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A report by the King’s Fund says the government has failed to curb excessive drinking. Soaring obesity levels and rapid rises in the damage caused by alcohol have blighted Labour’s 13-year record on health, according to the most comprehensive assessment of the NHS’s performance during the 13 years since Tony Blair came to power.
A major report by the independent health charity the King’s Fund, obtained by the Observer, paints a depressing picture of a nation afflicted by deteriorating eating and drinking habits, despite a number of public health campaigns.
On the battle against excessive drinking, the King’s Fund is damning. It sees „no sign that the government’s aims to reduce harmful alcohol consumption have been achieved“. Ministers, it points out, took six years from the time they promised an „alcohol harm reduction strategy“ in 1998 to the point where they finally published one. Hospital admissions related to alcohol consumption have increased by 69% between 2002-03 and 2007-08, to 863,000.
Professor Alan Maryon-Davis, president of the UK Faculty of Public Health, which represents 2,500 senior specialist public health doctors, said: „Alcohol-related harm has soared under this government, which has relied too much on voluntary agreements with the industry on things like advertising, labelling and irresponsible promotion. The whole booze culture is a massive problem.“ (Source: Harvard World Health News, 4/15/10) guardian.co.uk, 4/11/10

Here the start of the description on the website of Oxford University Press USA:
Alcohol: No Ordinary Commodity – Research and Public Policy Second Edition is a collaborative effort by an international group of addiction scientists to improve the linkages between addiction science and alcohol policy. It presents, in a comprehensive, practical, and readily accessible form, the accumulated scientific knowledge on alcohol research that has a direct relevance to the development of alcohol policy on local, national, and international levels. It provides an objective analytical basis on which to build relevant policies globally and informs policy-makers who have direct responsibility for public health and social welfare. By locating alcohol policy primarily within the realm of public health, this book draws attention to the growing tendency for governments, both national and local, to consider alcohol misuse as a major determinant of ill health, and to organize societal responses accordingly. (Paperback, 320 pages, Apr 2010, Out of Stock due May 11 2010, Price: $49.95 (05) More details here. Comment: This is the updated version of the standard book on alcohol policy by Thomas Babor et al. It is well-timed for the General Assembly of the World Health Organisation in May, when the Resolution on an Alcohol Strategy will be discussed.

New presentation added, 4/8/10

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) refers to a range of negative developmental outcomes that result from maternal drinking during pregnancy. Children with FASD can suffer from many problems, including epilepsy, a disorder characterized by spontaneous recurrence of unprovoked seizures that affects 0.6 percent of the general population. A new study has found a much higher prevalence of epilepsy or history of seizures in individuals with FASD. (Source: Medical News Today, 4/7/10)

The Newsletter is available here.

Eurocare organised succesful event on the Social Cost of Alcohol at the European Parliament.
See here the reports and presentations. (Source: Eurocare Newsletter February/March 2010)

Due to prior commitments the newsletter will be issued in the middle of April. We hope you’ll understand.

Alcohol Library, European Alcohol and Health Forum, „Alcohol Library“: List of documents, 3/18/10

Eurocare has issued its Newsletter with international news on alcohol policies and politics.

A Swiss private banking firm publishes a report on the newly proposed WHO-strategy on alcohol:
Price rises are key to tackling alcohol abuse-WHO
* WHO issues draft global plan to tackle harmful alcohol use
* Executive board to examine strategy next week
* Harmful use of alcohol blamed for 2.5 mln deaths a year
Binge drinking and other growing forms of harmful use of alcohol should be tackled through higher taxes on alcoholic drinks and tighter marketing regulations, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has recommended. (Source: Google Alkohol Alert, 1/13/10) claridenleu.com, 1/12/10 Comment: Perhaps this information may convince some shareholders of the alcohol industry to sell their shares as it is not acceptable to earn money at the cost of public health and our youth.