www.alkoholpolitik.ch

International Conference: 12th and 13th October 2011, Parc Thistle Hotel, Cardiff, Wales
Cigarette smoking is highly prevalent among people with alcohol use disorders. People who are dependent on alcohol are three times more likely than those in the general population to be smokers, and people who are dependent on tobacco are four times more likely than the general population to be dependent on alcohol. Alcohol use problems are associated with higher levels of nicotine dependence and a lower likelihood -of smoking cessation. … (Source: Alcohol Reports, 04/19/11)

The Swedish government proposed a new strategy to fight the use of alcohol, drugs, steroids and tobaco. The plan will result in yearly action plans and evaluations. The parliament agreed fully to the proposal but added a suggestion to ban alcohol use immediately after accidents. (Source: Eurocare Newsletter March-April 2011)

sponsored by MetLife Foundation.
The annual study shows that teen drug and alcohol use is headed in the wrong direction, with marked increases in teen use of marijuana and Ecstasy over the past three years. The study confirms a disturbing trend that has emerged among American
teens since 2008 and highlights that underage drinking has become more normalized among adolescents. (Source: Alcohol Reports, 04/07/11) PATS KEY FINDINGS: Released April 6, 2011

Requiring parity for substance abuse disorders in health insurance plans results in identifying more people who need alcohol and drug treatment and lowers plan participants‘ out-of-pocket costs — but has almost no effect on patients‘ use of treatment or the quality of care, according to a March 18 press release in Psychiatric News. (Source: Join Together, 03/22/11)

The government is waging war on the alarming increase in the abuse of alcohol and drugs, and has warned of stricter legislation – including raising the legal age for alcohol consumption from 18 to 21.
In a hard-hitting statement, Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini said yesterday that the devastating effects of alcohol abuse had spurred the government to „prioritise this as a matter of urgency“.
„Alcohol and substance abuse is destroying families and the fabric of society. The shocking reality of the situation has strengthened our resolve to tackle the problem head-on,“ Dlamini told The Times. (Source: Alcohol Reports, 03/12/11) timeslive.co.za, 03/11/11 Comment: Good luck, my beloved South Africa. You have the political power to succeed. But do it without the alcohol industry! Take the WHO Global Alcohol Strategy.

Cigarette smoking is highly prevalent among people with alcohol use disorders. People who are dependent
on alcohol are three times more likely than those in the general population to be smokers, and people who are dependent on tobacco are four times more likely than the general population to be dependent on alcohol. Alcohol use problems are associated with higher levels of nicotine dependence and a lower likelihood of smoking cessation.
The link between alcohol and tobacco has important implications for those in the alcohol and smoking cessation
treatment and policy fields. More alcoholics die of tobacco-related illness than die of alcohol-related problems.
Although the health threats of smoking are clear, many unanswered questions remain about how to best approach smoking cessation in alcohol dependent populations. Effective treatment hinges on a better understanding of how these substances—and their addictions—interact.
12th and 13th October 2011, Parc Thistle Hotel, Cardiff, Wales. www.ashwales.co.uk

Madrid, 25 February 2011. Alcohol labels should warn of the risks associated with drinking. This is the position of the Senators and MPs that make up the mixed Parliamentary committee on Drugs, that last 24 February urged the Government to implement these and other measures to prevent that harm caused by alcohol.
The Committee adopted unanimously the non-legislative proposal by the Socialist Group where the national and regional authorities, as well as the stakeholders, are urged to take measures to prevent and combat the harmful use of alcohol, especially by young people.
The new labelling rules would put an end to the legal vacuum that exists in this regard. In contrast to cigarettes, where packs already emphasize the dangers associated with smoking, alcohol labels are only required to contain information about their alcohol volume. (Source: Eurocare Newsletter January-February 2011)

Letter from MEP Alojz Peterle to his fellow MEPs about the pros and cons of the alcohol consumption
On Tuesday 7 December 2010, the MAC (MEPs Against Cancer) organized a round table discussion on the topic of Alcohol and Cancer. The outcome of this round table was clear: drinking alcohol can cause different types of cancer, such as cancer of the mouth, larynx, pharynx, oesophagus, breast, colorectum and liver.
In the discussion that followed, attention was also drawn to the potential beneficial effects of alcohol.
In an attempt to break down the misunderstandings about the effects of alcohol on health, the president of the MAC, Mr Alojz Peterle, has sent out a letter to his colleagues in the European Parliament. This letter aims to provide a balanced vision on the relationship between alcohol and health, based on the latest scientific insights.
Click to read the Short version of the letter or if you want to download the Extended version.
(Source: Eurocare Newsletter January-February 2011)

College students caught breaking drug or alcohol laws often don’t face serious legal consequences. More often, they are sent through campus judicial systems.
David Gayle, a 19-year-old Virginia Tech student, died in September when he fell while trying to climb from a balcony to an apartment roof while intoxicated. Nineteen-year-old Laura Treanor, a sophomore at George Washington University, died from alcohol poisoning in 2009. And in 2002, Daniel Reardon, 19, died a week after going into a whiskey-induced coma during a pledging event at a University of Maryland fraternity.
The tragic consequences of heavy drinking have been felt at several local colleges. But serious legal consequences for students who binge drink and use drugs are rare. (Source: Google Alcohol News, 02/27/11)
Washington Examiner, 02/26/11

We take a look at the drink licensing system in Cardiff, a city with one of the worst binge‐drinking
reputations in the UK. There are also reports on the thinking behind alcohol advertising and the use of drink as a precursor and symptom of sex exploitation. Finally, we return to Wales, but this time in 1970s, when the area was home to the world’s biggest LSD factory. Druglink Magazine