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Drinking and engaging in water sports can be a deadly mix, warns the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA). Half of all water recreation-related deaths of teens and adults involve alcohol, the NIAAA says.
HealthDay reports that the institute is warning against a number of dangerous scenarios as the weather heats up and more people take to the water. For example, swimmers who drink alcohol may have impaired judgment, and swim out farther than they should. Drunk swimmers in a pool can jump into too-shallow water, or crash into the diving board. Surfers who have been drinking may try to ride a wave that is too difficult for them to handle. Drinking and boating is an especially dangerous combination. The NIAAA says that alcohol may be involved in up to 60 percent of boating deaths. … (Source: Join Together, 07/12/11)

The government is forging ahead with legislation that will crack down on alcohol advertising despite warnings of massive revenue and job losses.
According to a preliminary study by Chris Moerdyk, an independent marketing analyst, a total ban on the advertising of alcoholic beverages could cost media companies revenue of as much as R1.8-billion a year. …
About R800-million would be lost to sports sponsorships and development grants, and forfeited marketing expenditure.
Though the government does not plan to ban alcohol advertising outright, several state departments are determined to win the war on alcohol and drug abuse and have spearheaded a campaign that will enforce stringent restrictions on alcohol advertising. (Source: Google Alcohol News, 07/07/11) timeslive.co.za, 07/5/11

News from Sweden, Finland, USA, Australia, UK, Germany, Taiwan, India and some studies. (Source: Alcohol Reports, 5/23/11)

Minnesota lawmakers are coping with their three-year hangover: Whether to allow beer and alcohol sales at the University of Minnesota’s on-campus football stadium.
The latest bill leaves the matter entirely up to the school’s Board of Regents after previous legislative efforts to fashion a compromise left the stadium dry. The Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection Committee advanced the bill Wednesday, but it has a ways to go. … (Source: Google Alcohol News, 04/07/11) kstp.com, 04/06/11

Friday night, 1st April, in St. Pauli district, Hamburg a football match of the highest German league (Bundesliga) was abandoned. The reason: the assistant referee was hit in the back of his head by a plastic cup full of beer thrown at him from the stands . The match had to be broken off and the referees had to be guided from the pitch by guards.
“Not many in Europe might have paid attention to this incident”, says Andrea Lavesson, President of Active – sobriety, friendship and peace. “But we think that the dramatic incident from Friday night stands a symbol for the fact that alcohol and sport does not belong together at all.”
The act of violence occurred shortly after an official hearing in the European Parliament organized by the EPP group on 30th March. By this hearing the EPP group aimed at stressing “the importance of sports. The […] Hearing on Sport […] is a very important step in bringing new ideas and suggestions…” Commissioner Mrs Androulla Vassiliou, among others, expressed the strong role that sport plays in promoting active citizenship. … (Source: active presscontact, 04/04/11)

The first Great Russian River Race will be wet in more ways than one, now that Healdsburg City Council members have overcome their qualms about allowing alcohol at the event.
The City Council Monday voted unanimously to let beer and wine be served at the May 7 after-race party, overcoming a decades-old prohibition on alcohol at Veterans Memorial Beach park.
Council members said they were swayed by the precautions and security measures proposed by the Russian Riverkeeper, the conservation group staging the race and party. (Source: Google Alcohol News, 03/23/11) healdsburg.towns.pressdemocrat.com, 03/22/11

It may seem like binge drinking is just a fact of college life, but a number of institutions of higher-education are proving otherwise. Survey data show notable drops in student binge drinking at several colleges and universities, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported Feb. 16. For example:
* Alcohol-related violations dropped 3.7 percent at North Dakota State University in Fargo, N.D. over two years.
* Between 2007 and 2009, „problem drinking“ fell 12 percent at the University of Pittsburgh.
* The number of Purdue students who engaged in binge drinking sank from 48 percent in 2006 to 37.3 percent in 2009.
* Frostburg State University in Maryland saw binge drinking plummet 27% over the past decade. … (Source: Join Together, 03/07/11) with our Online-Comment: It is always better to invest in prevention instead of paying for negative results. If the alcohol free offers are a success, other students will try too.

Alcohol sponsorship should be banned for sports and cultural events in Wales in order to help cut the boozy culture, according to an alcohol awareness charity.
Alcohol Concern Cymru has said that the marketing on view at such events is distorting the public’s view of how “safe” drinking is. However, the Portman group, the representative for drinks manufacturers, commented that there was little proof to show that advertising bans worked. It claimed that it is more effective to promote responsible drinking rather and encourage people to drink sensibly….(Source: Google Alcohol News, 02/13/11) carrentals.co.uk, 02/13/11 our Online-Comment: It is proofed by many studies that alcohol ads do influence youth drinking. It is also clear that the alcohol industry always is in favour of prevention measures which do not reduce their profits. Alcohol sponsoring should be banned.

Marin Institute awarded five young people prizes for their entertaining counter-beer ads at the Free The Bowl World Premiere 2011. The national competition drew 63 entries from 10 different states that all shared the same core message: seductive alcohol ads shown during TV sporting events, and especially during the Super Bowl, are inappropriate for millions of vulnerable young viewers. The first place entry, Ads for Kids, was produced by 17-year old Rami Al-odaini of San Rafael, California. The second place prize went to 14-year old Jaspen Lowen of Wheaton, IL for his video “Token of Lies.“ Three third-place prizes were awarded to Oscar Chan, 20, of San Francisco; Thong Lor, 14, of Westville, Oklahoma; and Lewis Kloster, 16, of Minneapolis, Minnesota. To view all 63 entries, visit FreeTheBowl.com

A North Dakota legislative proposal to ban alcohol at collegiate sporting events was killed in committee, the Grand Forks Herald reported Jan. 19.
House Bill 1212 was introduced by Rep. Chuck Damschen (R-Hampden). It would have prohibited alcohol sales and possession at athletic events where minors were present, even at venues not owned by colleges or universities. The bill would also have covered tailgate parties in parking lots.
The House Education Committee voted overwhelmingly against putting the bill to a full vote on the grounds that the universities were policing the issue well on their own. (Source: Join Together, 02/04/11)