Crackdown' on alcopop marketing questioned

Jill Stark Medical Reporter
August 1, 2007

AN INDUSTRY crackdown on alcohol products that appeal to children has been slammed by health groups, who say items such as a "Bubbie Stubbie" baby's bottle holder, "Vodka Twistee Shots" and alcoholic "Mudshakes" would not be banned under new plans.

A coalition of alcohol industry groups has applied to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to be given powers to regulate packaging and naming of products. They say it will stamp out those that encourage under-age or binge drinking, and is based on a British system that has resulted in 70 products being removed from the market since 1989.

But critics say the move is a diversionary tactic to forestall government regulation amid growing public alarm over dangerous drinking.
. . . . . .

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Australian Competition and Consumer Commission

The Distilled Spirits Industry Council of Australia Inc (DSICA) - Authorisation - A91054 - A91055

Submissions - before draft decision

• Submission - before draft decision
  Alcohol and other Drugs Council of Australia (ADCA) - 24.07.07
  D07+68879.pdf (60.1 KB)

• Submission - before draft decision
  VicHealth - 17.07.07
  D07+68982.pdf (3.7 MB)

• Submission - before draft decision
  Australian National Council on Drugs - 12.07.07
  D07+65048.pdf (48.3 KB)

• Submission - before draft decision
  Australian Drug Foundation - 12.07.07
  D07+69009.pdf (229.2 KB)

• Submission - before draft decision
  Department of Health and Ageing - 12.07.07
  D07+68813.pdf (180.4 KB)

• Submission - before draft decision
  Father Chris Riley - 11.07.07
  D07+65093.pdf (346.8 KB)

• Submission - before draft decision
  Advertising Federation of Australia - 11.07.07
  D07+66483.pdf (36.5 KB)

• Submission - before draft decision
  Tasmania Commissioner for Licensing - 10.07.07
  D07+64082.pdf (46.6 KB)

• Submission - before draft decision
  DrinkWise Australia Ltd - 05.07.07
  D07+69004.pdf (730.9 KB)

• Submission - before draft decision
  ACT Health - 04.07.07
  D07+61627.pdf (35.4 KB)

• Submission - before draft decision
  Winemakers' Federation of Australia - 20.06.07
  D07+57861.pdf (86.7 KB)

• Submission - before draft decision
  Youth Substance Abuse Service - 02.07.07
  D07+64087.pdf (82.6 KB)

• Submission - before draft decision
  Applicant to ACCC re Provision of Further Information - 14.06.07
  D07+55639.pdf (100.6 KB)

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Australian Competition and Consumer Commission

The Distilled Spirits Industry Council of Australia Inc (DSICA) - Authorisation - A91054 - A91055

The Distilled Spirits Industry Council of Australia Inc and others are seeking authorisation for a proposed Alcohol Beverages Advertising (and Packaging) Code, which sets out requirements for the responsible naming and packaging of alcohol beverages.

If a complaint about the name or packaging of an alcohol beverage is made, and the product is found not to comply with the Code, this will trigger a communication to retailers (a Retailer Alert). Retailers who are signatories to the Code will not place further orders for non-compliant product, and suppliers who are signatories to the Code will withdraw or modify non-compliant product to ensure compliance with the Code.

On 14 June 2007, the ACCC sent letters to interested parties seeking their views on the applications for authorisation. Submissions are due by 12 July 2007.

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Lenihan examining off-licence hours

30/07/2007

Minister for Justice Brian Lenihan has signalled that he may consider restricting off-licence opening hours in an effort to curb excessive drinking and street violence.

In an interview published today, Mr Lenihan said he will have discussions with his Government colleagues on measures to restrict the "visibility" of alcohol. He also said he would have the issue examined independently.

"Drink has become far too easily accessible. We have to look at the point of sale," Mr Lenihan said.
. . . . . . .

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Alcohol availability a serious problem - group

Tuesday, 31 July 2007 19:25

Alcohol Action Ireland says it welcomes the indication this week from the Minister for Justice of the Government's willingness to address the serious problem of alcohol availability by taking steps to curb off-license opening times.

Alcohol Action Ireland's Executive Director Marion Rackard, said action was needed and she was pleased to hear that tackling the problem might be on the cards.

