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Bringing together evidence, policy and practice to reduce alcohol harm

Alcohol-specific deaths in England rise by 4.6% in 2023

Deaths from conditions wholly attributable to alcohol have increased by 4.6% from 2022 to 2023, reaching the highest number for the fourth year in a...

IAS thanks Linda Bauld for her support and welcomes Julia Sinclair to its board

Professor Linda Bauld is stepping down as a trustee of IAS. Our statement of thanks: IAS would like to express its gratitude to Professor Linda...

Cuts and freezes to alcohol duty will cost the Treasury £28.6 billion by 2030

In our latest Budget Analysis, we found that cuts and freezes to alcohol duty since 2013 will cost the government over £28.6 billion by 2030....

WHO Europe’s Alcohol Policy Playbook busts alcohol industry myths

WHO Europe’s latest report, Empowering public health advocates to navigate alcohol policy challenges: alcohol policy playbook, supports policymakers, advocates, and public health professions to identify...

How does alcohol affect the brain?

Do you know how alcohol interacts with the brain? And did you know that heavy episodic drinking as an adolescent is one of the strongest risk...

IAS welcomes Autumn Budget alcohol duty decisions

In the first Budget of the new Labour Government, off-trade alcohol duty was kept in line with RPI inflation. To support pubs, Draught Relief was...

Children’s drinking continues to decline, although rates still high

In the latest data from NHS Digital, 37% of children aged 11-15 had ever drank alcohol, down from 44% in 2016. Although the question changed...

Scotland’s minimum unit price rises to 65p

Scotland has increased its minimum unit price (MUP) for alcohol from 50p to 65p to account for inflation since 2018. The MUP aims to reduce...

Scottish alcohol deaths remain at 15-year high

Deaths from conditions wholly attributable to alcohol increase by one in 2023 compared to 2022 in Scotland, according to a report by National Records of...

The UK government should reassess its relationship with the alcohol industry

A report developed in collaboration with alcohol policy and public health experts provides guidance to the new government on identifying, managing, and protecting against conflicts...

£27.4 billion cost of alcohol harm in England every year

Alcohol harm costs England £27.4 billion a year, new research by the Institute of Alcohol Studies (IAS) has found. The findings have been published on...

England has some of the highest rates of children drinking in Europe

A report by the World Health Organization suggests that England has some of the highest rates of children drinking in Europe. England topped the list...

Alcohol-specific deaths reach record high

Deaths wholly attributable to alcohol reached a record high in 2022, with 10,048 people dying. This is an increase of 4.2% from 2021 and a...

Scottish Parliament votes to continue and uprate Minimum Unit Pricing

The Scottish Parliament voted yesterday to continue Minimum Unit Pricing beyond its sunset clause, and to increase the rate from 50p to 65p per unit...

Alcohol and the Heart: Explained film

How does alcohol cause cardiovascular disease and why do some observational studies suggest moderate drinking is good for the heart? Watch our new film to...

Government extends alcohol duty freeze at Budget

The government has extended its freeze on alcohol duties at today’s Budget. The Autumn Statement last year froze duties from 01 February – 01 August...

Small Grants Scheme now open!

We’re pleased to announce the opening of our 2024 Small Grants Scheme. This scheme will provide funding for innovative research ideas that can help inform...

Scottish Government plans on increasing minimum unit price to 65p

The Scottish Government has stated it plans to continue its minimum unit pricing of alcohol policy and increase it to 65p. In a statement in...

Ministers have “effectively dismantled” England’s national public health unit less than three years after creating it

The Health Service Journal has reported on significant restructuring within England’s national public health unit, the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), less than...

Webinar: Alcohol brief interventions for people with cognitive decline

Join our webinar to hear from Dr Philippa Case and her team about her recent systematic review.