Concern over alcopop tax loophole
November 23, 2008

FEDERAL health minister Nicola Roxon accused some alcohol companies of undermining the government's anti-binge drinking message and seeking to get young people hooked on alcohol as early as possible.

Ms Roxon said the Government planned to look closely at claims some brewers were producing flavoured drinks which escaped the alcopops tax because they are technically beer.
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Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) Recovery Outcome
Rates: Contemporary Myth and Misinterpretation

This paper is written for AA members and is intended for internal and public circulation as an item of AA historical and archival research. It is offered to help inform the AA membership and academic researchers of a widely circulated misinterpretation and mischaracterization of AA recovery outcomes.

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Press Release - Liver disease killing over 40% more young people

21 November 2008

Over 40% more young people aged 25-29 have been killed by liver disease than in the previous year, according to statistics released by the Office for National Statistics, says the British Liver Trust today. Liver disease remains one of the top five killer diseases and the only one still on the rise. The figures, just released for the year 2006, also show an increase in deaths from alcoholic liver disease of almost 7% - to 4,450. There is also more confirmation of the worsening picture with increased deaths from liver disease overall, up by 5.7% to 7,281. With liver cancer and other liver-related conditions included, 38 people die of liver disease each day. . . . . . Read Full Release _____________________________________________________________________________________________

Effects of Grape Seed-derived Polyphenols on Amyloid β-Protein Self-assembly and Cytotoxicity
J. Biol. Chem., Vol. 283, Issue 47, 32176-32187, November 21, 2008


Epidemiological evidence suggests that moderate consumption of red wine reduces the incidence of Alzheimer disease (AD). To study the protective effects of red wine, experiments recently were executed in the Tg2576 mouse model of AD.

These studies showed that a commercially available grape seed polyphenolic extract, MegaNatural-AZ (MN), significantly attenuated AD-type cognitive deterioration and reduced cerebral amyloid deposition (Wang, J., Ho, L., Zhao, W., Ono, K., Rosensweig, C., Chen, L., Humala, N., Teplow, D. B., and Pasinetti, G. M. (2008) J. Neurosci. 28, 6388–6392).

To elucidate the mechanistic bases for these observations, here we used CD spectroscopy, photo-induced cross-linking of unmodified proteins, thioflavin T fluorescence, size exclusion chromatography, and electron microscopy to examine the effects of MN on the assembly of the two predominant disease-related amyloid β-protein alloforms, Aβ40 and Aβ42.

We also examined the effects of MN on Aβ-induced cytotoxicity by assaying 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide metabolism and lactate dehydrogenase activity in Aβ-treated, differentiated pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells.

Initial studies revealed that MN blocked Aβ fibril formation. Subsequent evaluation of the assembly stage specificity of the effect showed that MN was able to inhibit protofibril formation, pre-protofibrillar oligomerization, and initial coil " src="http://www2.blogger.com/math/rarr.gif" border="0"> -helix/β-sheet secondary structure transitions.

Importantly, MN had protective effects in assays of cytotoxicity in which MN was mixed with Aβ prior to peptide assembly or following assembly and just prior to peptide addition to cells.

These data suggest that MN is worthy of consideration as a therapeutic agent for AD.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: giulio.pasinetti@mssm.edu
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Press Release - Bottoms Up: Individualists More Likely to Be Problem Drinkers

What makes residents of certain states or countries more likely to consume more alcohol? According to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research, high levels of individualism lead to more problem drinking.

“We looked at the extent to which consumer levels of individualism (vs. collectivism) were related to their beer and problem alcohol consumption,” write authors Yinlong Zhang and L.J. Shrum (both University of Texas-San Antonio).

“We found that the higher a region scored on valuing individualism, the greater their beer and alcohol consumption, and this was true even when taking into account the effects of other variables such as income, climate, gender, and religion.”

. . . . .

