Alcohol Policy UK

Smoking ban one year one: more quitters; decreasing pub sales

The smoking ban in England, introduced a year ago, has dramatically increased the number of people giving up the habit, it is claimed. A survey suggests more than 400,000 people quit smoking as a result of the smoking ban. Researchers say this could potentially help save as many as 40,000 lives in the next 10 years. BBC News

More information from ASH.

Meanwhile, beer and spirit sales have been hit hard by the smoking ban, according to market analysts Nielsen. Around 175 million fewer pints have been drunk in the last year as a direct result of the ban according to the research. In the nine months from July to March volume sales of alcohol in the on-trade in England and Wales fell eight per cent – before the ban the rate was falling at three per cent.

With other factors such as the credit crunch also being taken into account Nielsen estimates that half of the eight per cent drop can be attributed to the ban. Jake Shepherd, marketing director at Nielsen, said: “The winter months were particularly bad – sales fell 9.3 per cent through November to January when smokers would have been reluctant to stand outside in the cold to have a cigarette.”  The Publican

Addressing problems with smokers drinking outside pubs: Plymouth DPPO enforcement

Designated Public Places Orders will be rigorously enforced following a significant increase in street drinking on the Barbican over the recent bank holiday weekend. Over the last few months Plymouth Police have been working with Licensed Premises Supervisors to ensure there is no street drinking in the four DPPO areas of Mutley Plain, North Hill, Union Street and the Barbican with an extensive education programme.

Sergeant Martin Worthington from Plymouth Police Licensing Department stated,

"Since the introduction of the smoking ban, we have been working with licensed premises, educating the public on the legislation in these areas. With increasing numbers of patrons now leaving premises to smoke, we have seen an increase in consumption of alcohol outside in some areas particularly on the Barbican. Having reviewed the position on the August Bank Holiday weekend, it is clear that it is now necessary to step up our enforcement to ensure the Designated Public Places Orders are being complied with.

"No one wants to have their drink confiscated and disposed of. However, unless you are seated within a designated seating area, you cannot consume alcohol in the street in these areas."

From Friday, 14th September police will be stepping up their enforcement of no street drinking on the Barbican and in other Designated areas. The legislation contained within Section 12 of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 prohibits the consumption of alcohol in a designated public place. Police have the power to require a person to stop consuming alcohol and to surrender it to the officer. An offence is committed where a person consumes alcohol after being required by an officer not to do so. Failing to comply with the officer's request could lead to the issuing of a £50 penalty notice.

"We had hoped to enforce the legislation without resorting to confiscation, however it is clear the current strategy is not working in certain areas. We will therefore start seizing drinks from this Friday and all patrons are advised not to take alcohol drinks outside with them, unless they are able to sit within a designated seating area. No one should leave a drink unattended. Patrons wishing to smoke are advised to do so between drinks.

"We do not want any of the businesses to lose custom as a consequence of this change in policy, so have been working hard over the last few months with signs within the premises to ensure that the public is aware of the order. We also want to make new students who are coming to the city for the first time to be aware of this legislation to ensure they do not inadvertently fall foul of it."
Mid Devon Star

See also previous post on this.

 

Smoking ban causing problems outside pubs

Police in Devon and Cornwall have threatened to shut down pubs that fail to control customers smoking outside. Officers say there are problems with customers taking drinks outside in local no-alcohol zones.

They also complain that people are blocking the streets, particularly at the weekend. Licensees were warned of the police concerns at a recent pubwatch meeting and some pubs were sent individual letters.

Inspector Dave Scott said: “It’s a very serious problem and we’re prepared to take serious action against landlords that fail to control smokers.

“We had an awful weekend, people were standing in the middle of the road and blocking traffic - there was immense potential for crime and disorder. It was a threatening atmosphere, pedestrians and motorists passing through the main area of the town were badly affected.

“Pubs with no proper smoking area are the biggest problem - they must put measures in place to stop people bringing their drinks outside.”

Nancy Thomas, of Nancy’s Pub in Falmouth town centre, said: “I’m sympathetic to the police, they’ve got a lot to deal with but it’s very difficult to control people outside when you’re behind the bar. There’s a lot trouble outside my pub and the people causing it are not necessarily my customers.”

