'Middle classes are in denial' or 'know better than experts' were recent headlines responding to research published in the BMC. The study had explored the attitudes of managerial and professional roles, finding low acceptance or awareness of health risks. In part this was attributed to perceptions that alcohol problems were confined to 'others' including younger 'binge drinkers', and belief that 'home drinking' was without risk.
Of course those in the field know professional roles tend to drink more and more frequently, and off-sales wine has accounted for most of the overall rise in consumption since the 1950s. 'Middle-class' drinkers, often associated with 'de-stress' drinking, therefore pose a challenge to public health roles wanting to reduce long term health impacts of those less likely to contemplate their drinking. On the flip-side, the “alcohol harm paradox” suggest drinkers from lower socio-economic groups experience greater harms. A 'behind the headlines' piece analyses the findings versus media reaction.
"MPs admit to an unhealthy drink culture" according to an Alcohol Concern survey. The survey of 150 MPs attitudes found 26% thought their colleagues drank too much. It also suggested that £1.33m was spent in the nine bars at the House of Commons in the year to March 2011. In a subsequent Guardian poll 39% of respondents answered yes to the question 'Is there a culture of excessive boozing at your workplace?'. See reports from the BBC, and a blog comment in the Independent.
Local initiatives & reports
Shop ban on high-strength booze cuts street drinking crime by 50%, reports the Telegraph. The scheme is now being considered by other forces - BBC.
Drink-related anti-social behaviour in part of Stoke-on-Trent has reduced by over two-thirds after an alcohol restriction zone was introduced - BBC.
Police in Scotland are warning parents not to buy alcohol for their underage children after an increase in drunken incidents involving young girls, reports the Scotsman.
Other reports & info
Binge drinking in your 20s can trigger heart disease- Daily Mail.
Do young people’s attitudes to alcohol make them more likely to be violent when drinking? is explored on the Closer blog.
Alcohol advertising pre-disposes young people to have favorable attitudes toward drinking, a NewsMedical.net report explores.
A lawyer says there has been a 70% increase in men citing alcohol misuse in divorce over the past five years - Daily Mail.
A new Drinkaware video highlights the effects of alcohol, and a new page highlights the dangers of cheap alcohol.
EU's alcohol strategy needs further push, MEPs say according to EurActiv.com.
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