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The Influence of Self-Construal on Impulsive Consumption
JOURNAL OF CONSUMER RESEARCH,

Three studies investigated the impact of self-construal on impulsive consumption. Independents exhibited more impulsive consumption tendencies than did interdependents.

A chronically accessible independent self-construal was positively associated with country-level beer consumption (study 1a) and state-level problem alcohol consumption (study 1b). Experimentally primed independents reported more positive attitudes toward immediate beer consumption than did interdependents, and this effect was mediated by state impulsivity.

Peer presence increased impulsive consumption tendencies for independents but decreased them for interdependents (studies 2 and 3).

The moderating effect of self-construal was linked to greater motivation to suppress impulsive tendencies for interdependents than for independents (study 3).

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Request Reprint E-Mail: yinlong.zhang@utsa.edu

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Graphic anti-binge campaign aims at teenagers' worst fears

Leo Shanahan, Canberra
November 22, 2008

A NEW anti-binge drinking campaign is targeting teenagers' greatest fears, including being filmed having drunken sex and accidentally killing friends.

The $20 million two-year campaign — "Don't turn a night out into a nightmare" — is the Federal Government's single largest investment to combat binge drinking since Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's announcement in March of a national strategy.

. . . . .

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Liberal Democrats in Peartree Ward welcome plans to tackle booze problems

Alcohol-related disorder in Welwyn Hatfield on Friday and Saturday evenings could be tackled more effectively under new powers proposed by the Liberal Democrats. The plans to tackle binge drinking were launched by Liberal Democrat Leader Nick Clegg MP on Monday 8th November.

Problems caused by alcohol and binge drinking round Woodhall shops has made the whole parade unpleasant for everyone, and street wardens and police have a job at the weekend tracking down the binge drinking culture which has had a knock on effect on the young people of the area who imitate this anti-social problem with large numbers of young people in the area and also from the surrounding wards congregating in parks to drink.

. . . . . .

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Drinking and Alcohol-Related Harm Among New Zealand University Students: Findings From a National Web-Based Survey
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research Published Online: 20 Nov 2008

Alcohol-related harm is pervasive among college students in the United States of America and Canada, where a third to half of undergraduates binge drink at least fortnightly. There have been no national studies outside North America. We estimated the prevalence of binge drinking, related harms, and individual risk factors among undergraduates in New Zealand.

A total of 81% of both women and men drank in the previous 4 weeks, 37% reported 1 or more binge episodes in the last week, 14% of women and 15% of men reported 2+ binge episodes in the last week, and 68% scored in the hazardous range (4+) on the AUDIT consumption subscale. A mean of 1.8 (95% confidence interval 1.4, 2.3) distinct alcohol-related risk behaviors or harmful consequences were reported, e.g., 33% had a blackout, 6% had unprotected sex, and 5% said they were physically aggressive toward someone, in the preceding 4 weeks. Drink-driving or being the passenger of a drink-driver in the last 4 weeks was reported by 9% of women and 11% of men.

Risk factors for frequent binge drinking included: lower age, earlier age of drinking onset, monthly or more frequent binge drinking in high school, and living in a residential hall or a shared house (relative to living with parents). These correlates were similar to those identified in U.S. and Canadian studies.

Strategies are needed to reduce the availability and promotion of alcohol on and around university campuses in New Zealand. Given the high prevalence of binge drinking in high school and its strong association with later binge drinking, strategies aimed at youth drinking are also a priority. In universities, high-risk drinkers should be identified and offered intervention early in their undergraduate careers.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: kypros.kypri@newcastle.edu.au

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Light to Moderate Alcohol Consumption and Disability: Variable Benefits by Health Status
American Journal of Epidemiology Advance Access published online on November 20, 2008

In adults, light to moderate alcohol consumption is associated with lower risks for heart disease, diabetes, and mortality.

This study examined whether light to moderate alcohol use is also associated with lower risk of incident physical disability over two 5-year periods in 4,276 noninstitutionalized adults in the United States, aged 50 years or older, by using data from 3 waves of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Epidemiologic Follow-up Study surveys from 1982 to 1992.