Morning Advertiser - see also the comments following the article

Alcohol industry news: UK drinks companies worst for complying with advertising standards; NUT calls for ban on sports sponsorship; smoking ban hits beer sales in Scotland

• Drinks companies in the UK are the worst in western Europe at complying with advertising standards aimed at ensuring responsible consumption, according to an industry-commissioned survey seen by the Financial Times. The findings will fuel the debate about binge drinking in the country. The annual survey of the European Forum for Responsible Drinking (EFRD), which groups seven mostly spirits companies, showed that 96 per cent of advertisements in the 13 European Union countries assessed met standards laid down by national regulators or the industry, on a par with last year. Yet in the UK, which accounted for a third of the advertisements assessed, 7.4 per cent failed stricter standards introduced last year, a sharp increase from 1.4 per cent in 2005.  FT.com

• Drinks companies should be banned from sponsoring professional sport because too many children are slipping into alcoholism, a teachers' union has warned. The 'massive assault of the drinks industry' on sport through advertising and sponsorship must end, National Union of Teachers' general secretary Steve Sinnott demanded yesterday. He warned beer firms which sponsor football are exposing impressionable children to highly damaging messages. Speaking at the NUT's annual conference, Mr Sinnott said: 'This exposure to alcohol is damaging young people's lives and their futures.We are failing our youngsters. 'The sponsorship of sport by the drinks industry must end in advance of the Olympics in 2012.'  Metro.co.uk
  

• Beer sales in Scottish pubs are falling as customers stay away because of the smoking ban, industry figures showed yesterday. The amount of beer sold in pubs last year fell by 6 per cent in Scotland, compared with 4 per cent across the United Kingdom, according to data from the market research analyst AC Nielsen. The discrepancy highlights the added impact of the smoking ban north of the Border, and will raise concerns in Wales, where a ban took effect this week, and in England, where one will be imposed on 1 July. And although there was an increase in wine sales, pub industry leaders said the figures reflected a downturn across the industry which was facing pressure from cheap drink deals in supermarkets. Paul Waterson, chief executive of the Scottish Licensed Trade Association, said: "Our own results show turnover figures among our membership are down by 11 per cent. Our figures and yesterday's results confirm that the smoking ban is badly hurting our business, no matter what the politicians say."   The Scotsman

News for 27/9/06

• A sleepy community of Benedictine monks in south Devon is the latest, and perhaps most unlikely, target in the battle against binge drinking.  Alcopops come and go, but Buckfast wine is a perennial favourite among young drinkers keen to test their alcohol limit.  Now the tonic wine produced by the Benedictine monks of Buckfast Abbey, Devon, has fallen foul of law makers, who believe it has much to answer for.  Scottish health minister Andy Kerr is the latest politician north of the border to express concerns about the effects of the drink commonly known as Buckie - citing its link to binge drinking.  "There's something different about that drink," says Mr Kerr, calling it "seriously bad".  BBC News  More on Buckfast and neds on Wikipedia

• A community wants local shops to ban selling alcohol in the evening in the hope of reducing crime.  About 3,000 residents in Bellsmyre, Dumbarton, said they have been plagued by booze-fuelled petty crime.  They are calling on five local shops to stop selling alcohol after 1900 BST. One has agreed to the request so far.  John Diamond, head of the community council, said: "We've had enough, we want to make our community safe and want to bid for proper facilities."  A spokesman for the Co-op, one of the local stores, said: "We do not think it is necessery to impose a curfew on alcohol as we are confident that our policies in place are effective."  Local councillor Geoff Calvert described the request as realistic and pragmatic.  He added: "People are asking for a bit of support."  BBC News

• The smoking ban hasn’t seriously deterred Scottish drinkers, they are spending more on eating out and 'mine host' is making good money, despite hikes in rent and minimum wages.  This is the message in up-beat trading statements from Enterprise Inns (ETI) with 9,000 pubs and Mitchells & Butlers (MAB) with 2,200 including the All Bar One and Harvester.  Enterprise shares fell 10p to £10.52 on profit taking, with M&B off 1p at 577p.  M&B says Scots drinkers spent 1% less on drink, but 11% more on food in the half to September 16. Dining in non-smoky eateries clearly appeals.  Enterprise confirms that traditional boozing pubs have been worse hit with a knock on effect on gaming machines in the year to September 30. But it notes that ‘negative effects are minimised where licensees prepare for the ban’.  Citywire  More on the effect of the smoking ban from the Guardian

