
JANUARY
YLE (Finland) - Alcohol Consumption Falls in Finland
Finns drank less alcohol this year than last. However, if alcohol tax is not raised, consumption might yet exceed recent records, says Valvira, the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health.
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Herald Sun (Australia) - Alcohol behind almost all murders in Queensland, figures reveal
ALMOST every murder committed in Queensland during the past year was suspected to involve alcohol, crime statistics show.
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Focus Infomation (Spain) - Tougher traffic laws cut road deaths in Spain
The government credits the introduction of tough new road laws as well as the greater use of alcohol checkpoints and speed scanners for the decline in deaths from road accidents.
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Innovations (Sweden) - Consumption Report 2010: Swedes' alcohol consumption is falling
Despite the fact that the Swedish Alcohol Retail Monopoly's sales are rising and statistics from Statistics Sweden indicate that we drink more and more alcohol, the trend is going in the opposite direction – Swedes' alcohol consumption is falling. This emerges from the Consumption Report 2010 (Konsumtionsrapporten 2010) published by the Centre for Consumer Science at the University of Gothenburg.
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The Telegraph (Denmark) - Why is Denmark the cancer capital of the world?
One reason why Danish people seem to be particularly susceptible to cancer is that its record of diagnosing the disease is so good, meaning that more cases are picked up by the country's doctors than in most other parts of the world. But there are also lifestyle factors which could be having an influence on the figures reported by the World Cancer Research Fund from the World Health Organisation.
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Telegraph.co.uk (UK) - Alcohol-related liver disease in young people up 50% in a decade
The number of young people having to be treated in hospital for serious liver disease has risen by more than 50 per cent in the last decade, figures show.
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FEBRUARY
European Public Health Alliance (EU) - 2010 - Overview of activities in implementation of EU Alcohol Strategy
Between September and November 2010 all the existing EU structures working on alcohol conducted their meetings. You can find below reports of the following : the Open Alcohol and Health Forum, the European Alcohol and Health Forum, the Forum Science Group, as well as the Committee on National Policy and Action.
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Medical News Today - WHO Study: Alcohol Is International Number One Killer, AIDS Second
Today the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that alcohol is to blame for just about 4% of, or 2.5 million deaths worldwide annually. Alcohol attributable injuries are of a growing concern to the public health community, with alcohol-related injuries such as road traffic accidents, burns, poisonings, falls and drownings making up more than a third of the disease burden attributable to alcohol consumption.
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Barents Observer (Russia) - Every fifth Russian man dies of alcohol
The Russians drink an average of 15,76 liters of pure alcohol every year, which makes them the fourth most drinking country in the world, a new report from the World Health Organization reads.
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RIA Novosti (Moldova) - WHO names Moldova world's leader in alcohol consumption
Moldovans consume more alcohol per head than citizens of any other country, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in its report.
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GlobalPost (Russia) - NEWS FLASH! Beer is alcohol, Russia says
The Russian parliament today finally acknowledged something taken as given the world over: beer is alcohol. The Duma passed a law on second reading (a third, largely ceremonial reading will follow, but the second is the most important) a bill that explicitly acknowledges that fact and bans the sale of beer between 11pm and 8am.
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MARCH
EurekAlert (Sweden) - Parents important for keeping adolescents off alcohol
Parents who are both present and engaged are the very best way of preventing teenagers from consuming large quantities of alcohol. Adolescents who smoke, stay out with their friends and have access to alcohol – from their parents, for example – when they are as young as 13 are at greater risk of becoming binge drinkers in their late teens, reveals a new thesis from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden.
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stv.tv (UK) - Health bodies slam "toothless" alcohol policy
Six prominent health organisations withdrew their support on Monday for a government initiative aimed at promoting responsible alcohol consumption, accusing ministers of not standing up to the drinks industry.
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Times LIVE (South Africa) - State declares war on alcohol abuse
The government is waging war on the alarming increase in the abuse of alcohol and drugs, and has warned of stricter legislation - including raising the legal age for alcohol consumption from 18 to 21.
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Norway: Government has to accept alcohol advertising on TV
The EU Commission will not grant Norway a continued exemption from the implementation of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive. This means that the Norwegian government will have to accept TV advertising for alcoholic beverages in Norway when it is broadcast from another country.
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APRIL
BCM (Russia) - Vladimir Putin speaks out against sharp rise in prices on alcohol in Russia
Speaking at the meeting of the Government Presidium on Thursday, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said that a sharp hike in excise duties and, accordingly, the price of alcohol would be unacceptable.
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Eureka! Science News - Underage binge drinking can create lasting brain changes
Adolescents represent the majority of people who binge drink. This may come as a surprise to some, but recent surveys indicate that episodes of heavy alcohol drinking within the previous two weeks are reported by 12 percent of 8th graders, 22 percent of 10th graders, 28 percent of 12th grade seniors and 44 percent of college students.
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BMJ (EU) - Alcohol attributable burden of incidence of cancer in eight European countries based on results from prospective cohort study
In western Europe, an important proportion of cases of cancer can be attributable to alcohol consumption, especially consumption higher than the recommended upper limits. These data support current political efforts to reduce or to abstain from alcohol consumption to reduce the incidence of cancer.