Light/moderate drinking (<15> drinking day or 4 per drinking day for women) was associated with reduced risk for incident disability or death over 5 years, compared with abstention (adjusted odds ratio = 0.77; P = 0.008). Among survivors, light/moderate drinking was associated with lower risk for incident disability, compared with abstention (adjusted odds ratio = 0.75; P = 0.009).

In stratified analyses, disability risk decreased with light/moderate drinking in a dose-dependent fashion in men and women with good or better self-reported health but not in men or women with fair or worse self-reported health.

Alcohol consumption in moderation might reduce the risk of developing physical disability in older adults in good health but not in those in poor health.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: aamoore@mednet.ucla.edu
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Alcohol in Moderation, Cardioprotection, and Neuroprotection: Epidemiological Considerations and Mechanistic Studies
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research Published Online: 20 Nov 2008

In contrast to many years of important research and clinical attention to the pathological effects of alcohol (ethanol) abuse, the past several decades have seen the publication of a number of peer-reviewed studies indicating the beneficial effects of light-moderate, nonbinge consumption of varied alcoholic beverages, as well as experimental demonstrations that moderate alcohol exposure can initiate typically cytoprotective mechanisms.

A considerable body of epidemiology associates moderate alcohol consumption with significantly reduced risks of coronary heart disease and, albeit currently a less robust relationship, cerebrovascular (ischemic) stroke. Experimental studies with experimental rodent models and cultures (cardiac myocytes, endothelial cells) indicate that moderate alcohol exposure can promote anti-inflammatory processes involving adenosine receptors, protein kinase C (PKC), nitric oxide synthase, heat shock proteins, and others which could underlie cardioprotection.

Also, brain functional comparisons between older moderate alcohol consumers and nondrinkers have received more recent epidemiological study. In over half of nearly 45 reports since the early 1990s, significantly reduced risks of cognitive loss or dementia in moderate, nonbinge consumers of alcohol (wine, beer, liquor) have been observed, whereas increased risk has been seen only in a few studies.

Physiological explanations for the apparent CNS benefits of moderate consumption have invoked alcohol's cardiovascular and/or hematological effects, but there is also experimental evidence that moderate alcohol levels can exert direct "neuroprotective" actions—pertinent are several studies in vivo and rat brain organotypic cultures, in which antecedent or preconditioning exposure to moderate alcohol neuroprotects against ischemia, endotoxin, β-amyloid, a toxic protein intimately associated with Alzheimer's, or gp120, the neuroinflammatory HIV-1 envelope protein.

The alcohol-dependent neuroprotected state appears linked to activation of signal transduction processes potentially involving reactive oxygen species, several key protein kinases, and increased heat shock proteins.

Thus to a certain extent, moderate alcohol exposure appears to trigger analogous mild stress-associated, anti-inflammatory mechanisms in the heart, vasculature, and brain that tend to promote cellular survival pathways.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: mcollin@lumc.edu

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Molecular Mechanisms of Alcoholic Fatty Liver
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research Published Online: 20 Nov 2008

Alcoholic fatty liver is a potentially pathologic condition which can progress to steatohepatitis, fibrosis, and cirrhosis if alcohol consumption is continued. Alcohol exposure may induce fatty liver by increasing NADH/NAD⁺ ratio, increasing sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1 (SREBP-1) activity, decreasing peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α (PPAR-α) activity, and increasing complement C3 hepatic levels.

Alcohol may increase SREBP-1 activity by decreasing the activities of AMP-activated protein kinase and sirtuin-1. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) produced in response to alcohol exposure may cause fatty liver by up-regulating SREBP-1 activity, whereas betaine and pioglitazone may attenuate fatty liver by down-regulating SREBP-1 activity. PPAR-α agonists have potentials to attenuate alcoholic fatty liver.