• The Government's drive to change the nation's drinking habits is working, according to some of the country's largest pub operators.  Enterprise Inns, which owns nearly 9,000 British pubs, said the new licensing laws, which allow pubs to open later and stagger their closing times, have reduced binge drinking.  The group, the UK's second largest pub operator, said: "Licensing reform has had a minimal impact on trade but has clearly shown benefits in terms of a reduction in alcohol-related disorder, where flexible trading hours have helped to foster a more relaxed atmosphere, particularly around pub closing times." It said the pub trade had also reduced the "irresponsible pricing and promotions which were seen to encourage excessive consumption". Telegraph

• Children as young as 12 buy alcohol by ordering it over the phone with takeaways, a government adviser says.  Dr Sheila Shribman, the national clinical director for children, said the youngsters were using restaurant services to avoid suspicion.  She said it was a "worrying trend" and was particularly prevalent in north-western cities such as Liverpool.  BBC News

• Binge-drinking is no longer socially acceptable on the island of Ireland and alcohol consumption is down on both sides of the border, according to a report which has been published.   Coffee-shop culture has taken a grip and between 2000 and 2005 the average adult in Northern Ireland drank five litres less in alcoholic drinks, while in the Irish Republic the drop was even more marked - 14 litres.  While part of the decrease can be attributed to the declining number of young people and growing number of older adults, average consumption - currently 134 litres per year in Northern Ireland and a substantially higher 245 litres in the Republic - has decreased as the average person spends more time and money on other leisure and social activities, said the report.  U.TV  Details of the report Attitudes to Drinking: sober Ireland?

Research and statistics news for 3/9/06

• One Scot every six hours dies from drink, Government figures have revealed.  Alcohol-related deaths have more than doubled in the last 15 years. In 2005, it rocketed to 1513.  The news on hard drugs was little better. Heroin deaths have soared by 35per cent since 1999 and hit 225 in 2004. In 1996, the total was just 84.  The worrying rise in alcohol and drug-related deaths emerged in a reply to SNP MSP Stewart Stevenson's parliamentary questions.  Greater Glasgow is the area worst affected by drink-related deaths, with 376 last year.  Lothian health board area was the second worst with 221 cases, Argyll & Clyde health board had 177, Lanarkshire 184 and Fife 76.  The Daily Record

• Children of parents who smoke are more likely to binge drink, experiment with drugs, skip school, steal, vandalise and have under-age sex, a study showed today.  The findings prompted Professor Colin Pritchard to call for warnings about the social and psychological impact of smoking as well as the standard physical health warnings on cigarette packets.  More than 830 teenagers aged between 14 and 15 completed anonymous questionnaires during class at 14 secondary schools on the south coast last September and October.  They were questioned about their attitudes to school, public health issues, HIV, drugs, drink driving and asked if they had vandalised, stolen, had sex, taken drugs or binge drunk in the past week.  24dash.com

 

• One in eight women in the East of England drank more than the recommended amount of alcohol while pregnant, new research has found. A total of 11.9% of the mums-to-be surveyed in the region drank in excess of one to two units of alcohol per week - the highest level in the UK.  The figure is far higher than the national average of 4.7%, prompting health bosses to warn of the dangers.  The study of 1,100 expecting women also showed that 12% in the East continued to smoke during pregnancy, compared to the UK average of 8.5%.  But last night, the stop smoking services in Suffolk and Essex said their statistics showed the true figure was around 16%. EADT24

• Autumn's Health Statistics Quarterly has been published by ONS, featuring a summary of the latest alcohol deaths statistics and of the newly revised definition of 'alcohol-related' for gathering these statistics.

The alcohol­-related death rate in the UK increased from 6.9 per 100,000 population in 1991 to 13.0 in 2004. The number of alcohol-related deaths has more than doubled from 4,144 in 1991 to 8,380 in 2004.  Death rates are much higher for males than females and in recent years the gap between the sexes has widened. In 2004 the male death rate, at 17.7 deaths per 100,000 population, was twice the rate for females (8.5 deaths per 100,000) and males accounted for over two thirds of the total number of deaths.

