www.alkoholpolitik.ch

A Meta-Analysis.
Current abstainers from alcohol have been identified as an inadequate reference group in epidemiologic studies of the effects of alcohol, because inclusion of former drinkers might lead to overestimation of the protective effects and underestimation of the detrimental effects of drinking alcohol.
The authors’ objective in the current study was to quantify this association for ischemic heart disease (IHD).
Electronic databases were systematically searched for relevant case-control or cohort studies published from 1980 to 2010. Thirty-eight articles fulfilled the inclusion criteria, contributing a total of 5,613 IHD events and 12,097 controls among case-control studies and 1,387 events with combined endpoints and 7,183 events stratified by endpoint among 232,621 persons at risk among cohort studies.
Pooled estimates for the subset stratified by sex and endpoint showed a significantly increased risk among former drinkers compared with long-term abstainers for IHD mortality ( among men; relative risk = 1.25, 95% confidence interval: 1.15, 1.36; among women relative risk = 1.54, 95% confidence interval: 1.17, 2.03).
For IHD morbidity, the estimates for both sexes were close to unity and not statistically significant. Results were robust in several sensitivity analyses.
In future studies, researchers should separate former drinkers from the reference category to obtain unbiased effect estimates. Implications for the overall beneficial and detrimental effects of alcohol consumption on IHD are discussed below. (Source: Alcohol Reports, 12/17/10) Alcohol Reports 01/21/11 full report Comment: Here is the proof for what we wrote always when not specified „Abstainers“ were used to proof health benefits of alcohol consumption. This is one of the reasons those studies are not correct. This meta-analysis compared with long-term abstainers, not event with lifelong abstainers. The alcohol industry and its lobbies did it very clever that even the WHO admitted some positive effects. It should come back to it.

With News from the EU-Commission, -Parliament, European Countries, from the WHO, the World, Research and Publication, the Alcohol Industry, etc.
http://eurocare.sydesy.com/press/newsletter/winter_edition_2010

In Deutschland zeichnet sich ein positiver Trend ab: Jugendliche rauchen insgesamt weniger und trinken nicht mehr so viel Alkohol wie in den Vorjahren – mit unerfreulichen Ausnahmen.
Ob es gute Vorbilder, eine abschreckende Aufklärung oder schlicht und ergreifend Vernunft ist: Jugendliche verhalten sich Rauschmitteln gegenüber zurückhaltender. Diesen Schluss legt eine aktuelle Befragung von 3600 Schülern an verschiedenen Schulen im Bundesland Hessen nahe. Das Forschungszentrum Demografischer Wandel (FZDW) der Fachhochschule Frankfurt am Main führte diese Untersuchung im Rahmen einer internationalen Gesundheitsstudie der Weltgesundheitsorganisation durch. Die Teilergebnisse aus Hessen liegen nun vor und lassen insgesamt einen positiven Trend für Deutschland vermuten. (Quelle: Google Alkohol News, 14.12.10) focus.de, 14.12.10 unser Online-Kommentar: Dieser abnehmende Trend im Gesamtkonsum der Jugendlichen läuft seit ein paar Jahren und hat teilweise mit der Alkopopsteuer zu tun. Dieses regelmässige Rauschtrinken bei vielen an jedem Wochenende hingegen ist besorgniserregend. Wenn sich jeder Vierte so verhält, wird das die Gesellschaft später ganz schön belasten, z.B. bei der Qualität der dringend benötigten qualifizierten Arbeitskräfte.

Regular consumption, weekly pattern and binge drinking.
This study aimed to describe alcohol consumption in Mozambique, discriminating binge drinking behaviour and the weekday variation in drinking patterns, and to quantify the association between socio-demographic characteristics and alcohol intake.
A representative sample of 3265 Mozambicans aged 25–64 years was evaluated in 2005 following the World Health Organization Stepwise approach to Chronic Disease Risk Factor Surveillance (STEPS). The consumption of any type of alcoholic beverage, during life and in the previous year, was recorded. Current drinkers were also asked about the number of standard drinks consumed in each day of the previous week. (Source: Alcohol Reports, 12/12/10)

Itransition Software Development Company, an international software development company, along with the World Health Organization (WHO), the Dutch Ministry of Health, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Netherlands Institute of Mental Health and Addiction (the Trimbos), have launched a new pilot project with the objective to prevent alcohol and substance abuse in Brazil, India, Mexico and Belarus. (Source: Alcohol Reports, 12/06/10) healthcare.tmcnet.com, 12/06/10