Adiponectin and interleukin-6 may attenuate alcoholic fatty liver by up-regulating PPAR-α and insulin signaling pathways while down-regulating SREBP-1 activity and suppressing TNF-α production.

Recent studies show that paracrine activation of hepatic cannabinoid receptor 1 by hepatic stellate cell-derived endocannabinoids also contributes to the development of alcoholic fatty liver. Furthermore, oxidative modifications and inactivation of the enzymes involved in the mitochondrial and/or peroxisomal β-oxidation of fatty acids could contribute to fat accumulation in the liver.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: vpurohit@mail.nih.gov

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Drinking Patterns and Myocardial Infarction: A Linear Dose–Response Model
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research Published Online: 20 Nov 2008

The relation of alcohol intake to cardiovascular health is complex, involving both protective and harmful effects, depending on the amount and pattern of consumption. Interpretation of data available on the nature of these relations is limited by lack of well-specified, mathematical models relating drinking patterns to alcohol-related consequences. Here we present such a model and apply it to data on myocardial infarction (MI).

The dose–response model derived assumes: (1) each instance of alcohol use has an effect that either increases or decreases the likelihood of an alcohol-related consequence, and (2) greater quantities of alcohol consumed on any drinking day add linearly to these increases or decreases in risk. Risk was reduced algebraically to a function of drinking frequency and dosage (volume minus frequency, a measure of the extent to which drinkers have more than 1 drink on days when they drink). In addition to estimating the joint impact of frequency and dosage, the model provides a method for calculating the point at which risk related to alcohol consumption is equal to background risk from other causes. A bootstrapped logistic regression based on the dose–response model was conducted using data from a case-control study to obtain the predicted probability of MI associated with current drinking patterns, controlling for covariates.

MI risk decreased with increasing frequency of drinking, but increased as drinking dosage increased. Rates of increasing MI risk associated with drinking dosage were twice as high among women as they were among men. Relative to controls, lower MI risk was associated with consuming <>

Use of a well-specified mathematical dose–response model provided precise estimates for the first time of how drinking frequency and dosage each contribute linearly to the overall impact of a given drinking pattern on MI risk in men and women.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: russell@prev.org

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Characterization of a Functional Polymorphism in the 3' UTR of SLC6A4 and its Association With Drinking Intensity
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research Published Online: 20 Nov 2008

The propensity for severe drinking is hypothesized to be regulated by differential expression of serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4) in the human brain. The SLC6A4 promoter region 5-HTTLPR has been examined previously as a candidate polymorphic variant associated with severe drinking.

In this study, we investigated whether other SLC6A4 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are associated with drinking intensity among treatment-seeking alcoholics and whether these polymorphic variants result in differential SLC6A4 expression levels.

One of the 6 polymorphisms we examined, rs1042173 in the 3' untranslated region (3'-UTR) of SLC6A4, showed a significant association with drinking intensity. The G allele carriers for rs1042173 were associated with significantly lower drinking intensity (p = 0.0034) compared to T-allele homozygotes. In HeLa cell cultures, the cells transfected with G allele showed a significantly higher mRNA and protein levels than the T allele-transfected cells.

These findings suggest that the allelic variations of rs1042173 affect drinking intensity in alcoholics possibly by altering serotonin transporter expression levels. This provides additional support to the hypothesis that SLC6A4 polymorphisms play an important role in regulating propensity for severe drinking.

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Request Reprnit E-Mail: ming_li@virginia.edu

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Draft Report - Aim High: Building a Healthy Oregon,

The Oregon Health Fund Board is developing a comprehensive plan to ensure affordable quality health care for every Oregonian. The Board, comprised of seven citizens, was chartered under the Healthy Oregon Act (SB 329) during the 2007 Legislative session. Board members were appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Oregon Senate to four-year terms. They have experience, knowledge and expertise in the areas of consumer advocacy, management, finance, labor and health care. They represent the geographic and ethnic diversity of the state. The plan will be finalized in November 2008 and sent to the Governor and Oregon Legislative Assembly for consideration in session beginning January 2009.