For many years she said we had seen and heard Ministers pay lip service to the problems of alcohol consumption in Ireland and the effects of that on our society, but she said we needed to see some concrete action.

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Mental health consequences of overstretch in the UK armed forces: first phase of a cohort study
BMJ, (published 30 July 2007)

To assess the relation between frequency and duration of deployment of UK armed forces personnel on mental health.

Personnel who were deployed for 13 months or more in the past three years were more likely to fulfil the criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder, show caseness on the general health questionnaire, and have multiple physical symptoms.

A significant association was found between duration of deployment and severe alcohol problems.

Exposure to combat partly accounted for these associations. The associations between number of deployments in the past three years and mental disorders were less consistent than those related to duration of deployment. Post-traumatic stress disorder was also associated with a mismatch between expectations about the duration of deployment and the reality.

A clear and explicit policy on the duration of each deployment of armed forces personnel may reduce the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder. An association was found between deployment for more than a year in the past three years and mental health that might be explained by exposure to combat.

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More Teens Chosing Liquor over Beer?

July 27, 2007

Statement of CSPI Alcohol Policies Project Director George A. Hacker

Startling research, published today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shows that more teens are drinking hard liquor than beer. This is a huge victory for liquor marketers. But it is scary and ominous news for parents and public health professionals, who should rightly be concerned by the liquor industry�s successful campaign to make booze more attractive to kids.
. . . . . . .

Read Full Statement
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Gov't Mulls New Rule for Alcohol Labels

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: July 31, 2007

NEW YORK (AP) -- The Treasury Department is considering a new rule that would require companies to put alcoholic content, serving sizes and nutritional information on all alcoholic drink packaging.

According to the proposed rule being published Tuesday for public comment, labels on all alcoholic beverages -- from beer cans to wine bottles -- would include a statement of the drink's percentage of alcohol by volume.

The labels would also include a ''serving facts'' panel, which would list the number of calories, carbohydrates, fat and protein for a standard serving size.

Companies could also choose to disclose the amount of pure alcohol, or ethyl alcohol, per serving.

Currently, liquor and wine labels must include at least the percentage of alcohol by volume, but that information is not allowed on beer labels except in states that require it. However, if a brewer wants its beer to be labeled as a ''light'' beer, the label must show its caloric content and the percent of alcohol per volume.
. . . . . .

Read Full Article

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Labeling and Advertising of Wines, Distilled Spirits and Malt Beverages; Proposed Rule

Federal Register: July 31, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 146)

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) proposes to amend its regulations to require a statement of alcohol content, expressed as a percentage of alcohol by volume, on all alcohol beverage products. This statement may appear on any label affixed to the container. TTB also proposes to require a Serving Facts panel on alcohol beverage labels, which would include a statement of calories, carbohydrates, fat, and protein. Industry members may also choose to disclose on the Serving Facts panel the number of U.S. fluid ounces of pure alcohol (ethyl alcohol) per serving as part of a statement that includes alcohol content expressed as a percentage of alcohol by volume. The proposed regulations would also specify new reference serving sizes for wine, distilled spirits, and malt beverages based on the amount of beverage customarily consumed as a single serving. However, TTB is not defining a standard drink in this document. TTB proposes to make these new requirements mandatory three years after the date of publication of the final rule in the Federal Register. The agency proposes these amendments to ensure that alcohol beverage labels provide consumers with adequate information about the product.

Read Full Notice (HTML)
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Faces & Voices of Recovery eNewsletter 31 July 2007
eNewsletterJuly 31, 2007


eNWellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act moving!

House action on H.R. 1424, the Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act moved one step closer when the House Committee on Education and Labor voted 33-9 to approve the bill after the Committee heard Learn more…

Rally for Recovery! and Recovery Month 2007
As part of Faces & Voices’ work with recovery community organizations, we have been looking for ways to assist groups in promoting their Rally for Recovery! and other events and in raising funds for their work. The McShin Foundation in Richmond, VA approached us about an opportunity to do just that! We hope that you will be interested in working with us to see how a new partnership with a national manufacturer, Accu-Turn, can be used to promote Learn more…

And the winner is...
Thanks to everyone who voted on our new “I’m in Recovery and I Vote!” button. We’ve tallied the results and here is the winning button! Go to our online store to purchase your buttons!