• Drug use, smoking and drinking among young people in England in 2005 has been published by The Information Centre. 

There was no change from 2004 in the proportion of pupils who had drunk alcohol in the last week (22% in 2005, compared with 23% in 2004).

In 2005, boys and girls were equally likely to have drunk alcohol in the last week (22% of boys and 23% of girls); this was the pattern in 2004 as well, but in previous years boys were more likely to drink than girls.

The proportion of pupils who had drunk alcohol in the last week increased with age from 3% of 11 year olds to 46% of 15 year olds. Seventeen percent of pupils reported that they usually drink alcohol at least once a week, the same figure as in 2004.

One percent of both boys and girls reported drinking alcohol almost every day, a figure which has remained constant since 1999.

The mean alcohol consumption of pupils who had drunk in the last seven days has remained at similar levels since 1998 and in 2005 was 10.5 units. This has increased since 1990, when it was 5.3 units. Average weekly consumption continues to be higher among boys (11.5 units) than girls (9.5 units), and to increase with age (from 8.2 units for 11 to 13 year olds, to 11.8 units for 15 year olds). A quarter of all pupils who had drunk in the last week had consumed 14 or more units.

News for 24/8/06

• Bournemouth licensees, have clubbed together with police and the local council to appointed a night-time co-ordinator to oversee the town’s after dark economy.  Those behind the scheme say it is the first of its kind in Britain.  Chairman of Bournemouth Town Watch Group Steve Hudson said:  “Bournemouth is a town at the forefront of schemes to provide a safe and enjoyable environment for all who come here at night.  The coordinator will be responsible for planning and developing practical initiatives with the various key stake holders, working within Bournemouth’s night time economy.  They will also help deliver the vision of the Bournemouth Quality Nights Initiative to make the town safe, inclusive, market leading, sustainable and exciting.”  Morning Advertiser

• Essex Police has launched its Safer Bars Accreditation scheme to promote responsible retailing.  The scheme provides clear guidance and benchmarks on the standards expected for clubs, bars and pubs to promote the objectives set out in the Licensing Act.  Licensing project and alcohol co-ordinator Sgt Nigel Dermott said: “Many problems are seen to be linked with clubs, bars and pubs.   Spreading best practice, by giving staff proper training and creating a safe working environment through having policies that are visibly being operated can make all the difference. Having the involvement and support of the trade is vital to the success of the scheme which will drive up the standards that licensed premises should strive towards.”  The Publican  More details from Essex Police

• An action plan to tackle alcohol abuse has been branded a failure by a leading addictions expert. Prof Neil McKeganey said some problems had got worse since a 2002 Scottish Executive document set out plans to reduce the harm caused by alcohol. Since then alcohol-related deaths and hospital admissions had gone up and underage drinking has risen, he said. Deputy Health Minister Lewis Macdonald defended the executive's plans and said it took time to tackle the problem. The executive is working on a new strategy and is planning to publish an updated action plan in the next few months. BBC  Plan for Action on Alcohol Problems

• An organisation representing Scottish pubs and hotels has claimed the smoking ban has driven away regular drinkers. The Scottish Licensed Trade Association surveyed 365 members and said sales of alcohol appeared to have fallen by more than 10% since the ban was introduced. Paul Waterson, the chief executive of the SLTA, said the effects of the ban were "bad enough" at the moment and there would be "worse to come".  However, many pubs and hotels have spoken out in favour of the ban.  They say a large number of SLTA members did not reply to the survey. Smoking was banned in enclosed public places in Scotland, including pubs and restaurants, on 26 March.  BBC News

• A Nottingham charity that helps people with drink problems is to get extra funding from the sale of a new beer.  The Radford-based Nottingham Brewery has agreed that 10p from every pint of the new beer will go to the Alcohol Problems Advisory Services (Apas). The brew, XXS, was launched on August 22nd at the brewery's pub, The Plough Inn. The charity said the move might raise a few eyebrows but it was a partnership which promoted responsible drinking and supported future projects.  Nick Tegerdine, from Apas, said the name of the beer, a pun on the words "to excess", underlined the philosophy of the initiative. "We were looking for a company that had similar values to us, that promoted responsible retailing, responsible drinking and quality and the Nottingham Brewery fitted the bill. It is ironic we have to take money from the brewing industry in order to keep these vital services going but that is the reality of it and we chose our partner carefully."  BBC News

Links for 27/6/06

• Deaths in road accidents, poisoning, drowning, fires, falls, as well as injuries inflicted in violent attacks, suicides and armed conflicts are the third biggest killers after heart disease and cancer.  Injuries caused nine per cent of all deaths and 14 per cent of illness within western and eastern Europe, the World Health Organisation says.  And alcohol is at the root of most injuries, being responsible for up to 40-60 per cent of all injuries.  Life Style Extra  Download the WHO report via here.

