www.alkoholpolitik.ch

There is growing pressure for the government to tighten up New Zealand’s alcohol laws following a report into the death of a teenager from binge drinking.
Sixteen-year-old James Webster died from acute alcohol poisoning after attending a party in Auckland’s Grey Lynn in May last year.
Coroner Gordon Matenga recommended in the report that parents and schools develop alcohol awareness programmes to improve education around the issue.
However principals and health promotion experts have said this morning that it will take more than education to tackle the problem. … (Source: Alcohol Reports, 04/25/11) tvnz.co.nz, 04/21/11 Comment: This is what has to be said to most governments in the western world.

Their numbers are rising, but their age is dropping: children and young adults who drink so much that they have to go to the hospital. Binge-drinking is sadly fashionable amongst the under 20-year-olds. But how can adolescents be effectively protected from alcohol and substance abuse?
„Information alone is not good enough“, Dr Karina Weichold of the Jena University (Germany) knows. Because even children know that alcohol consumption and smoking can cause health damage. „Therefore prevention needs to start somewhere else.“ This is what the developmental scientists, together with colleagues from the Institute of Psychology and the Center for Applied Developmental Science of the Jena University, are trying to achieve with their specially developed prevention programme IPSY. … (Source: Medical News Today, 04/21/11) our Online-Comment: The main problem will be to find teachers who are willing to reserve so many hours for the programme.

“Prevention of alcohol problems is a leadership issue for the whole nation. The issue must be brought to the top of our political agenda”, says Lesotho’s Honourable Minister of Tourism, M. Ramaili. Lesotho’s alcohol policy will now be revised.
In her closing address to an alcohol policy training course in Maseru Ms Ramaili made reference to the current situation of Lesotho: “Alcohol is readily available anywhere in this country, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is an essential part of all celebrations; births, traditional festivals, funerals, sports event. There will be very few attendants at such events if you do not serve alcohol. Alcohol consumption is a complex issue. It brings economic benefits, but these benefits come at very high costs. Even if alcohol is a legal commodity the sale of this product cannot go unchecked”, said the Minister of Tourism.
The training session on evidence-based alcohol policies, which was held in the end of March, was part of a process to revise and improve the existing alcohol policy of Lesotho. Around 30 participants from government agencies and NGOs took part in a three-day program based on the book “Alcohol No Ordinary Commodity”. By their commitment, their competence and by active participation the participants contributed towards a successful training with a high level of energy. (Source: add-recources.org, 04/14/11)

The Century Council Kicks Off Alcohol Awareness Month By Releasing Ask, Listen, Learn PSAs with 23 Attorneys General.
Timed with April’s designation as Alcohol Awareness Month, The Century Council teamed up with 23 Attorneys General from around the country to release a fun and innovative Ask, Listen, Learn: Kids and Alcohol Don’t Mix Public Service Announcement (PSA). In the animated and radio PSAs Attorneys General encourage kids to say ‚YES‘ to a healthy lifestyle and ‚NO‘ to underage drinking. The PSAs will begin airing around the country this month. (Source: Google Alcohol News, 04/05/11) trading-house.net, 04/04/11

Hospitalizations for alcohol have been trending upward on campus this year, with spikes at fraternity houses, freshman dorms and among the sophomore class. In fall quarter alone, there were 33 cases of Stanford students being transported to the emergency room for alcohol-related incidents, according to Ralph Castro, manager of the Substance Abuse Prevention Program at Vaden Health Center.
To date, a total of 48 students have been transported to the hospital, an increase from the 42 transports in the previous academic year. In winter quarter alone, there were 15 cases—six freshmen, three sophomores, five juniors and one senior. Transports were divided fairly evenly between men and women. (Source: Google Alcohol News, 04/04/11)

Findings from the 2004 Global School-Based Student Health Survey.
This study examines the associations between alcohol marketing strategies, alcohol education including knowledge about dangers of alcohol and refusal of alcohol, and drinking prevalence, problem drinking, and drunkenness. …
These findings underscore the importance of restricting alcohol marketing practices as an important policy strategy for reducing alcohol use and its dire consequences among vulnerable youth. (Source: Alcohol Reports, 03/15/11)

Young adults whose parents monitor their social interactions may be less likely to display impulsive behavior traits and to have alcohol-related problems, a new study suggests. The level of monitoring is linked to parenting style, and the link is stronger with the parent of the opposite gender.
This study is one of the first to explore the link between parenting style and parental monitoring, as well as to explore the monitoring style of each parent individually, says Julie A. Patock-Peckham, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Psychology & Neuroscience at Baylor University and one of the study authors. (Source: Medical News Today, 03/16/11)

Researchers in the U.K have found that teens from more affluent families are more likely to drink than teens in poverty, although having a mother with a higher level of education is a protective factor for teens at any income level, Reuters reported March 14.
The longitudinal study, led by Roberto Melotti of the University of Bristol, surveyed the mothers of 5,837 children when they were pregnant, and followed up with surveys of the children at age thirteen about their use of alcohol and tobacco. (Source: Join Together, 03/15/11)

Children can make a real difference in their communities. A new manual on rights-based research from Concerned for Working Children (CWC) in Bangalore, India shows how children can be empowered to influence their community and also local alcohol policies. (Source: Alcohol Reports, 03/14/11) add-recources.org, 03/14/11

…Who Have Sex With Men: A Review and Critique of the Current Literature
HIV incidence is increasing among men who have sex with men (MSM) despite years of prevention education and intervention efforts. Whereas there has been considerable progress made in identifying risk factors among younger MSM, older MSM have been largely neglected. In particular, the role of alcohol and drug use in conjunction with sex has not been thoroughly studied in older MSM samples. (Source: Alcohol Reports, 03/14/11) springerlink.com, 03/10/11