www.alkoholpolitik.ch

Dozens of Iraqi writers and poets took to the streets of Baghdad Friday to protest at the closure of social clubs that serve alcohol in the capital, arguing that it harkened back to Saddam-era repression.
Holding up placards with the phrases “Freedom first” and “Baghdad will not be Kandahar,” they staged a demonstration near the Iraqi Writers’ Union (IWU) building in al-Wattanabi in the city centre. (Source: Google Alcohol News, 12/09/10) teaandpolitics.wordpress.com, 12/08/2010

Betriebsessen und Aperitifs von Vereinen und Klubs laden zum Umtrunk. Im Dezember häufen sich die Gelegenheiten, Alkoholisches zu trinken. Wer über die Stränge schlägt, kennt den Brummschädel am Tag danach. Es geht auch ohne. Attraktive, alkoholfreie Getränke machen Lust, das Glas Wein oder Sekt für einmal stehen zu lassen. Sucht Info Schweiz wartet zur Festtagszeit mit Rezepten für katerfreie Drinks auf.
Das Kartenset mit Rezepten für alkoholfreie Cocktails kann bei Sucht Info Schweiz kostenlos bestellt werden (www.sucht-info.ch / Info-Materialien) Medienmitteilung, 9.12.10

On average, over a third (38%) of soap air time features alcohol, but the negative consequences of drinking to excess are rarely shown, according to new research launched today (8th December) by alcohol awareness charity Drinkaware.1 Despite 162 instances of characters drinking to excess2 over a six week monitoring period, only 1.5% of alcohol scenes portrayed hangovers and less than 1% combined showed alcohol-related sickness, crime, regret or anti-social behaviour. (Source: Medical News Today, 12/08/10)

Trotz der Übermacht seiner Verfolger, verteidigte er sich wie ein Löwe. Jetzt wird er froh sein müssen, wenn er nicht in einen Käfig gesteckt wird. Mitte November kam es in der Nähe der 4.800-Seelen-Kleinstadt Knyszyn im Nordosten Polens zu einem Zwischenfall, in den ein Priester und einige Polizisten verwickelt waren. (Quelle: kreuz.net, 10.12.10)

As more states move to ban caffeinated alcoholic beverages (CABs), a new research review highlights the mounting evidence on the health risks associated with combining alcohol and energy drinks, ScienceDaily reported Nov. 30.
In an effort to determine the extent of CAB use and its health consequences — and outline future research needs — a team of researchers led by Jonathan Howland, PhD, chair of the Social and Behavioral Sciences Department at the Boston University School of Public Health, examined statistical evidence from 44 sources. Source: Join Together, 12/03/10)

The Surprise Consequences Of Lobbying.
In January, Colorado will begin enforcing a law that forbids bars, restaurants and liquor stores from selling low-alcohol beer — usually low-calorie beer like Michelob Ultra, Heineken Light and others. Even Guinness may qualify as low-alcohol and be booted from Irish pubs. How did this happen? .. (Source: Google Alcohol News, 12/08/10) tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com, 12/07/10

Busemann begründete diesen Vorstoß damit, dass Alkohol auch bereits in geringen Mengen die Fahrtüchtigkeit beeinträchtigen könne, etwa durch eine Einschränkung des Sehfeldes. Am besten sei es, vor Fahrten ganz auf „geistige Getränke“ zu verzichten. Eine Nullpromille-Regelung nannte der Minister gleichwohl juristisch unsinnig, weil damit unter Umständen auch der unbedachte Verzehr alkoholhaltiger Medikamente, Süßigkeiten oder Desserts zu einer Bestrafung führe.
Die Position vertraten auch der Rechtsmediziner Professor Hans-Dieter Tröger aus Hannover und der Landesvorsitzende des Bundes gegen Alkohol und Drogen im Straßenverkehr (BADS), Manfred Endler. „Die Grenze muss runter, Alkohol hat am Steuer nichts zu suchen“, betonte Tröger. Es habe aber keinen Sinn, auf null Promille zu gehen. (Quelle: Google Alkohol News, 7.12.10) noz.de, 7.12.10

Airports and airlines are making alcohol increasingly available, USA Today reported Nov. 30.
Airlines began promoting cocktails and other alcohol more heavily in the past year, according to consultant Jay Sorensen. „What’s happening is airlines are becoming better retailers of products,“ Sorensen said. „They’re doing things to highlight the fact that, ‚Yes, indeed, we do sell alcohol on the airplane.‘ They’re trying to mimic what occurs on the ground in terms of consumer promotions.“
One example includes a „happy hour“ offered by American Airlines for fliers purchasing alcohol on certain flights in the month of December. United Airlines gave passengers in its Economy Plus section free wine this past summer and now offers its own signature cocktail. … (Source: Join Together, 12/07/10) Comment: Swiss Parliament just agreed that airports may sell alcohol duty free to arriving passengers too.

In summer 2009 the Finnish Government set up a working group to evaluate, among others, whether restrictions on evocative (visual) alcohol advertising were necessary. The working group finished its work in summer 2010 and concluded that no additional measures were needed concerning evocative alcohol advertising. This raised opposition, and consequently a bill proposing that only product information would be allowed to be shown in the commercials was introduced in Parliament in September 2010. Source: Alcohol Reports, 12/06/10) Health Policy Monitor, October 2010. Available at http://www.hpm.org/survey/fi/a16/2hpm.org,

PARENTS who have lost children to drink-drivers last night attacked the Government for failing to introduce an immediate “zero” alcohol limit for motorists.
MPs sitting on the House of Commons Transport Committee this week said the legal drink-drive level should eventually be slashed from 80milligrams of alcohol per 100ml of blood to 20mg, virtually zero.
It means drinkers, depending on their build, would have to stop at a sip or less before getting behind the wheel.
But the politicians said such a cut would have to be a long-term ambition as it would prove “too great a step at this stage”.
Alyn Hopkins, 52, who lost his 18-year-old son Domenic to a driver three times over the limit said they “obviously have not lost anyone”. Source: Alcohol Reports, 12/06/10) walesonline.co.uk, 12/05/10