Latest news and events

How can the public be expected to count their alcohol units when the government doesn’t know how many units are in a glass of wine? The Department of Health has updated the alcohol advice leaflet, “How much is too much?” which was first published last year. According to the official description, “Information is provided on… Read more »

The House of Lords debated the Harm Reduction Strategy To view the whole debate follow the link below: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200607/ldhansrd/text/71018-0003.htm#07101815000012… Read more »

Local Alcohol Profiles for England: New Figures Released The alcohol profiles for every local authority in England were published online today by the North West Public Health Observatory, Centre for Public Health, Liverpool John Moores University. Figures show the percentage of adults drinking at “hazardous” levels – regularly drinking between 22 to 50 units a… Read more »

Forty years of the breathalyser: RoSPA calls for lower drink-drive limit Tuesday 9th October marks the 40th anniversary of the introduction of the drink-drive limit in the UK, and the roadside testing that enforces it. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) is calling a reduction of the limit from its current level… Read more »

Zero tolerance of alcohol misuse In her speech to the labour conference, the Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith said, “I’ve zero tolerance of anti-social behaviour, and zero tolerance of its causes. Causes like alcohol misuse. So from Monday, we are giving councils and police new powers to take the licences away from dodgy premises. We should… Read more »

Alcohol increases the Risk of Breast Cancer, Whatever the Type of Drink A US study of more than 70,000 women, over two decades, has concluded that the type of alcohol drunk, whether wine, beer or spirits (liquor), has no impact on the risk of breast cancer. It is the alcohol itself, and the quantity consumed,… Read more »

Drinking in 11-15-year-olds in England, 2006 The number of under-age drinkers may be falling, but the amount they drink is increasing, especially amongst the youngest drinkers. Most obtained alcohol from family or friends, but of those who tried to buy it from a shop, pub or club, most 15 year olds claimed to have been… Read more »

Bar Staff have Doubled Risk of Death from Alcohol Consumption A new report from the Office of National Statistics reveals that bar staff and publicans are approximately twice as likely to die from alcohol consumption as the general population. Other people working in catering, hospitality and entertainment also have an increased risk, as do hairdressers… Read more »

Treasury refusing to think of children’s health over alcopops taxes, says Institute of Alcohol Studies Higher taxes on alcohol – and particularly the alcopops targeted at adolescents – would reduce the toll of binge-drinking among young people. The Health Secretary, the Institute of Alcohol Studies and nearly the entire health research community knows it –… Read more »