www.alkoholpolitik.ch

It’s our turn to shout media release.
New Zealand is on the brink of some of the most significant amendments to its alcohol laws, but communities need to speak up about their desire for change.
That’s the message alcohol law reform proponents want to drive home, with only ten days left for public submissions on the Alcohol Reform Bill.
New Zealand Drug Foundation Executive Director Ross Bell said he was pleased with many aspects of the Bill, which is the Government’s response to the Law Commission’s liquor law review, but that it fell short in a number of important areas. … (Source: Google Alcohol News, 02/7/11) scoop.co.nz, 02/07/11

Eurocare (European Alcohol Policy Alliance) strongly supports the World Cancer Day and hopes that combined efforts of all stakeholders will lead to significant reduction in cancer cases.
First conclusive links between alcohol and cancer were established back in 1987. Nearly 25 years later public awareness about the links is alarmingly low.
The 2010 Eurobarometer report found that 1 in 5 European citizens do not believe that there is connection between alcohol and caner and 1 in 10 do not know about the link between alcohol and cancer.
Alcoholic beverages and ethanol in alcohol beverages is group 1 carcinogenic, the cancer they impact on are cancer of oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, oesophagus, liver, colorectum and breast. (Source: Eurocare Press Release, 2/07/11)

Today is the World Cancer Day. Today millions of young Europeans remember their relatives and friends who passed away too early because of cancer. “On this day” says Andrea Lavesson, who is the President of Active – sobriety, friendship and peace, “we also think of all those who are right now fighting to defeat cancer and wish them all the strength and hope possible. But to policy makers we turn, too,” continues Andrea Lavesson “in the need to stress once more that there are ways to save these lives.”
One year ago, on World Cancer Day 2010 the WHO regional office for Europe said: “Changes in lifestyle and improved prevention and screening policies could prevent up to 40% of all cancer cases.” Nevertheless, every year more than 3 million Europeans are diagnosed with cancer. This makes cancer the most common cause of death in Europe after heart disease. PRESS RELEASE: 2-P’s to save lives

Tell your state legislators to bring these dangerous products down to size.
Recent federal government action banned seven dangerous caffeinated alcoholic beverages. The worst offenders are now back, minus the stimulants, as supersized, 23.5 oz., single serving cans of sweet, 12% alcohol content alcopops.
Drinking one can = 4.7 standard drinks!
Now it’s up to the states to protect the health and safety of young people from new, high-alcoholic content, monster-size alcopops. Tell your state legislators to codify the federal ban on caffeinated alcoholic beverages, and while they’re at it, ban supersized alcopops too. Take Action! Comment: I hope those alcopops will not come to Europe!

Teachers and middle- and high-school students: here’s your chance to „Get in the Game“ by participating in this informal national survey that will help measure the impact of alcohol advertising from the Super Bowl.
The Drug-Free Action Alliance of Ohio is calling for young people from across the country to participate in the „Big Bowl Vote 2011“ on Feb. 7, the day after the Super Bowl. The survey is intended to gauge which commercials the students remember and prefer — and to help students more-thoughtfully evaluate alcohol advertising. (Source: Join Together, 01/24/11)

Due to Nasty Winter Weather. New Deadline – Midnight, January 27, 2011 Free the Bowl

The Free The Bowl contest is open to youth 10-20 years old. The deadline for 30-60 second counter-beer-ad video entries is January 24, 2011. Winners will be announced during the Free The Bowl 2011 World Premiere, February 3, 2011, at the Smith Rafael Film Center in San Rafael, California. (Source: Marin Institute, 1/11/11)

By Joseph A. Califano, Jr.
The New Year is a time for resolutions and here are my suggestions for some of those responsible for curbing drug and alcohol abuse and addiction:
For doctors: Resolve to take responsibility to treat substance abuse and addiction with the same medical professionalism devoted to other diseases.
For medical schools: Resolve to give more than the usual two or three hours to teach the subject of substance abuse and addiction. Then medical students won’t have to wait until their clinical training, residencies and fellowships to learn how alcohol and other drug abuse and addiction cause and exacerbate most ailments and accidents they will confront as family doctors, general surgeons or cancer or other specialists. …. (Source: The Chairman’s Corner, 01/03/11) our Online-Comment: I find the wishes to the Obama-administration and to all of us are too weak. We have to inform about the WHO-Resolution on a global Alcohol-Strategy, which gives exact proposals what we can do to reduce the alcohol related harm. The people and the politicians cannot discuss the matter without this information. That’s why the lobbying of the alcohol industry is still too strong and effective.

…By Explaining The Danger Of Alcohol Poisoning
Most of us know a friend, co-worker or relative who passed out at a holiday party. Never assume they are not in danger, especially if it is a teenager, according to the Science Inside Alcohol Project of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).
Many teens don’t know their capacity for alcohol, specialists say, and that can put them at risk for alcohol poisoning. Nearly one million high school students nationwide binge drink, which means consuming four to five drinks in a two-hour period, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). Binge drinking can lead to alcohol poisoning. (Source: Medical News Today, 12/19/10)

Youth Rights in alcohol culture – all right? Active proudly presents ALL RIGHTS booklet
Today is Human Rights Day and on this day the European community looks to the situation in China and Liu Xiaobo. While this is important, not least for the children and young people there, it is essential to assure at the same time not to loose sight of the European situation.
“In Europe we’ve developed the bad habit to always think of development countries and dictatorships when we talk about Human Rights violations. While that’s convenient, the truth is that there happen Human Rights, even Children’s Rights violations on our continent. They happen in open street. They happen in children’s rooms. Every day. We cannot afford to waste time to combat them”, says Andrea Lavesson, President of Active – sobriety, friendship and peace.
To live up to the needs and demands of millions of young Europeans, Active today launches its most recent publication: a booklet zooming in on the rights violations caused by alcohol harm and alcohol culture in Europe.
Find the booklet for download: http://www.activeeurope.org/attachedFiles/documents/allrigths_booklet.pdf.
An Active working group, consisting of 12 young Europeans, analyzed every article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as well as the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Not less than 15 breaches of the UDHR attributable to alcohol harm and the European alcohol culture were found. The severity of breaches is even magnified by decision-makers on all levels who ignore to primarily consider the Best Interest of children whenever deciding on policies.
Studies show that alcohol harm inflicted upon others can be found everywhere and affects children and young people disproportionately. For example, alcohol is a causal factor in 16% of child abuse and neglect. In Germany, between 2000 and 2008 the number of alcohol intoxicated youth ending up in emergency rooms increased by 170%. Alcohol is responsible for 7, 4% of disability and premature death in the EU. (Source: Press Release Active, 12/10/10)