumers and Responsible Selling and Serving. (Source: EU-events update, 11/10/10)

Nicola Sturgeon is following the best medical advice in seeking a minimum unit price for alcohol. Improving Scotland’s unhappy association with booze should be based on that, not on petty party politics, writes Alan Cochrane. (Source: Google Alcohol News, 11/10/10) telegraph.co.uk, 11/10/10

Didier Burkhalter rief heute zur Unterstützung von Mittellosen in der Schweiz auf.
«Heute wollen wir zusammen den Grundstein für eine effizientere Armutsbekämpfung legen»: Bundesrat Didier Burkhalter hat am Dienstag in Bern zur Eröffnung der – live im Internet übertragenen – Armutskonferenz dazu aufgerufen, Nägel mit Köpfen zu machen. (Quelle: Tages-Anzeiger, 9.11.10) unser Online-Kommentar: Einmal mehr zeigt sich, dass in der Armutsdiskussion die Prävention vernachlässigt wird. Dass ein beträchtlicher Teil der Armut alkoholbedingt ist, wird weiter tabuisiert. Es könnte ja jemand auf die Idee kommen, der Alkoholkonsum müsste dringend gesenkt werden! Das brächte unsere bürgerlichen Politiker in echte Schwierigkeiten. Und die Alkoholindustrie müsste Einbussen in Kauf nehmen zu Gunsten der Bevölkerung, statt wie bisher immer umgekehrt.

Oklahoma — „the OK State“ — has placed a moratorium on deliveries of alcoholic energy drink Four Loko and others like it, the Oklahoman reported Nov. 5.
The state’s Alcoholic Beverage Laws Enforcement Commission (ABLE) banned the delivery of the drinks into the state as of Dec. 3 — until their health risks can be studied by a scientific panel appointed by the commission. Four Loko has been dubbed “blackout in a can” by college students.
„Package stores can sell it, and consumers, 21 and over, can consume Four Loko after Dec. 3, but there just won’t be any new product allowed into the state. Once it’s gone, it’s gone,” said John Masich, ABLE’s general counsel. (Source: Join Together, 11/08/10)

Four Loko Amid the buzz about Four Loko, recent tragedies on college campuses and new efforts by state regulators to ban alcoholic energy drinks (AEDs) have taken center stage. It turns out another state had already banned alcoholic energy drinks — by not permitting distribution of the products in the first place.
Utah — not Michigan, as we previously reported — was the first state to ban alcoholic energy drinks.
The Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control „listing committee“ researched alcoholic energy drinks and elected to keep them off the list of acceptable products for sale, Deseret News reported Oct. 29. (Source: Join Together, 11/09/10)

Das sogenannte „Komasaufen“ fordert seine Opfer: Mehr als 700 Jugendliche aus Sachsen-Anhalt wurden 2008 mit Alkoholvergiftung ins Krankenhaus eingeliefert. Die Initiative „Pro Party – contra Flatrate“ setzt jetzt auf Selbstverpflichtungen der Veranstalter, solche Lockangebote zu unterlassen. Die ersten haben bereits unterschrieben. (Quelle: Google Alkohol News, 9.11.10) volksstimme.de, 9.11.10