www.alkoholpolitik.ch

In the Netherlands, children start to drink at an early age; of the Dutch 12-year olds, 40% reports lifetime alcohol use, while 9.7% reports last-month drinking. Starting to drink at an early age puts youth at risk of developing several alcohol-related problems later in life. Recently, a home-based prevention program called „In control: No alcohol!“ was developed to delay the age of alcohol onset in children. The main aim of this project is to conduct a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) to evaluate the effectiveness of the program. … (Source: biomedcentral.com, 08/4/11

In a new report entitled The High Cost of Cheap Alcohol, Pam Erickson from the Campaign for a Healthy Alcohol Marketplace examines the public health dangers associated with low-cost alcohol availability. The report „is designed to educate the public about the alcohol regulatory system and how it works. It focuses on one of the most powerful tools available to control alcohol problems: price. Time and again, research has shown that when prices go up, alcohol consumption and its attendant social problems go down.“ (Source: Marin Institute, 5/4/11) Comment: Very interesting history of American alcohol policies.

The Swedish government Tuesday launched a new comprehensive strategy to deal with alcohol, drugs, doping and tobacco problems together, Xinhua informs.
„The overall objective is to make Swedish society free from illicit drugs and doping with fewer medical and social damage caused by alcohol and tobacco,“ Maria Larsson, Swedish Minister for Children and Elderly, said in a statement.
The goal is to address the overall problem caused by the use and abuse of alcohol, drugs, doping and tobacco.
Statistics show that 15 percent of the total disease burden in Sweden is due to the harmful effects that may be linked to the use and abuse of alcohol, drugs, doping and tobacco.
The strategy is proposed for 2011-2015 and was passed in the parliament at the end of March this year.
The government will invest 260 million kronor (about 40 million U.S. dollars) per year to support effort such as parents whose children take drugs or children who are abused at home. (Source: Alcohol Reports, 04/25/11) focus-fen.net, 04/20/11

Want to enjoy a mimosa with Sunday morning brunch at a chic restaurant on Las Olas Boulevard?
Sorry. You have to stick with the orange juice only. That champagne bottle can’t be uncorked.
Unlike many other cities in South Florida from Miami Beach to Wilton Manors, Fort Lauderdale prohibits alcohol from being sold before noon on Sundays. Restaurateurs and bar owners are mounting an effort to change that longstanding ordinance. (Source: Google Alcohol News, 01/01/11) weblogs.sun-sentinel.com, 01/01/11 with our Online-Comments: When this law was decided, the lawmakers had the intention to prevent alcohol problems. The best measure is to rise prices, the second best to limit availability of the product. At the end the restriction on Sunday was left. From a christian point of view there are several reasons to prevent alcohol problems. Today alcohol marketing has troubled our clear view on what is necessary for our society, so every group which has a profit from alcohol sales opposes any restriction. But the people in general would have more social costs to pay and less quality of life. (an other one pending)

Parents who try to teach responsible drinking by letting their teenagers have alcohol at home may be well intentioned, but they may also be wrong, according to a new study in the latest issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. In a study of 428 Dutch families, researchers found that the more teenagers were allowed to drink at home, the more they drank outside of home as well. What’s more, teens who drank under their parents‘ watch or on their own had an elevated risk of developing alcohol-related problems. (Source: Medical News Today,  1/28/10)  Comment:  A very important study.

Drinking games that encourage overconsumption — as well as all-you-can-drink specials and ladies‘ nights — could soon be things of the past in the U.K. The British government plans to issue a ban on promotions that encourage heavy drinking later this year. As of April, games like the „dentist’s chair“ — where patrons have liquor poured down their throats — will be prohibited in pubs, and mandatory ID checks will come into force in October. Pub owners who violate the laws could face heavy fines or prison time. (Source: Join Together, 1/22/10)

Marin Institute’s Research and Policy Director, Michele Simon, MPH, JD, will be speaking on the panel: Reducing Alcohol Problems by Raising Beverage Taxes and Fees: Evidence of Effects and Strategies for Success
WHERE: National Prevention Network’s 22nd Annual Research Conference in Anaheim, California (September 15-18, 2009) WHEN: September 16, 1:30-3:00 P.M.
DESCRIPTION: Recent research has confirmed the benefits of increasing alcohol excise taxes and fees in order to reduce alcohol problems. As a component of the environmental approach to prevention, reducing access and availability of alcohol through increasing price by taxation can be a powerful tool for public health. (Source: Marin Institute, 9/12/09) Conference Details

Family Drug Support’s Stepping Stones to Success program has won the 2009 National Drug and Alcohol Award for Excellence in Prevention and Community Education. The team was recognised during an awards ceremony at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, tonight when it was acknowledged for its contribution in raising community awareness around alcohol and drug problems. (Source: Medical News Today, 7/8/09)