www.alkoholpolitik.ch

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) says that 30 percent of U.S. eighth graders drink alcohol, and 20 percent binge drink, according to a March 4 story in HealthDay. In that light, it’s particularly chilling to learn (also from HealthDay) that federal statistics show that underage drinkers are responsible for about 546 visits to emergency rooms each day.
What’s a parent to do?
Talking with teens about alcohol and drinking can be difficult for parents — but emergency room doctors and MADD just made it a little easier.
The American College of Emergency Physicians(ACEP) teamed up with MADD to create and release a new, free handbook as part of MADD’s „Power of Parents, It’s Your Influence“ campaign. (Source: Join Together, 03/10/11)

… data from the World Health Surveys.
Alcohol use is increasing among women in Africa, and comparable information about women’s current alcohol use is needed to inform national and international health policies relevant to the entire population. This study aimed to provide a comparative description of alcohol use among women across 20 African countries. …
Conclusions: A variety of drinking patterns are present among African women with lifetime abstention the most common. Countries with hazardous consumption patterns require serious attention to mitigate alcohol-related harm. Some similarities in factors related to alcohol use can be identified between different African countries, although these are limited and highlight the contextual diversity of female drinking in Africa. (Source: biomedcentral.com, 03/10/11) Comment: Now the alcohol industry knows about a wonderful field for marketing. (It knew before.)

SCIENCE GROUP 8th Meeting, 21 March 2011, 11h00 – 17h00
Brussels, Froissart 101, room 02/169
AGENDA
7) Update on recent developments (Commission services)
8) Work towards formulating scientific advice on reducing the negative impact of harmful
and hazardous alcohol consumption on the workplace (EAHF Task request)
o Draft report on initiatives and guidelines developed by alcohol producer companies
to reduce consumption and potential harm in the workplace
o Draft report on the evidence relating to the topics of the Task request (Source: EU, Agenda, 03/10/11)

The Alcohol Policy Information System (APIS), a project by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, recently announced its latest update of state-by-state alcohol policies. The update reports developments in 29 current APIS policy topics for the year 2009. You can visit the APIS website to obtain details on these and other important policy developments across the country. Many of these changes are consistent with the goals of reducing alcohol-related death and injury in the general population and reducing underage drinking and its consequences. (Source: Marin Institute, 03/09/11)

Alcohol industry resists legal restrictions.
The alcohol industry profits from governments with a policy that legally restricts them as minimal as possible. That is why the worldwide alcohol industry takes a stand against measures such as the raise of excise-duty, the introduction of minimum prizes for cheap booze, raising the minimum age for buying alcoholic beverages, restricting the number of outlet points, putting warning labels on products and restricting advertisement. It’s these measures that can achieve the reduction of alcohol use and the decline of damages caused by the use of alcohol. The industry doesn’t mind having to do more informing, because this is mostly ineffective, does not threaten the revenues and benefits the image of the industry.
Consequences of alcohol are terribly hard; governments remain passive. …
Influence of the alcohol industry costs human lives. ….
A number of European health organizations have concluded that the influence of the alcohol industry on the policy of national and European governments is very effective. The result of this is that essential (evidence based) policy changes are held of and the dramatic damages caused by alcohol are not contained. The success of the industry, according to these organizations, means that many people die unnecessarily due to alcohol use and that costs for society are kept needlessly high. …
Screening the alcohol industry lobby. …..
Eleven organizations from different countries, that are concerned about the successful lobby of the alcohol industry, have jointly analyzed this lobby. The results of this are captured in the report „The Seven Key Messages of the Alcohol Industry“. The report can be ordered through EUCAM (www.EUCAM.info), a partnership of a number of European health organizations. The purpose of this report is to give politicians, officials and health organizations insight into the strategic working manners and thinking of the alcohol industry. …
The seven messages of the industry that are illuminated through examples from various countries are: … (See our article on January 2nd 2011)

This new publication looks at the links between violence and tourism and the role played by the abusive consumption of alcohol and other drugs as well as by the context. Each chapter closes with a series of recommendations or descriptions of measures already in place or which could be introduced to deal with the problem at hand. (Source: Eurocare Newsletter January-February 2011)

Alcohol’s role in everything from injury and relationship breakdown to trouble with the police, emerges in a poll of 2,221 people commissioned by the British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG).
According to the survey, some 11% of people polled have seen a friend or relative’s relationship end as a direct result of heavy drinking. One in five (21%) know someone who has driven while over the legal alcohol limit. And 51% know someone who has been a victim of alcohol-related violence, or has been attacked themselves.
The survey also found that 14% of children are being brought up in a family where at least one adult has a drink problem.
The YouGov poll paints a graphic picture of alcohol’s many negative consequences. The survey found that:… (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)

The Home Office has released guidance to help pubs and doorstaff spot and deal with ID that’s used fraudulently to buy alcohol.
The 44-page guidance, accessible on-line, includes detailed advice on how to identify legitimate passports, driving licences and PASS (Proof of Age Standards Scheme) cards. It outlines some commonly-used counterfeit ID such as the „international driving permit“ and „provisional motorcycle licence“. The guidance warns operators to be wary of the growing trend for youngsters to use genuine ID belonging to older siblings. (Source: Alcohol Policy UK, 03/01/11) morningadvertiser.co.uk, 02/24/11

As per the findings of the Victorian Alcohol Statistics Report, the number of alcohol-related violence and brawls has experienced a sharp rise over the period between 1999 and 2007. …
Now with the released results of the much-awaited report, experts are in quest to find the magic bullets to curb the menace of alcoholism.
Mary Wooldridge, the Minister for the State Mental Health and Community Services, asserted: „This is the most comprehensive, detailed analysis of the impact of alcohol across the state, it’s critical for developing solutions“. … Expressing his unrest and disbelief over figures, the Director for Turning Point, Professor Dan Lubman said that the report is the wake-up call for authorities as well as the people to realize what havoc the alcohol is playing. (Source: Google Alcohol News, 02/28/11) topnews.net.nz, 02/28/11