Draft Plan - ACTION STEPS
. . . . . pg 76

2. Institute a higher alcohol tax.
The revenue from this additional tax will be dedicated to fund both prevention and treatment programs for addiction. This revenue will support public health departments and community organizations offering addiction prevention and outpatient treatment services

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Expanding the Role of Health Services Research as a Tool to Reduce the Public Health Burden of Alcohol Use Disorders
Substance Use & Misuse, Volume 43, Issue 12 & 13 October 2008 , pages 1729 - 1746


The public and private cost of “heavy alcohol use”¹ is estimated to be more than 187 billion in lost productivity, health care and criminal justice expenditures, and other costs. This does not include the emotional and psychological costs to family, friends, and the community.

Investments by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) have led to a number of important advances in pharmacological and behavioral treatments for alcohol disorders. Yet, there continues to be a significant gap between research findings and progress in community-based care. Additionally, limited capacity, a lack of acknowledged standards, and a separation between the specialty substance use treatment sector and general medical practice contribute to this gap.

As part of its ongoing efforts to encourage translation from clinical research to practice, NIAAA undertook a review of its alcohol related health services research program for the purpose of creating a vision for the next 10 yr that is sensitive to the changing needs of both the clinical and research communities.

Central to the development of a new research agenda is a reconceptualization of alcohol use and misuse along a continuum that takes into account quantity and frequency of use as well as the consequences from “heavy use” and misuse of alcohol. This public health approach recommends a number of high priority areas to expand and improve the system of care for “heavy alcohol users” who may be at-risk or who may have developed an alcohol use disorder.

These recommendations include research on dissemination and implementation of evidence-based practices, and improving access and utilization to care for individuals who are “heavy users.”

The paper concludes by outlining some of the steps taken by NIAAA to further the continuing development of alcohol health services research.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: Peter.delany@samhsa.hhs.gov
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Availability and Characteristics of Nonbeverage Alcohols Sold in 17 Russian Cities in 2007
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research Published Online:18 Nov 2008

It is known that a range of nonbeverage alcohols including eau-de-colognes and medicinal tinctures are consumed by sections of the Russian population. Research conducted in a city in the Urals (2003 to 2005) showed that consumption of such products is associated with very high mortality from a wide range of causes. However, there have been no systematic attempts to investigate the extent to which such products are available in other cities of the Russian Federation. There is particular interest in establishing this following the introduction of new federal regulations in January 2006 aimed at restricting the availability of these products.

In the first half of 2007, we conducted a survey in 17 cities that spanned the full range of city types in the Russian Federation excluding those in the Far East. In each city, fieldworkers visited pharmacies and other types of retail outlets and purchased samples of nonbeverage alcohols. These were defined as being typically 10 to 15 roubles per bottle, with an ethanol concentration of at least 60% by volume.

We were able to purchase samples of nonbeverage alcohols in each of the 17 cities we investigated. The majority of the 271 products included were a cheaper and more affordable source of ethanol than standard Russian vodka. Medicinal tinctures, sold almost exclusively in pharmacies, were particularly common with an average concentration of 78% ethanol by volume. Most importantly, the majority of the products were of a sort that our previous research in 2004 to 2005 had established were drunk by working-age men.

While the 2006 federal regulations introduced in part to reduce the availability and consumption of nonbeverage alcohols may have had some effect on certain classes of nonmedicinal products, up until June 2007 at least, medicinal tinctures as well as some other nonbeverage alcohols that are consumed appear to have been readily available.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: david.leon@lshtm.ac.uk

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Fetal Substance Exposure and Cumulative Environmental Risk in an African American Cohort
Child Development Volume 79 Issue 6, Pages 1761 - 1776

Two models of vulnerability to socioenvironmental risk were examined in 337 African American children (M = 7.8 years) recruited to overrepresent prenatal alcohol or cocaine exposure: The cumulative risk model predicted synergistic effects from exposure to multiple risk factors, and the fetal patterning of disease model predicted that prenatal insult will increase vulnerability to environmental risk.

