www.alkoholpolitik.ch

Itransition Software Development Company, an international software development company, along with the World Health Organization (WHO), the Dutch Ministry of Health, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction (the Trimbos), have launched a new pilot project with the objective to prevent alcohol and substance abuse in Brazil, India, Mexico and Belarus. (Source: Alcohol Reports, 12/06/10) healthcare.tmcnet.com, 12/06/10

A new study found moderately impulsive adolescent boys who drank heavily have less impulse control in later years — thus putting them at risk for more heavy drinking, HealthDay News reported Nov. 16.
Investigators at the Rutgers University Center of Alcohol Studies examined drinking patterns and impulse control scores annually among approximately 500 Pittsburgh-area boys aged 8 to 18, with follow-up assessment at age 24 to 25.
According to the findings, teens with moderate impulsivity scores who drank heavily had significantly increased impulsivity scores at the next year’s assessment. There was no change in impulsivity, regardless of consumption, among boys with low or high impulsivity scores. (Source: Join Together, 12/03/10)

The HM Treasury today announced plans to change beer duty for certain strengths as part of Government plans ‚to review alcohol taxation to tackle problem drinking without unfairly penalising responsible drinkers, pubs and important local industries.‘
The Treasury announced its plans to introduce a new additional duty on beers over 7.5% abv in strength and a reduced rate of duty on beers at a strength of 2.8% abv or below. (Source: Alcohol Reports, 11/02/10) hm-treasury.gov.uk, 11/30/10 Comment: Interesting that it is now accepted: The price influences the consumption. But reducing the taxes on beer is an invitation for young people to start earlier. Maybe that’s the reason why this tax reform has been accepted by the industry.

The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) manages the Hospital In-Patient Enquiry (HIPE) scheme. This is a
computerised health information system designed to collect clinical and administrative data on discharges from over 60
acute hospitals in Ireland. This article reports on an analysis of HIPE data on discharges, including deaths in hospital, of cases with an alcohol-related diagnosis in the years 2005–2008, in order to assess the burden of alcohol-related morbidity on Irish hospitals. It is important to note that, because the HIPE scheme does not record attendances at emergency departments, using HIPE data to assess the impact of alcohol use on acute hospital services can lead to an under-estimation of the true extent of the burden. (Source: Alcohol Reports, 11/30/10) drugsandalcohol.ie / Drugnet automn 2010

On Nov. 17, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) declared that the makers of drinks like Four Loko and Joose were not allowed to mix caffeine and alcohol. Many of the comments on various news sites said, more or less, that such a decision would „do nothing“ to stop binge drinking on college campuses.
They were right. While removing alcoholic energy drinks from the market may have been necessary, it doesn’t solve the larger problems.
The real issues, as Derrick Z. Jackson wrote in the Boston Globe Nov. 20, are underage and binge drinking. Far from taking either one seriously, he argued, we encourage them both. (Source: Join Together, 11/29/10)

Abstract: The knowledge of racial and ethnic variations in alcohol abuse among US immigrants is limited. We compared the prevalence and correlates of alcohol abuse among US foreign-born versus US-natives by race-ethnicity using data from the National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Alcohol abuse outcomes included clinical diagnosis, excessive drinking, and intoxication. The foreign-born respondents had lower rates of alcohol abuse than the US-born, but some variations were noted by race-ethnicity. … (Source: Alcohol Reports, 11/29/10) springerlink.com, 11/28/10

Problematic drug and alcohol use has a profound impact on society. From the personal and social harms to the financial costs of drug-related crime and medical treatment, this is a burden that is increasingly hard to bear not only economically, but morally and socially. Moreover it is one that may increase as we enter a period of economic hardship. There is a constant need for new insights, and … (Source: Alcohol Reports, 11/24/10) thersa.org, November 2010

A study that compared the drinking patterns of middle aged men in France to counterparts in Belfast in Northern Ireland, found that binge drinking was linked to nearly double the risk of heart disease, suggesting that Belfast’s binge drinking culture, where there is a tendency to drink a lot of alcohol in one day at the weekend, could be fuelling the city’s high rate of heart disease.
Although other studies have already established a link between drinking alcohol and heart disease and premature death, the researchers wanted to look in more detail at the role of drinking patterns and type of alcohol. So they set up a study to investigate drinking habits in two culturally diverse countries. (Source: Medical News Today, 11/24/10)

Violence against women is huge problem in European lives.
November 25th was the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and we have read several
press releases from different civil society organization. Yesterday. Many organizations, not least the United
Nations, have tried over the years to raise awareness about the problem that violence against women creates
for societies. After all already in 1999 did the General Assembly of the UN designate the 25th of November to
be this special day.
“Also many of our members have used this day over the years to raise awareness,” says Andrea Lavesson, the
President of Active – sobriety, friendship and peace. “However, we have to be honest and face the fact that violence
against women doesn’t make it into the headlines. Individual cases might make it into tabloids but media
coverage of this paramount societal problem is non-existent.”
As a matter of fact, almost 25% of all women in Europe have experienced physical violence at least once during
their adult lives. More than one-tenth of European girls and women have suffered sexual abuse. … (Source: violenceagainst womenPRESS RELEASE
Press contact: Maik Duennbier, alcoholpolicy@activeeurope.org, 26th of November 2010)

… between injection drug users (IDUs) and non-IDUs who report sexual partnerships with IDUs.
Conclusions: Greater prevalence of sexual risk behaviors among non-IDUs who report partnerships with IDUs, compared to IDUs themselves, suggests a potential mechanism for spread of HIV beyond the IDU population. Interventions to reduce HIV transmission should address alcohol consumption among non-IDUs who report sexual partnerships with IDUs, and methamphetamine use and the propensity of having sex when high among IDUs. (Source: BMC Public Health 2010), 10:676doi:10.1186/1471-2458-10-676 Published: 5 November 2010