www.alkoholpolitik.ch

„Drug addiction clinics say they are becoming increasingly concerned by the health risks associated with the chemical — the only known example of the body forming a third drug following the ingestion of two others. For not only is cocaethylene toxic in the liver, it is also blamed for heart attacks in the under-40s and a surge in social problems. But because so little is known about the drug, few experts can agree on the nature of the threat to users, and indeed society as a whole. Many who consider themselves social users — for whom a line or two of cocaine coupled with a few drinks in a bar or a club is a weekly or monthly event — do not consider the health implications of their drug taking.“ (Source: Harvard World Health News, 11/12/09) The Observer, London, 11/8/09

Women who have lost control or consciousness due to excessive drinking have fueled what British researchers have termed the „urban legend“ of drinks being spiked with so-called „date-rape“ drugs, according to a new study. (Source: Join Together, 10/29/09)

The Incidence Of Children Living With Substance-Misusing Parents In The UK Is Considerably Underestimated
Current figures underestimate the number of children who may be at risk of harm from parental substance use. Researchers writing in the open access journal BMC Public Health have generated new estimates using five national surveys which include measures of binge, hazardous and dependent drinking, illicit drug use and mental health. (Source: Medical News Today, 10/9/09)

With substance abuse now accounting for one in 14 hospital admissions and generating billions in health care costs, leading scientists held a briefing on Capitol Hill to present the evidence that we already have and the evidence we need in treating and preventing the use and abuse of alcohol, drugs and tobacco. …
„Yet researchers have generated considerable evidence on the effectiveness of policies including minimum drinking ages, a tougher approach to drunk driving, and raising alcohol taxes,“ he said.
For example, there is evidence that increasing alcohol taxes to keep pace with inflation would lead to a 19 percent reduction in heavy drinking by youth and a 6 percent reduction in high-risk drinking. Research also has shown that simply changing licensing provisions and modifying hours of service at establishments that sell alcohol can have a significant effect on drinking and drinking-related problems. … (Source: Medical News Today, 10/5/09) Comment: Let’s hope politicians open their ears.

New research by Weill Cornell Medical College researchers looks at the specific ways parents and peers influence teenagers to smoke, drink and use marijuana in combination. Among their findings: attitudes toward smoking influenced teenagers‘ use of multiple drugs (smoking, drinking and marijuana), and that this manifested itself differently in boys and girls. (Source: Medical News Today, 10/1/09)

„A series of academic studies have drawn a clear line between the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and a host of unhealthy outcomes: obesity, diabetes and heart disease. Medical costs for obesity and excessive weight alone are estimated to be about $147 billion — and half of those costs are paid for through Medicare and Medicaid. It’s no stretch to say that soda drinking affects us all.“ (Source: Harvard World Health News, 9/25/09) San Francisco Chronicle, 9/21/09 Comment: taxing alcohol would compensate health costs as well, but the tax should be high enough in order to reduce consumption.

The newest website for parents who want to raise drug-free kids just got even better.
Stop by the brand new Get Informed section of StraightDopeForParents.org for a wealth of user-friendly, research-based tools that complement Joseph A. Califano Jr.’s new book, How to Raise a Drug-Free Kid: The Straight Dope for Parents. In Get Informed, you’ll find online tips and downloadable fact sheets for parents on many topics. (Source: Join Together, 9/23/09)

Compared to teens who have frequent family dinners (five or more per week), those who have infrequent family dinners (fewer than three per week) are twice as likely to use tobacco or marijuana; more than one and a half times likelier to use alcohol; and twice as likely to expect to try drugs in the future, according to The Importance of Family Dinners V, a new report by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University. full press release Remember that Monday, September 28th is Family Day—A Day to Eat Dinner with Your ChildrenTM

„Australians will be told to drink and smoke less and eat less junk food by a new preventative health watchdog that will begin monitoring the health system within months. Health Minister Nicola Roxon said legislation for a National Preventative Health Agency would be introduced into Parliament within the next fortnight, forming a key part of the Government’s plan to reduce preventable illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. The independent but publicly funded agency will be responsible for a major preventative health advertising push, policy advice, health surveillance, consultation and research. It will begin in January, staffed by government-appointed population health experts.“ (Source: Harvard World Health News, 9/10/09) The Sydney Morning Herald, 9/6/09

Drinking more than ten alcoholic drinks a week or four cups of strong coffee each day can increase the risk of developing an irregular heartbeat, new research suggests. Two studies presented at the European Society of Cardiology congress in Barcelona found that alcohol and caffeine intake can affect the chances of developing an abnormal heart rhythm, known as atrial fibrillation. About 46,000 people in Britain are diagnosed with atrial fibrillation every year. (SOURCE: GOOGLE ALKOHOL ALERT, 8/31/09) TIMES ONLINE, 8/30/09