www.alkoholpolitik.ch

The most dramatic legislation in the new law is expected to be gazetted before the weekend, which will ban drinking in a bar during the day.
It is official; you will be arrested and fined Sh150,000 if found in a bar with a child, according to the new alcohol control law that has taken effect.
The Alcoholic Drinks Control Act was gazetted by Internal Security minister George Saitoti on Monday, meaning that manufacturers who package distilled alcohol in a plastic container risk being prosecuted and fined heavily as will be bars which sell such drinks. All supermarkets and petrol station shops selling alcohol in sections that it can be reached by minors will be breaking the new law. In addition, all previous licences for manufacturers, distributors and retailers have expired and businesses have to wait for further instructions from Nacada (the National Campaign Against Drug Abuse). (Source: Alcohol Reports, 11/29/10) nation.co.ke, 11/24/10

Problematic drug and alcohol use has a profound impact on society. From the personal and social harms to the financial costs of drug-related crime and medical treatment, this is a burden that is increasingly hard to bear not only economically, but morally and socially. Moreover it is one that may increase as we enter a period of economic hardship. There is a constant need for new insights, and … (Source: Alcohol Reports, 11/24/10) thersa.org, November 2010

Violence against women is huge problem in European lives.
November 25th was the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and we have read several
press releases from different civil society organization. Yesterday. Many organizations, not least the United
Nations, have tried over the years to raise awareness about the problem that violence against women creates
for societies. After all already in 1999 did the General Assembly of the UN designate the 25th of November to
be this special day.
“Also many of our members have used this day over the years to raise awareness,” says Andrea Lavesson, the
President of Active – sobriety, friendship and peace. “However, we have to be honest and face the fact that violence
against women doesn’t make it into the headlines. Individual cases might make it into tabloids but media
coverage of this paramount societal problem is non-existent.”
As a matter of fact, almost 25% of all women in Europe have experienced physical violence at least once during
their adult lives. More than one-tenth of European girls and women have suffered sexual abuse. … (Source: violenceagainst womenPRESS RELEASE
Press contact: Maik Duennbier, alcoholpolicy@activeeurope.org, 26th of November 2010)

… between injection drug users (IDUs) and non-IDUs who report sexual partnerships with IDUs.
Conclusions: Greater prevalence of sexual risk behaviors among non-IDUs who report partnerships with IDUs, compared to IDUs themselves, suggests a potential mechanism for spread of HIV beyond the IDU population. Interventions to reduce HIV transmission should address alcohol consumption among non-IDUs who report sexual partnerships with IDUs, and methamphetamine use and the propensity of having sex when high among IDUs. (Source: BMC Public Health 2010), 10:676doi:10.1186/1471-2458-10-676 Published: 5 November 2010

Conclusions: Sudden economic decline in late 1990s Russia was associated with a sharp, temporary fall in heavy drinking, and a gradual and persistent increase in home distilled spirit consumption, with the latter more common amongst disadvantaged groups. The correlation between heavy drinking and national mortality in lower educated men is interesting, but the timing of RLMS surveys late in the calendar year, and the absence of any correlation between drinking and the subsequent year’s mortality, makes these data hard to interpret conclusively. Potential study limitations include difficulty in measuring multiple beverages consumed per occasion, and not specifically recording „surrogate“ (non-beverage) alcohols.
BMC Public Health 2010, 10:691doi:10.1186/1471-2458-10-691; Published: 11 November 2010

New EUCAM trend report: alcohol portrayal in popular movies This trend report describes the size of alcohol portrayal in movies that have been most visited in cinemas in 27 European countries in 2009. Most of these movies are seen by numerous European adults as well as minors after release in Europe. The volume and content of alcohol portrayal in
these movies give a first indication of the importance of alcohol portrayal in movies as a marketing tool by the alcohol industry in Europe. (Source: EUCAM, 11/24/10)

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration told the manufacturers of seven caffeinated alcoholic beverages Wednesday that their drinks are a “public health concern” and can’t stay on the market in their current form.
The move follows a year-long review by the FDA, which gave the companies 15 days to either reformulate their products or face possible seizure under federal law, said Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, the agency’s principal deputy commissioner. Experts have said the caffeine used in the beverages can mask the effects of alcohol, leaving drinkers unaware of how intoxicated they are. … (Source: Google Alcohol News, 11/18/10) ksfm.radio.com, 11/17/10

This European Youth Organisation has started with a Newsflash, reporting on new developments in alcohol politics:
Newsflash of this week brings you updates on what’s the connection between alcohol and energy drinks. Besides that you can read about Active’s premier at Alcohol and Health Forum featuring Adrian Farner Rogne; you can take a short trip to the past and visit our seminar in Berlin held in the end of October 2010 and check out what’s going on in the field of Active’s press releases.

An international website dedicated to providing current information on news, reports, publications,and peer-reviewed research articles concerning alcoholism and alcohol-related problems throughout the world. Postings are provided by international contributors who monitor news, publications and research findings in their country, geographical region or program area of interest. All postings are entered without editorial or contributor opinion or comment.
Alcohol and HIV/AIDS Volume 33, Number 3, 2010 (11/14/10)

Four Loko. The onslaught of national attention to Alcohol Energy Drinks (AEDs), dubbed „blackout in a can“ by many, continues to pick up steam. After a series of national media reports from the New York Times, ABC, CBS and other major outlets about several recent alcohol poisoning cases linked to AEDs, the products are back in the news full-force.
In 2008, a group of state attorneys general, aided by The Center for Science in the Public Interest and other groups, successfully pressured Anheuser-Busch and MillerCoors to drop premixed, sweetened alcohol energy drinks from their product lines.
Since then, AEDs with even higher alcohol concentrations, such as Joose and Four Loko, have gained popularity with college-age and younger youth as a cheap and easy way to get drunk. The sugary, fruit-flavored beverages mask the flavor of alcohol, and the caffeine fuels a dangerous perception of being able to „party all night“ — that is, drink harder and longer. … (Source: Join Together, 11/05/10)