Four or more risks emerged as a threshold for poorer cognitive and behavioral outcome among the non-substance-exposed children, whereas substance-exposed children showed greater vulnerability to lower levels of environmental risk. Cumulative risk was associated with increased delinquent and internalizing behaviors only for the substance-exposed group.

Results support the cumulative risk model for non-substance-exposed children and increased vulnerability to environmental risk among the substance-exposed group.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: sandra.jacobson@wayne.edu.

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The Social Ecology of Adolescent Alcohol Misuse
Child Development Volume 79 Issue 6, Pages 1777 - 1791


A conceptual framework based on social ecology, social learning, and social control theories guided identification of social contexts, contextual attributes, and joint effects that contribute to development of adolescent alcohol misuse.

Modeling of alcohol use, suggested by social learning theory, and indicators of the social bond, suggested by social control theory, were examined in the family, peer, school, and neighborhood contexts.

Interactions between alcohol modeling and social bond indicators were tested within and between contexts. Data were from a longitudinal study of 6,544 students, 1,663 of their parents, and the U.S. Census.

All contexts were uniquely implicated in development of alcohol misuse from ages 11 through 17 years, and most alcohol modeling effects were contingent on attributes of social bonds.


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Request Reprint E-Mail: sennett@email.unc.edu
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Speech by Rt Hon Dawn Primarolo MP, Minister of State for Public Health, delivered 5 November 2008 to the 3rd National Alcohol Conference

Thank you. I’d like to add a health perspective to what has already been said.

There is an argument – a very strong argument - that problem drinking is, in a sense, becoming ‘the new smoking’ in terms of the challenge that it presents to public health.

The scale of the problem is certainly comparable. Twenty-six per cent – about 10 million adults in England – currently drink more than the Government guidelines. By contrast, 22 per cent smoke – and that has fallen considerably in recent years.

But it’s the numbers at the top end of the drinking spectrum that are most troubling. More than two and a half million adults are drinking alcohol at a “higher risk”. That is 1.6 million men regularly drinking more than 8 units a day or 50 units a week, and a million women regularly drinking more than 6 units a day or 35 units a week.

We are already seeing health problems now as a consequence. But they serve notice of a much bigger danger to come: a wave of preventable death, disease and injury.
. . . . .

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EUROPEAN ALCOHOL AND HEALTH FORUM

Third plenary meeting,
Brussels, 13 November 2008

• Agenda (20 KB)
  
  
• Overview of Forum meetings in 2009 / time schedule for reporting on commitments (20 KB)
  

Presentations

• Update of Summary Report on commitments(115 KB)
  W. Kamphausen
  DG SANCO

• Monitoring the EU Platform on Diet, Physical Activity and Health – some thoughts for the European alcohol and health Forum (600 KB)
  T. Ling
  RAND Europe

• Reporting from the Task Force Marketing Communication (105 KB)
  R. Madelin
  DG SANCO

• Reporting from the Task Force on Youth-specific aspects of alcohol(115 KB)
  M. Hübel
  DG SANCO

• Report on progress of study on affordability of alcoholic beverages (600 KB)
  L. Rabinovich
  RAND Europe

• ________________________________________________________
  

Binge Drinking Among California Adults: Results from the 2005 California Health Interview Survey
The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, Volume 34, Issue 6 November 2008 , pages 801 - 809


To calculate binge drinking rates among California adults and describe the characteristics of female and male binge drinkers.

At least one binge drinking episode over a 30-day period was reported by 1.4 million California women (10.7% of all adult women) and 3.2 million California men (24.7%). For both women and men, factors associated with binge drinking included being 18-44 years of age, smoking, and having mid-range psychological distress scores. There were gender differences in binge drinking risk by race/ethnicity and health status.

