www.alkoholpolitik.ch

A widely used index for assessing adolescent drinking-related problems has been found to be effective at predicting the future alcohol dependence of teen-age drinkers, according to an Indiana University study which also found that the association was stronger for adolescent female drinkers.
The federally funded study, available now online in advance of print in the journal „Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research,“ involved 597 Finnish twins — 300 male and 297 female — who were assessed at ages 18 and 25. (Source: Medical News Today, 02/16/11)

Although national spending on mental health and substance abuse grew between 1986-2005, it accounts for a shrinking part of the part of the pie, according to an analysis of public and private spending on health care done by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
Average annual substance abuse spending grew 4.8 percent and mental health spending grew by 6.9 percent during the study period, according to a Feb. 3 press release from SAMHSA. Overall spending on health care, however, grew by 7.9 percent. In 2005, spending on behavioral health care totaled $135 billion, or 7.3 percent, of the $1.85 trillion spent on all health care in the U.S. (Source: Join Together, 2/09/11)

The government plans to introduce charges for treating alcohol-related illnesses.
A union representing doctors in Sri Lanka has protested against government plans to stop free healthcare for those addicted to alcohol.
The health ministry is planning to stop free health care to „alcohol-addicts“ from next month.
The union says the new measure jeopardises doctor-patient relations because medics are required to provide a health report for each patient.
The poor that will be twice punished by the measure, the union says.
Dr Nishantha Dasanayake, president of the All Ceylon Government Medical Officers‘ Association, said that the union is happy that Sri Lanka’s Medical Council has expressed objections to the government’s initiative. (Source: Google Alcohol News, 01/19/11) bbc.co.uk, 01/17/11

You’d think recent advances in health reform would have made it easier to get mental health and substance abuse treatment. Parity legislation, for example, requires insurers to cover mental health and substance abuse treatment comparably with physical health.
Think again.
In a Jan. 3 New York Times article, „A Long and Winding Road to the Emergency Room,“ Paul Christopher, M.D., a Rhode Island psychiatrist, describes the case of an adult man so dependent on alcohol that he suffered seizures when he went without it.
Despite the fact that he desperately needed medical care, red tape kept him from getting the hospital bed that his insurance was supposed to cover. … (Source: Join Together, 01/13/11)

If tests on humans are successful, one jab a month would keep patients away from the toxic sauce known as alcohol.
Chilean scientists derived the vaccine from a genetic mutation present in 20% of the Asian population; those with the mutation in their genes reacted so violently to alcohol, that it inhibits addiction, according to Juan Asenjo head of the project. The Chilean scientists in essence tried to replicate that gene in a vaccine.
The vaccine is expected to augment dizziness, nausea and other adverse effects of alcohol, “With the vaccine, the desire to drink is going to be minimal, due to the sharpness of the effects” said the physician. (Source: Alcohol Reports, 01/07/11) hispanicallyspeakingnews.com, 01/06/11

The New Zealand e-SBINZ trials. The trial will provide information on the effectiveness of e-SBI in reducing hazardous drinking across diverse university student populations with separate effect estimates for Maori and non-Maori students. Trial registration: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) ACTRN12610000279022. (Source: BMC, biomedcentral.com, 12/22/10)

New research indicates that ingesting moderate amounts of alcohol may increase an individual’s risk of amphetamine abuse.
* Amphetamines are part of a large group of drugs known as stimulants, which are commonly misused in the United States
* A new study shows that the amount of alcohol consumed may increase the likelihood of developing drug abuse
* These results indicate that there is a possible link between drinking and other drug abuse, which can be used in helping define treatment challenges. (Source: Medical News Today, 12/17/10) Comment: And one reason more to undertake effective alcohol prevention according to the WHO Alcohol-Strategy.

VANCOUVER – Alcohol is the cheapest drug in B.C., says a report released Thursday by the Centre for Addictions Research, which recommends a hike in liquor prices to reduce illness and injuries.
At the same time, researchers at centre at the University of Victoria recommend setting up a type of safe-drinking program offering free alcohol to homeless alcoholics to reduce their use of hazardous sources such as rubbing alcohol or mouthwash.
It can cost as little as 58 cents for a single-serving drink in B.C. liquor stores, meaning it costs as little as $2.32 for an average woman to exceed national guidelines for daily consumption and as little as $2.80 for an average man, said the report. The report authors looked at the price of every one of the 5,506 products on liquor store shelves in the province and the price of a standard drink ranged from 58 cents to $994.
„There’s quite a lot of very cheap drinks out there,“ said lead researcher Tim Stockwell. (Source: Google Alcohol News, 12/17/10) winnipegfreepress.com, 12/16/10

The 2010 drugs strategy Reducing demand, restricting supply, building recovery: supporting people to live a drug-free life has been released by the Home Office. It outlines that „severe alcohol dependence raises similar issues [to drug dependence] and that treatment providers are often one and the same. Therefore, where appropriate, this strategy will also consider severe alcohol dependency.“
An alcohol chapter on page 7 states:
‚Alcohol plays an important part in the cultural life of this country, with large numbers employed in production, retail and the hospitality industry. Pubs, bars and clubs contribute to community and family life and also generate valuable revenue to the economy. However, alcohol is a regulated product. Some individuals misuse it, contributing to crime and anti-social behaviour, preventable illness and early death. (Source: Alcohol Reports, 12/10/10) alcoholpolicy.net, 12/08/10

Greater Manchester will be debating the imposition of a minimum price for alcohol this Friday.
If carried through it would create a bye-law requiring pubs, restaurants, supermarkets and off licences to price alcoholic drinks based on the number of units they contain,at the moment that would see a minimum price of 50p per unit.
Translated into relevant figures, Mancunians drinkers would find themselves paying at least £4.50 for a bottle of wine, £6 for a six-pack of lager and £14 for a 700ml bottle of whisky. … (Source: Google Alcohol News, 11/28/10) insidethem60.journallocal.co.uk, 11/23/10 our Online-Comment: To avoid people travelling outside Manchester to get cheaper alcohol the Prime Minister could start with a national law which brings up prices. He has just put the responsibility to the local communities.
Everybody would have the profit from a lower alcohol consumption by reduced alcohol-related social costs. The meaning of the measure is to convince people to drink less. Also the poor. Than they can pay higher prices as well. Those who drink much less, have the most profit. Better than minimal prices would be to put taxes on the drinks which could be used for covering the social costs, prevention and rehabilitation.