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Telegraph.co.uk - Glass or two of wine a week 'could damage baby'
Pregnant women who drink as little as a glass of wine a week could be putting their babies at risk, according to new research which contracts recent studies indicating that an occasional tipple is harmless.
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UPI.com (Italy) - Study: Italian youth at alcohol risk
The country's Higher Health Institute released a report Thursday saying at-risk drinkers of both sexes under the age of 16 are on the rise, with 18.5 percent of males and 15.5 percent of females in that age bracket showing worrying drink patterns, ANSA reported.
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Focus-Fen (Sweden) - Sweden launches new strategy to combat narcotic, alcohol problems
The Swedish government Tuesday launched a new comprehensive strategy to deal with alcohol, drugs, doping and tobacco problems together.
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ABC Online (Australia) - Alcohol strongly linked to cancer
The Cancer Council of Australia has issued a new position statement recommending that people limit their alcohol intake to reduce their risk of developing cancer.
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MAI
Wine Spectator (Australia) - Aussie Health Group Says No to Alcohol, Even in Moderation
An Australian health organization has issued an eyebrow-raising report urging people to abstain from alcohol completely in order to reduce their risk of cancer.
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BBC News (UK) - Alcohol-related hospital admissions reach record level
The number of alcohol-related hospital admissions in England has topped one million for the first time, according to official statistics.
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JUNE
The Hindu - Even small amounts of alcohol impact the brain
Just the one drink can sometimes prove one too many when it comes to alcohol, according to Chinese researchers who have discovered that even minimal alcohol intake can cause immediate damage to the brain.
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Daily Mail (EU) - Men twice as likely as women to die before 65 because of smoking and alcohol abuse
Smoking and drinking too much means men are twice as likely as women to die before the age of 65, a European Union study has revealed.
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JULY
Scottish Daily Record (Scotland) - Nicola Sturgeon: SNP will make war on cheap alcohol top priority in 2012
HEALTH secretary Nicola Sturgeon yesterday vowed to drive through minimum pricing for drink within a year.
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NHS Choices - Alcohol 'may damage a baby's DNA'
“Alcohol damages DNA of unborn children beyond repair,” The Independent reported today. The newspaper says that “scientists have identified the precise molecular mechanism” through which this damage happens.
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Alcohol and Alcoholism (EU) - Heavy Episodic Drinking in Europe: A Cross Section Study in Primary Care in Six European Countries
Consecutive attenders aged 18–75 were recruited from the UK, Spain, Slovenia, Estonia, the Netherlands and Portugal and followed up after 6 months. Data were collected on alcohol use using the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification test (at recruitment and 6 months) and risk factors for heavy episodic alcohol use at recruitment.
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Daily Mail - How much alcohol is REALLY safe? None, say cancer specialists
French researchers said most nations including the UK and U.S. set their drink limit guidelines to deal with short-term effects of alcohol and were not designed to prevent chronic diseases.
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The Guardian (France) - France's young binge drinkers upset cafe society with their 'British boozing'
Midnight on the Left Bank and the cafes and bars on Place St-Michel are, on the surface at least, unchanged from the 1920s, when Ernest Hemingway immortalised one in the opening chapter of A Moveable Feast.
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AUGUST
IrishExaminer.com (Ireland) - Drink may cause ‘invisible’ brain harm
MORE than 4,000 Irish people could be suffering from an "invisible" serious brain injury caused by alcohol abuse, according to research.
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AFP (USA) - More than half of Americans drink alcohol: report
More than half of Americans aged 12 and up drink alcohol, a quarter binge-drank in the past month, and one in 14 teens has used marijuana, a US government agency says in a report on substance abuse.
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Medscape - Industry Influence on UN Noncommunicable Disease Summit?
The United Nations (UN) High-Level Summit on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) will convene in New York City from September 19 to 20. However, negotiations recently broke down in drafting an outcomes document that will contain commitments toward progress in 4 target NCD areas: cardiovascular disease, respiratory illnesses, cancer, and diabetes.
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SEPTEMBER
Austrian Independent (Austria) - Alcohol addiction warning issued
Around 900,000 of the 8.5 million residents of Austrian are consuming health-threatening amounts of alcohol, experts have warned.
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Euractiv (EU) - Combat alcohol abuse with mandatory labels, EU urged
Policymakers gathered in Brussels this week to discuss the risks posed by alcohol abuse to unborn children urged the EU to introduce mandatory warning labels on bottles and cans.
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Stuff.co.nz (New Zealand) - Alcohol contributes to quarter of child deaths – report
Alcohol contributed to the deaths of one in four children and young people who died between 2005 and 2007, a new report has found.
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The Age (Australia) - Experts see red over wine 'myth'
RED wine's reputation for preventing heart attacks has come under fire from health experts who have declared every drink of alcohol can do you damage.