Faces & Voices of Recovery Welcomes new board members
Faces & Voices of Recovery is please to announce that we have 3 new At-Large Representatives: Walter Ginter, Merlyn Karst, and Phillip Valentine and 5 new Regional Representatives: John deMiranda, Pacific Southwest; Jo Campe, Prairielands; Don Rothschild, Mountain West; Billy Lossiah-Bratt, Mid-Atlantic; and, Hugh Tudor Foley, New England. Welcome!
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Alcohol Information Scotland

Welcome to the latest 'What's new on the Alcohol Information Scotland website'
New on the site
Latest publications include:
First Measures. A Guide to Alcohol Misuse Prevention Work with Children		The Mentor Foundation
Understanding Alcohol Misuse in Scotland - Harmful Drinking 3: Alcohol and Self-Harm		NHS Quality Improvement Scotland
Report of the stocktake of Alcohol and Drug Action Teams		Scottish Executive
	Statistics on Alcohol, England 2007		Information Centre for Health and Social Care
	Highlights from latest media comment
	Date	Publication	Publisher
	30th July	Alcohol boosts bowel cancer risk	Various sources
	25th July	English survey suggests most A&E units not probing alcohol misuse	BBC News
	25th July	Pioneer of alcohol abuse services honoured	Evening News
	25th July	20 per cent rise in number of people drink-driving	Various sources
	24th July	Grampian police condemn drink-drive motorists	BBC News
	24th July	Expert recommends alcohol drinking guidelines for older people	The Times
	24th July	Gordon Brown to review 24-hour licensing laws.	The Times
	22nd July	Cheap supermarket alcohol sales face crackdown from UK government	The Observer
	21st July	Research suggests nearly quarter of 15 year old girls get drunk at least once a week	The Times
	21st July	Alcohol fuelled casual sex blamed for rise in STD	The Guardian
	21st July	Government health advisor recommends raising taxes on alcohol	Evening News
	Parliamentary Questions - See the latest questions
	Forthcoming Events
	A list of forthcoming workshops, training courses, seminars and conferences

Contributor: Andrea Beard
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Prefrontal cortex modulation using transcranial DC stimulation reduces alcohol craving: A double-blind, sham-controlled study
Drug and Alcohol Dependence Article in Press, 19 July 2007





Functional neuroimaging studies have shown that specific brain areas are associated with alcohol craving including the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC).

We tested whether modulation of DLPFC using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) could alter alcohol craving in patients with alcohol dependence while being exposed to alcohol cues.

Our results showed that both anodal left/cathodal right and anodal right/cathodal left significantly decreased alcohol craving compared to sham stimulation. In addition, we found that following treatment, craving could not be further increased by alcohol cues.

Our findings showed that tDCS treatment to DLPFC can reduce alcohol craving. These findings extend the results of previous studies using noninvasive brain stimulation to reduce craving in humans.

Given the relatively rapid suppressive effect of tDCS and the highly fluctuating nature of alcohol craving, this technique may prove to be a valuable treatment strategy within the clinical setting.

Read Full Abstract


Reprint Request E-Mail: ffregni@bidmc.harvard.edu
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Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) of longitudinal brain structural and cognitive changes in alcohol-dependent individuals during sobriety
Drug and Alcohol Dependence Article in Press 17 July 2007




Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) can reveal complex relationships between longitudinal outcome measures and their covariates under proper consideration of potentially unequal error variances.

We demonstrate the application of HLM to the study of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-derived brain volume changes and cognitive changes in abstinent alcohol-dependent individuals as a function of smoking status, smoking severity, and drinking quantities.

Different hierarchical linear models with unique model structures are presented and discussed. The results show that smaller brain volumes at baseline predict faster brain volume gains, which were also related to greater smoking and drinking severities.

Over 7 months of abstinence from alcohol, sALC compared to nsALC showed less improvements in visuospatial learning and memory despite larger brain volume gains and ventricular shrinkage.

Different and unique hierarchical linear models allow assessments of the complex relationships among outcome measures of longitudinal data sets. These HLM applications suggest that chronic cigarette smoking modulates the temporal dynamics of brain structural and cognitive changes in alcoholics during prolonged sobriety.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: ping-hong.yeh@ucsf.edu
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Flavored Malt Beverages

The Board uses a thorough and public process to explore regulatory issues. Board of Equalization staff plan to meet with businesses, taxpayers, and other interested parties to discuss the application of California's Alcoholic Beverage Tax to flavored malt beverages. Any member of the public may attend these meetings. After reviewing all input, staff will prepare a report for the Board to consider before it takes final action.