Binge drinking is a serious public health concern that affects millions of adult Californians.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: jbanta@sph.llu.edu
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Press Release - Excise duties on alcoholic beverages up by 10 per cent [Finland]

18.11.2008

The Government is dedicated to mitigating the adverse effects of alcohol. The price of alcohol has proven to be an effective way statistically of reducing overall consumption of alcohol. The price of all alcoholic beverages will be raised by 10% at the beginning of 2009. This will increase central government tax revenue by an estimated EUR 65 million a year.
. . . . .

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An Introduction to Mutual Support Groups for Alcohol and Drug Abuse


A new issue of Substance Abuse in Brief (SAIB) Fact Sheet, Volume 5, Issue 1, "An Introduction to Mutual Support Groups for Alcohol and Drug Abuse," is now available from SAMHSA. The fact sheet helps health care and social service providers understand the effects of mutual support groups on recovery, become familiar with the different types of mutual support groups, and make informed referrals.

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Press Release - No Time to Raise Taxes: California's Independent Retailers Strongly Opposes Regressive Tax Hike on Alcohol Beverages

Proposal Puts 20,000 Jobs in California on the Line

LA MESA, Calif., Nov 17, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Members of the Neighborhood Market Association strongly opposed the $4.4 billion dollar tax plan introduced in the Legislature today that would dramatically increase the cost of alcohol products.

The proposed tax hike on spirits, wine and beer will have detrimental impacts on local hospitality business, leading to loss of sales and potentially eliminating over 20,000 jobs statewide in the process. Furthermore, the projected loss in sales would reduce grocery, convenience and package store sales by nearly $470 million and restaurant and tavern sales by around $540 million. In total, retail sales are projected to decline by over $1 billion.
. . . . . .

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The Drunkenness Tax

State Duma member Viktor Zvagelsky has suggested imposing fiscal responsibility on the alcohol producers for impairing nation’s health. The actual proposal is that distilleries should transfer for the medical assistance 2 rubles from each 0.5-litter bottle of vodka. The bill is being submitted to the Duma in two weeks after Interior Minister Rashid Nurgaliev urged lawmakers to elaborate laws so that the alcohol revenues could be spent for alcoholism treatment.

The bill elaborated by Viktor Zvagelsky, who chairs the State Duma’s subcommittee for the government’s control over excise goods market, suggests making distilleries responsible for produced alcohol. It also specifies procedures to repair the damage caused to the nation’s health.
. . . . . .

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Press Release - Impaired driving a concern among Manitoba senior high school students


November 13th, 2008 . . . Winnipeg . . . The Addictions Foundation of Manitoba (AFM) releases new data on alcohol and other drug use within the Manitoba middle and high school student community. A recent study and report provides an overview of the findings based on a survey of 4992 students from 55 randomly selected schools.

“The study was designed to provide insight into substance use in school-aged youth,prevalence of impaired driving, perceived parental use, and attitudes towards substance use and abuse,” said John Borody, CEO. “This information can lead to changes and improvements to prevention and intervention services in schools.”
. . . . .

Read Full Release (PDF)

Full Report - Alcohol and Other Drugs: Students in Manitoba - 2007 Executive Summary - Alcohol and Other Drugs: Students in Manitoba - 2007
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Press Release - National Binge Drinking Strategy

Joint Release

The Hon Nicola Roxon MP
Minister for Health and Ageing

The Hon Jan McLucas
Parlimentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing

Nineteen local communities will receive Federal Government support for grassroots programs to help tackle binge-drinking by young people.

Nineteen community projects across Australia will receive a total of $3.6 million in the first round of grants for grassroots, community work targeted at combating the impact of excessive alcohol consumption on individuals, their families and the wider community.
. . . . . .
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Take the network into treatment
Findings Iissue 10 spring 2004

Distinguished US authors summarise the evidence for a new direction in the treatment of substance abuse problems - harnessing friends, lovers, sons, daughters and workmates to reconstruct the incentives in a client's life.
. . . . .