• Drinkers who commit violent crimes could be forced to undergo rehab treatment, the Home Secretary has suggested amid warnings from senior police officers about the impact of relaxing drinking laws.  John Reid said he was considering whether the fast-tracking of drug addicts into detox to stop them reoffending could be extended to those who offended when drunk.  The Observer

• Edinburgh: City leaders have attacked the Scottish Executive for the noise problems outside pubs caused by the smoking ban.  Senior councillors are furious at being blamed for a rising tide of complaints over disruption caused by smokers loitering outside Capital licensed premises.  They have accused the Executive of not considering the impact of large groups congregating outside and the growth of pavement cafe areas.  The Scotsman

• Edinburgh: Around 3000 people across the city are currently receiving treatment for problems ranging from heroin addiction to alcoholism but often these people are seeing a number of different agencies without all the groups involved being aware of this.  Action on Alcohol and Drugs in Edinburgh has devised a new  "single shared assessment", which will see agencies use the same system for recording information about clients and then share this with each other.  A trial run of the project will start next week in North Edinburgh and if successful is expected to be rolled out across the city.  The Scotsman

• Swindon:  A new night bus service is being rolled out this weekend with the specific aim of getting clubbers out of the town centre, reducing the potential for drink-fuelled violence and crime.  The service is being run via a partnership involving bus operator Stagecoach, Swindon Council and the town's police force and will initially be trialled over a three-month period.  Swindon Advertiser

• Blackpool: In just four weekends, more than 200 bottles and cans of alcohol have been taken out of under-age hands by police in a crackdown on booze-fuelled disorder.  Operation Attitude used plain-clothed officers to observe the groups of youths, identify offenders and locate caches of illegally purchased alcohol that had been stashed in bushes or behind walls.  That information was then relayed by radio to uniformed officers who moved in to speak with the groups, seize the alcohol and deal with the offenders.  Arrests were made for causing criminal damage, public order offences and for assaults. Many more youths were dealt with by way of fixed penalty notices and given on the spot fines of between £40 and £80.  Police say the strong stance is in direct response to concerns raised at local Police and Communities Together meetings about problems caused by groups of up to 50 youths.  Blackpool Today

Mouth cancer week

Mouth Cancer Awareness Week campaign runs from November 13th to the 19th, with the tagline ‘It Could Be You’. A major part of the campaign is educating people on how they can minimise the risk of developing mouth cancer. The campaign is clear that drinking is a considerable risk factor for mouth cancer, alongside smoking and poor diet.

Campaign details on the British Dental Health Foundation website, Daily Mail story here.

The mouth cancer awareness week guide says this about alcohol:

Although much less documented, alcohol poses almost as big a risk as smoking when it comes to mouth cancer. In addition, because alcohol aids the absorption of tobacco into the mouth, people who smoke and drink alcohol to excess are up to 30 times more likely to develop mouth cancer.

The important thing is not the type of drink that is consumed but the total volume of alcohol.

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Total ban on smoking in pubs looks likely

A full ban on smoking in pubs is looking more likely now that Tony Blair says he won't block it in favour of a partial ban (ie for pubs that serve food). Guardian story here .

Recent research into the effects of the workplace smoking ban in Ireland found much improved lung health in bar workers and better air quality in pubs (press release here). This research didn't look at the economic impact of the ban, but the Irish Office of Tobacco Control, in Smoke-free workplaces in Ireland; a one year review, reported:

"Bar sales declined in volume by 4.4% in 2004, while the decline for the previous year was 4.2%. Economic analysts suggest that this continuing downward trend is due to a number of factors including high prices, changing lifestyles, shifting demographic patterns."

It also needs to be set against a general decline in bar sales since 2001.

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