Review Schedule: February 22 - 10:00 am Interested Parties Meeting 450 N Street, Sacramento, Room 121 Letter to Interested Parties Audio Recording June 6 - 10:00 am Interested Parties Meeting 450 N Street, Sacramento, Room 121 Letter to Interested Parties Audio Recording August 14 Board of Equalization Hearing 450 N Street, Sacramento, Room 121 If you wish to provide written input for consideration in this review, please send to: State Board of Equalization Business Taxes Committee Team, MIC: 50 450 N Street, Sacramento CA 95814

Materials: Second Discussion Paper Initial Discussion Paper Original Petition to Board Members Links: Signup for Email Notifications BOE Excise Tax Division Business Taxes Committee California's Alcoholic Beverage Tax

The Factor Structure and Concurrent Validity of the Alcohol use Disorder Identification Test Based on a Nationally Representative UK Sample
Alcohol and Alcoholism Advance Access published online on July 28, 2007

To assess the psychometric structure and construct validity of the alcohol use disorder identification test (AUDIT) in a Great Britain population sample.

A two factor solution was deemed to appropriately fit the data, measuring alcohol consumption and alcohol related problems. Correlations between the two factors on demographic, wellbeing, neurosis and psychosis symptomology were significantly different.

The two factor solution suggests an advantage to investigating factor specific cut off scores for both consumption and alcohol related problems given their difference in predictive validity on both health and demographic variables.

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Reprint Request E-Mail: m.shevlin@ulster.ac.uk

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Cause-specific inequalities in mortality in Scotland: two decades of change. A population-based study
BMC Public Health 2007, 7:172

Socioeconomic inequalities in mortality have increased in recent years in many countries. We examined age-, sex-, and cause-specific mortality rates for social groups in and regions of Scotland to understand the patterning of inequalities and the causes contributing to these inequalities.

Substantial overall decreases in mortality rates disguised increases for men aged 15-44 and little change for women at the same ages. The pattern at these ages was mostly attributable to increases in suicides and deaths related to the use of alcohol and drugs. Under 65 a 49% fall in the mortality of men in the least deprived areas contrasted with a fall of just 2% in the most deprived.

There were substantial increases in the social gradients for most causes of death. Excess male mortality in the Clydeside region was largely confined to more deprived areas, whilst for women in the region mortality was in line with the Scottish experience. Relative inequalities for men and women were greatest between the ages of 30 and 49.

General reductions in mortality in the major causes of death (ischaemic heart disease, malignant neoplasms) are encouraging; however, such reductions were socially patterned. Relative inequalities in mortality have increased and are greatest among younger adults where deaths related to unfavourable lifestyles call for direct social policies to address poverty.

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Acoustic Startle at Baseline and During Acute Alcohol Withdrawal in Replicate Mouse Lines Selectively Bred for High or Low Al cohol Preference
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research (OnlineEarly Articles). 30 July 2007

Previous data in both rat and mouse genetic models suggest that there is a genetic relationship between acute alcohol withdrawal responses and innate alcohol drinking behavior.

The purpose of the present study was to examine whether acute alcohol withdrawal responses, as measured by acoustic startle and prepulse inhibition (PPI) of acoustic startle, may be genetically related to innate differences in alcohol preference in 2 mouse lines selectively bred for high (HAP1 and HAP2) or low (LAP1 and LAP2) alcohol preference. Line differences in startle responses at baseline, prior to alcohol or saline treatment, were also measured.

On most trial types, baseline startle responses and PPI were greater in both HAP lines than in both LAP lines, and startle responses were greater in males than in females. During acute alcohol withdrawal, both male LAP lines, and LAP1 females, showed reduced startle responses at the 4-hour time point during acute alcohol withdrawal.

In contrast, both HAP1 males and females showed a trend toward enhanced startle at 4 hours in withdrawal. No clear differences in PPI during withdrawal were evident.

These findings indicate good evidence for a genetic relationship between greater baseline acoustic startle responses and PPI and high alcohol preference. Modest support for a genetic correlation between low alcohol preference and reduced startle responses at 4 hours in withdrawal was found in male mice.

