www.alkoholpolitik.ch

… on driving performance and attention/reaction time
Aims: Marketing that promotes mixing caffeinated ‘energy’ drinks with alcoholic beverages (e.g. Red Bull with vodka) targets young drinkers and conveys the expectation that caffeine will offset the sedating effects of alcohol and enhance alertness. Such beliefs could result in unwarranted risk taking (e.g. driving while intoxicated). The aim of this study was to assess the acute effects of caffeinated versus non-caffeinated alcoholic beverages on a simulated driving task and attention/reaction time.
Conclusion: The addition of caffeine to alcohol does not appear to enhance driving or sustained attention/reaction time performance relative to alcohol alone. (Source: Alcohol Reports, 02/01/11) onlinelibrary.wiley.com, Addiction February 2011

What Is Alcohol per Capita Consumption of Adults Telling us about Drinking and Smoking among Adolescents? A Population-Based Study across 68 Countries
Aims: To investigate whether recorded alcohol per capita consumption of adults could be linked with alcohol drinking and smoking among adolescents. Methods: Adult alcohol per capita has been plotted graphically together with the prevalence of current drinking and smoking among adolescents…. Conclusion: Countries which are high in alcohol per capita consumption among adults need to pay heightened attention to alcohol and tobacco use among the younger population. (Source: Alcohol Reports, 01/31/11) alcalc.oxfordjournals.org, 01/31/11

A Slidell City Council member is proposing designating a stretch of the city’s parade route as alcohol- and smoke-free. Councilman Buddy Lloyd wants to make a one-block area along Gause Boulevard near Ninth Street a family-friendly zone. The issue goes before the City Council on Feb. 22. (Source: Google Alcohol News, 02/01/11) wdsu.com, 01/31/11

● Of the estimated 188,981 alcohol-related emergency department (ED) visits made by patients aged 12 to 20
in 2008, 70.0 percent involved alcohol only, and 30.0 percent involved alcohol in combination with other drugs
● Illicit drug use was indicated in more than two thirds (68.4 percent), and pharmaceutical drugs were involved
in more than one half (55.1 percent) of ED visits involving alcohol in combination with other drugs among patients aged 12 to 20
● Among adolescents aged 12 to 17, 3 in 10 (30.2 percent) alcohol-related ED visits made by females involved other drugs, whereas more than 2 in 10 (22.9 percent) of such visits were made by males; among young adults aged 18 to 20, about one third of such visits made by both males (31.9 percent) and females (33.3 percent) involved other drugs
● Of patients aged 12 to 20 who made alcohol-related ED visits involving other drugs, nearly two thirds (64.5
percent) had no evidence of follow-up care (Source: Alcohol Reports, 01/27/11) dawninfo.samhsa.gov, 01/13/11

In a first-of-its-kind report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) broke down data on health disparities by race, ethnicity, income, and education, The New York Times reported Jan. 13.
The report included data on the impact of alcohol and drug use on different segments of the United States population. For example, more Americans now die from prescription drug overdoses than from illicit drugs. In particular, White, non-Hispanic deaths from prescription drug overdoses outnumber those of African-Americans. (Source: Join Together, 01/20/11)

Nearly 3,000 substance abuse prevention and treatment specialists will convene Feb. 7-10 near Wash., D.C., for Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America’s (CADCA) annual National Leadership Forum. Headlining the conference are Gil Kerlikowske, Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy and Howard Koh MD, Ph.D., Assistant Secretary of Health for the U.S. Health and Human Services Department, who will both provide keynote addresses during the National Leadership Plenary on Feb. 8. (Source: Join Together, 01/19/11)

A paper describing a dramatic change during the 20th century in England and Wales in the association between social class and mortality from liver cirrhosis features in Alcohol and Alcoholism. While deaths from cirrhosis were more common among higher social classes in the early part of the century, the pattern changed so that deaths from cirrhosis were much more common among the lower social classes by the end of the century. Data on male cirrhosis mortality by social class were obtained from the Registrar General’s Decennial Supplements. … (Source: Medical News Today, 01/11/11)

Acculturation stress may be part of the reason some Mexican and Mexican-American teens living in the U.S. report high rates of marijuana and alcohol use, Fox News Latino reported Dec. 30. …
The study, led by Jennifer A. Kam, assistant professor of communications at Ohio State University, found that increases in perceived discrimination over time were related to increases in acculturation stress, which in turn were associated with increased risk of alcohol, pot, and tobacco dependence. (Source: Join Together, 01/11/11)

The Swedish center-right government has presented a four-year plan to reduce the consumption of alcohol, tobacco and narcotics – especially among the youngsters. While nation-wide statistics show a general decrease, abuse among young people is on the increase. (Source: Alcohol Reports, 1/10/11) sverigesradio.se, 1/07/11

A 30 year cohort study.
Smoking and consuming alcohol are both related to increased mortality risk. Their combined effects on cause-specific mortality were investigated in a prospective cohort study.
Conclusions
Smoking and drinking 15+ units/week was the riskiest behaviour for all causes of death. (Source: BMC Public Health 2010, 10:789doi:10.1186/1471-2458-10-789, 24 December 2010)