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The Australian government should put warning labels on alcohol in conjunction with a broad public health campaign addressing alcohol use, according to an advisory panel, The Age reported Jan. 29.
Dr. Neal Blewett, a former health minister, led the panel of experts reviewing the issue. According to The Age, the panel recommended text warnings, like „Alcohol can damage your health“ and „Drinking to excess is a danger to yourself and those around you.“ (Source: Join Together, 02/09/11)

In a systematic review of current evidence published in this week’s PLoS Medicine, the authors-Jim McCambridge from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, UK, and colleagues-conclude that there is enough evidence to recommend that reducing drinking during late adolescence is likely to be important for preventing long-term adverse consequences of drinking, as well as protecting against more immediate harms. (Source: Medical News Today, 02/09/11)

A paper has been released by the History & Policy body exploring Wine, supermarkets and British alcohol policy. It explores the current alcohol policy context and parallels with history.
The paper in particular explores the focus of recent public debate and policy on public and on-trade consumption, in its conclusion asking whether ‚a greater policy focus on domestic consumption would better reflect the balance of risks posed by alcohol today‘. (Source: Alcohol Policy UK, 02/09/11) alcoholpolicy.net, 02/09/11

Although national spending on mental health and substance abuse grew between 1986-2005, it accounts for a shrinking part of the part of the pie, according to an analysis of public and private spending on health care done by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
Average annual substance abuse spending grew 4.8 percent and mental health spending grew by 6.9 percent during the study period, according to a Feb. 3 press release from SAMHSA. Overall spending on health care, however, grew by 7.9 percent. In 2005, spending on behavioral health care totaled $135 billion, or 7.3 percent, of the $1.85 trillion spent on all health care in the U.S. (Source: Join Together, 2/09/11)

As if boozed up whipped cream in flavors such as chocolate, cherry, and orange wasn’t appealing enough to kids, now in Wisconsin they can just buy a can of it for themselves, at the grocery store, LEGALLY.
Despite containing an alcohol content of 15% (same as in Bailey’s Irish Cream or Bacardi Mojito), Wisconsin state regulators have taken the position that alcohol-infused whipped cream is not subject to the state’s alcohol beverage control laws or alcohol taxes because it is a “food” product and not an alcoholic beverage. (Source: Marin Institute, 02/08/11)

Women who are satisfied with everyday life and are involved in leisure activities rarely have problems with alcohol, reveals a thesis from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
Occupational therapist Christina Andersson, who wrote the thesis, has looked at how everyday life affects alcohol consumption as part of the wider Women and Alcohol in Gothenburg (WAG) population study which has been ongoing at the Sahlgrenska Academy since the mid-1980s. (Source: Medical News Today, 02/08/11)

Positive alcohol outcome expectancy has consistently been linked with problematic drinking, but there is little population-based evidence on its role on early stages of drinking in childhood. The present study seeks to understand the extent to which drinking of family members is differentially associated with the endorsement of alcohol expectancy in late childhood.
Conclusions: Individual tailored strategies that address family influences on alcohol expectancy may be needed in prevention programs targeting drinking behaviors in children. (Source: BMC Public Health 2011, 8 February 2011)

Identifying Links to Drinking May Lead to Drug Treatments Tailored to Your DNA.
Millions of Americans know all too painfully that alcoholism runs in families.
Children of alcoholic parents are four times as likely to develop drinking problems as the general population. Sons of alcoholic fathers face up to nine times the usual risk. Even babies of alcoholics adopted into non-drinking homes have nearly the same risk of alcoholism as they would if they’d stayed with their biological parents, studies have shown.
But untangling just which genes pass along the predisposition for problem drinking is devilishly difficult—largely because alcoholism itself is so complex. Genes that affect how fast the liver metabolizes alcohol and how the brain reacts to stress, reward and pleasure have all been implicated, as have genes for anxiety and depression. Some overlap with genes for nicotine, cocaine and other addictions. … Source: Alcohol Reports, 02/07/11) online.wsj.com, 02/08/11

Alcohol consumption has risen in Canada while controls have been eroded, a situation that may increase an already high burden of harms that include acute and chronic disease, trauma and social problems.
Giesbrecht and colleagues present evidence for a comprehensive response that includes restructured alcohol prices, controlled availability, curtailed marketing, lowered legal limits on blood alcohol concentration, improved access to services for high-risk drinkers and public education. (Source: Alcohol Reports, 02/07/11)

by Petra S. Meier. Article first published online: 19 OCT 2010
ABSTRACT Aims: This paper aims to contribute to a rethink of marketing research priorities to address policy makers‘ evidence needs in relation to alcohol marketing.
Method: Discussion paper reviewing evidence gaps identified during an appraisal of policy options to restrict alcohol marketing.
Findings Evidence requirements can be categorized as follows: (i) the size of marketing effects for the whole population and for policy-relevant population subgroups, (ii) the balance between immediate and long-term effects and the time lag, duration and cumulative build-up of effects and (iii) comparative effects of partial versus comprehensive marketing restrictions on consumption and harm. …
Conclusion: It is essential that studies into marketing effect sizes are geared towards informing policy decision-makers, anchored strongly in theory, use measures of effect that are well-justified and recognize fully the complexities of alcohol marketing efforts. (Source: Alcohol Reports, 02/07/11) onlinelibrary.wiley.com