The suppression in acoustic startle during acute alcohol withdrawal in male LAP lines but not in male HAP lines suggests that a genetic propensity toward low alcohol preference may be related to greater sensitivity to alcohol as measured by acoustic startle responses during acute alcohol withdrawal.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: jchester@psych.purdue.edu
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The anandamide transport inhibitor AM404 reduces ethanol self-administration
European Journal of Neuroscience 26 (2), 476–486.



The endocannabinoid system mediates in the pharmacological actions of ethanol and genetic studies link endocannabinoid signaling to alcoholism. Drugs activating cannabinoid CB1 receptors have been found to promote alcohol consumption but their effects on self-administration of alcohol are less clear because of the interference with motor performance.

To avoid this problem, a novel pharmacological approach to the study of the contribution of the cannabinoid system in alcoholism may be to use drugs that locally amplify the effects of alcohol on endogenous cannabinoids.

In the present study we addressed this model by studying the effects of the anandamide transport inhibitor N-(4-hydroxyphenyl) arachidonoyl-ethanolamide (AM404) on both ethanol self-administration and reinstatement of alcohol-seeking behavior in rats.

The results show that AM404 significantly reduced ethanol self-administration in a dose-dependent manner but failed to modify reinstatement for lever pressing induced by the stimulus associated with alcohol. This effect was not due to a motor depressant effect and was not related to a decrease in general motivational state, as it was not effective in other reward paradigms such as lever pressing for a saccharin solution.

The mechanism of action of AM404 does not involve cannabinoid CB1 receptors as the CB1-selective antagonist SR141716A did not block the reduction of ethanol self-administration induced by the anandamide uptake blocker. Moreover, 3-(1,1-dimethylheptyl)-(–)-11-hydroxy-delta 8-tetrahydrocannabinol (HU-210), a classical cannabinoid receptor agonist, did not affect ethanol self-administration.

The effects of AM404 are not mediated by either vanilloid VR1 receptors or cannabinoid CB2 receptors because it is not antagonized by either the VR1 receptor antagonist capsazepine or the CB2 antagonist AM630.

These results indicate that AM404 may be considered as an innovative approach to reduce alcohol consumption.

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Request Reprint E-Mail: fernando.rodriguez@fundacionimabis.org
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One drink a day increases risk of bowel cancer
By Rebecca Smith, Medical Editor

30/07/2007

Drinking just one pint of beer or a large glass of wine every day increases your risk of developing bowel cancer by 10 per cent, experts said today.

Those who drink three to four units a day increased their risk of developing bowel cancer by up to a quarter, research has found.

The study conducted by Cancer Research UK and involving nearly 500,000 people, adds to evidence that drinking alcohol is linked to certain cancers. Other studies have linked binge drinking to breast cancer.
. . . . . .

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Data Brief - National Longitudinal Alcohol Epidemiologic Survey (NLAES) Findings on Alcoholics Anonymous Membership

Estimated Alcoholics Anonymous Membership 1991-1992

• New members during past year - 0.9 million

• On-going members - 1.5 million

• Total membership - 2.4 million

Continuation Rate in Alcoholics Anonymous

In 1991-1992 4.8 million respondents reported ever attending an Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meeting, for reasons related to their drinking, prior to the last 12 months.

• 31% reported continued AA attendance during the last 12 months

Rate of continued AA attendance was associated with years since first AA meeting

• 1-4 years since first AA meeting - 36% remained

• 5-9 years since first AA meeting - 30% remained
  

• 10-19 years since first AA meeting - 29% remained

• 20 years or more since first AA meeting - 32% remained

Comparison of Past Year Drinking Status - Dropouts and Continuing AA Members

Dropouts:

• Abstinent 33%

• Low risk drinking 14%

• High risk drinking 53%

Continued AA attendance:

• Abstinent 62%

• Low risk drinking 9%

• High risk drinking 29%

low risk drinking = never exceed 4 drinks per day(male) or 3 drinks per day (female)
high risk drinking = exceeds 4 drinks per day (male) or 3 drinks per day (female)

Data Source:
NIAAA 1991-1992 National Longitudinal Alcohol Epidemiologic Survey (NLAES)

Data Brief Submitter: Loran Archer

E-Mail: loranarcher@gmail.com
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