On November 22, 2010 the World Health Organization (WHO) released its annual Health report on financing health systems and universal coverage. The report recommends governments to raise the taxes on tobacco and alcohol to help pay for healthcare of millions of people who are unable to afford it worldwide.
The need for guidance in this area has become all the more pressing at a time characterized by both economic downturn and rising health-care costs, as populations age, chronic diseases increase, and new and more expensive treatments
become available. (Source: Eurocare Newsletter Winter 2010 )

A Catholic diocese in southern India has used a Marian rosary procession as an opportunity to campaign against alcohol abuse among its people.
Some 1,000 people attended the Nov. 13 convention and a procession at Kodencherry, a Catholic stronghold in Kozhikode district of Kerala state. They recited the rosary and carried placards urging people to quit alcohol in the major parish of Thamarassery diocese. (Source: Google Alcohol News, 11/15/10) ucanews.com, 11/15/10 our Online Comment: I think the Catholic Church all over the world should stand up against the power of the alcohol industry, which makes us „passive drinkers“, as the WHO said. There is a great need for political action, according to the global alcohol strategy of the WHO resolution in May.

Nicola Sturgeon is following the best medical advice in seeking a minimum unit price for alcohol. Improving Scotland’s unhappy association with booze should be based on that, not on petty party politics, writes Alan Cochrane. (Source: Google Alcohol News, 11/10/10) telegraph.co.uk, 11/10/10

Alcohol is the most damaging drug to the drinker and others overall, heroin and crack are the second and third most harmful, Professor David Nutt and colleagues wrote in the medical journal The Lancet today. When all factors related to self harm and harm to others are considered, alcohol comes out top. The authors explain that drugs, including tobacco products and alcohol are major contributors to damage to individuals as well as society as a whole.
The harms that are caused by drugs need to be comprehensively assessed so that policy makers can be properly advised regarding health, social care and policing, the authors write; not an easy undertaking because drugs can cause damage in so many different ways. (Source: Medical News Today, 11/1/10) our online-comment: For many decades alcohol has been called the socio-medical problem No.1. This study is just an additional piece of proof. But a very valuable one, as it comes in a time when governments are not willing to implement the new alcohol strategy of the World Health Organization (May 2010), even if they signed it, because they are under permanent pressure of the global alcohol industry. This sort of corruption costs human tragedies and lives every day and the people is not able to protest as it is not informed.
(see press release by Active, 11/03/10)

Today, in reaction to calls from their Thai partners and friends, young Europeans send an urgent call to the European Commission, the Member States of the EU and the broader public: alcohol is no ordinary commodity!
Andrea Lavesson, president of Active – sobriety, friendship and peace, explains the background: “We have received calls for support from our Thai friends in protecting the health and social safety of young people in Thailand, where right now the European Commission is conducting negotiations with the Thai government about mutual Free Trade Agreement. The problem is, and that bothers many young people in Thailand, that the European Commission puts pressure on the Thais to include alcohol into the Free Trade Agreement even though the Thai government is against it for the simple reason – to protect public health.”

In fact, the negotiations have been put on halt for the Thai government to consult with civil society and assess the health and social impacts if alcohol be included as trade commodity in the Free Trade Agreement (FTA). While civil society protests against an inclusion, the business sector of importers, hotels, tourism enterprises, restaurants and alcohol industry mount heavy campaigns to get alcohol from Europe into the country.

Alcohol costs the Europeans 125 Billion tax payers € per year, an amount that is more than four times higher than what alcohol production, retail and consumption contribute to the economy. A disproportionate amount of the medical, psychological and social costs has to be shouldered by young Europeans under 25. Despite these facts and the apparent economical imbalance, the European Commission labels alcohol as an important agro-food export commodity.

“This alarms both Thai and European youth – and together we say: alcohol is not like oat. It’s surely no ordinary commodity,” says Andrea Lavesson, “even the WHO global alcohol strategy reflects that truth by stating that Public health should be given proper deference in relation to competing interests. We demand that the European Commission protects the integrity of that document that all EU Member States have ratified this year.”

“In Europe we make the experience every day that the alcohol industry makes its way to the decision makers”, tells Andrea Lavesson, “therefore it is important to understand that the alcohol industry’s business methods in developing countries are – and I’m not exaggerating – highly immoral. Alcohol industry violates their own codes of conduct wherever possible and target young people. Beer girls are, among other methods, used to promote alcohol drinks and increase sales.”
Andrea Lavesson sends a clear message to the European Commission and Member States: “Such an industry should not be invited to the table of diplomatic negotiations! If not the European Commission, who is to safe guard the interests of young people and to be a role model in public health protection?”

Kind regards and we, wish you a great day!
press release. For immediate release 28th October 2010