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CNN International - WHO outlines steps to reduce leading causes of death
To decrease deaths from noninfectious diseases, countries should pass excise taxes on tobacco and alcohol, encourage smoke-free public places, reduce salt and trans fat in foods, and increase awareness of diet and physical activity, according to a World Health Organization report.
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Los Angeles Times (USA) - Drinking problems have increased in last 60 years
An analysis of 31 studies on alcohol drinking patterns worldwide has found that people born in North America after World War II are more likely than other groups to engage in binge drinking and develop alcoholism. Younger groups consistently consume more alcohol than older generations.
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European Public Health Alliance (WHO Europe) - New Action Plan to reduce the harmful use of alcohol adopted by 53 countries in Europe
Representatives from the 53 WHO European Region Member States met at the 61st session of the Regional Committee for Europe and adopted the European Action Plan to reduce the harmful use of alcohol.
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OCTOBER
IceNews (Denmark) - WHO calls for Denmark drinking age hike
The World Health Organisation has warned the new Danish government that it should take steps to reduce the amount of alcohol being consumed by teenagers.
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Independent Online (South Africa) - Foetal alcohol syndrome is on the rise, says study
FOETAL alcohol syndrome is ravaging Western Cape farming communities, with hundreds of children affected, research has found.
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PR Newswire - Big Alcohol Drunk With Power
Industry watchdog Alcohol Justice, formerly Marin Institute, released a new report today that chronicles an obscene outlay of Big Alcohol dollars to California legislators in 2010.
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EurekAlert (Baltics/Italy) - Link between alcohol and harm is stronger in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Sweden than in Italy
Research clearly shows a dose-response relationship between alcohol and health issues such as cirrhosis of the liver. More recent research has shown linkages between greater drinking and greater problems such as interpersonal violence. A study of the impact that the larger, cultural context of drinking in several European countries may have on the relationship between drinking and harm has found that this relationship is stronger in the Baltic countries and Sweden than Italy.
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Euroalert.net (EU) - Commission stresses the need for action to protect young people from alcohol-related harm at the EU Alcohol and Health Forum
Although minimum drinking age in most EU Member states is set at 18 years old, the most recent European surveys show that half of school children aged 15 to16 years have drunk alcohol in the past month. In order to tackle this situation and take action to protect young people, experts, industry and other stakeholder have met at the the 9th plenary meeting of the European Alcohol and Health Forum held in in Brussels on 19 October.
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NOVEMBER
NHS Choices - Breast cancer link to alcohol studied
Women who drink within the recommended limits are still putting their health at risk, according to The Daily Telegraph. It said new research shows that less than one small glass of wine a day increases the risk of breast cancer.
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EPHA (EU) - 68 NGOs call of a new EU alcohol strategy
Under Eurocare’s leadership, 68 international, European and National NGOs (including EPHA) joined forces to call for a comprehensive Alcohol Policy Strategy in the European Union 2013-2020.
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AHN | All Headline News - Teenage girls up breast cancer risk with every alcoholic drink
Among teen girls with a family history of breast cancer, there is a significant association between the amount of alcohol consumed and the risk of getting benign breast disease, which is a known breast cancer risk factor.
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Toronto Star (Canada) - Women are the new face of alcohol advertising
She's the image of poised perfection: a come-hither blonde in a sexy gold dress, balancing a martini between polished red nails, painted just a shade darker than the swizzle stick perched jauntily through the “o” in “Classic Cocktails” above her head.
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The Local.de (Germany) - One in five German children have alcoholic or drug-addict parents
One in five German children have alcoholic or drug-addict parents, according to the latest annual figures on drugs and addiction.
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Kashmir Watch (China) - China Prohibits Advertising of Alcoholic Drinks
Nine out of the more than 20 national Chinese television networks (CCTV) will not air TV commercials that advertise beer, wine, or any other type of alcoholic drink, according to He Haiming, vice-director of CCTV's advertising operations and management center, as told to the Beijing Today newspaper.
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DECEMBER
Baltic Business News (Estonia) - Researcher: Estonia should triple alcohol excise duty
Indrek Saar writes in his doctor’s thesis that the alcohol taxation rate that was introduced in 2009 is notably below the optimum level.
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The Atlantic (Italy) - A Sobering Look at Alcohol: 10-Year Study Finds High Death Rate
A number of studies in the past few years have suggested health benefits from drinking small or moderate amounts of alcohol. This can encourage people to look at alcohol almost as if it's medicine. A recent study of alcohol use in Italy paints a much more sobering picture.
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Mindshare (Lithuania) - Alcohol advertising ban denied
Lithuanian Parliament has abjured complete ban of alcohol advertising. Alcohol advertising details are in constant questioning, as the latter plan oversaw a complete ban of outdoor, internet and print advertising.
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Medical Daily - Underage Drinking Boosts Criminal Activity: Researchers
While alcohol has frequently been linked to criminal activity among adults, a new study finds that there is a strong association between childhood drinking and criminal activity.
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New Zealand Herald (Australia) - New warning labels for pregnant women on NZ liquor products
Warning labels aimed at pregnant women will be added to all alcohol products in New Zealand and Australia.
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