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Confirmation of provisional quantitative trait loci for voluntary alcohol consumption: genetic analysis in chromosome substitution strains and F2 crosses derived from A/J and C57BL/6J progenitors.
Pharmacogenetics & Genomics. 18(12):1071-1082, December 2008.

Earlier research utilizing AXB/BXA recombinant inbred (RI) and AcB/BcA recombinant congenic (RC) strains of mice independently mapped provisional quantitative trait loci (QTL) for voluntary alcohol consumption (VAC) to common chromosomal regions. This study was designed to confirm QTL on chromosomes 2, 3, 5, 7, and 15 in an A/J (A)xC57Bl/6J (B6) F2 cross, and a panel of B6.A chromosome substitution strains (CSS).

AxB6F2 mice, CSS, and A/J and C57BL/6J progenitors were tested for VAC. Previously identified QTL regions were targeted for genotyping in the AxB6F2 mice. Among the AxB6F2 mice, significant differences in VAC were associated with loci on chromosome 2 (peak marker D2Mit367) and chromosome 3 (D3Mit189). Additionally, a significant interaction was observed between loci on chromosome 15 (D15Mit245) and chromosome 2 (D2Mit367). A survey of the CSS panel provided further evidence for VAC QTLs on chromosomes 2 and 15.

In the CSS panel, lower ethanol consumption was observed in those strains carrying the A/J 2 or 15 chromosome on a B6 background. This finding is consistent with the allelic influences observed in AxB6F2 mice in this study and those reported previously in the RI and RC strains of mice. Specifically, A/J alleles were associated with decreased ethanol consumption whereas C57BL/6J alleles were associated with increased ethanol consumption.

The present results confirm previously reported QTL, on chromosomes 2 and 15 for VAC in RI and RC strains. Collectively, the regions on chromosomes 2 and 15 have now been replicated in at least three independent crosses derived from the A/J and C57BL/6J progenitors. The identification of potential candidate genes for the chromosome 15 QTL is discussed in the context of an in-silico analysis.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: kathryn.gill@mcgill.ca

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Territory booze bonanza

BEN LANGFORD

November 17th, 2008

MORE than 4 million litres of pure alcohol was sold in the Territory in the past financial year - the equivalent of more than 215 million full-strength beers.

Figures from the Justice Department show wholesale volumes totalling 4,033,434 litres of pure alcohol.

If all this alcohol was sold in full-strength beer cans it would total more than 80 million litres - enough to fill 32 Olympic swimming pools.

The grog numbers are for total alcohol sales in the year - and include visitors to the Territory.

But questions are being asked about the Territory's ability to deal with such high grog consumption.

. . . . . .

Read Full Article

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Alcohol industry sponsorship and hazardous drinking among sportspeople

Addiction Volume 103 Issue 12, Pages 1961 - 1966

To examine the nature and extent of alcohol industry sponsorship of sportspeople, and its association with drinking.

Alcohol industry sponsorship was reported by 47.8% of the sample. Of those sponsored, 47% reported receiving free and/or discounted alcohol products. In multivariate models, those receiving sponsorship at the individual, team and club level had AUDIT scores that were, on average, 2.4 points higher [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.70–4.09] than those who received no sponsorship. Receiving free and/or discounted alcohol (β_adj = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.01–1.88) and feeling that they should go to the sponsor's pub/club to drink (β_adj = 1.91, 95% CI: 0.85–2.98) were also associated with higher AUDIT scores. Provision of free or discounted alcoholic beverages was associated more strongly with AUDIT scores (β_adj = 1.56; 95% CI: 0.62–2.51) than other forms of sponsorship from the alcohol industry (e.g. provision of uniforms).

Alcohol industry sponsorship of sportspeople, and in particular the provision of free or discounted alcoholic beverages, is associated with hazardous drinking after adjustment for a range of potential confounders. Sports administration bodies should consider the health and ethical risks of accepting alcohol industry sponsorship.

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