Alcohol Policy UK

Alcohol Research UK launched to continue work of the AERC

This month saw the launch of Alcohol Research UK, which takes over the work of the Alcohol Education and Research Council (AERC). The AERC will be abolished in 2012 as part of the Government’s review of ‘Arms Length Bodies’. 

Alcohol Research UK is an independent registered charity, governed by a board of trustees who are assisted by a small dedicated staff team and a number of associates who sit on the Grants Committee. The AERC’s assets and activities were transferred to Alcohol Research UK in March 2011.

During its near 30-year existence, the AERC awarded over 500 project grants and around 200 studentships, with a total value of more than £12 million. It was recognised as a vital funder of research into alcohol-related harm, often being the only source of funding available to institutions and individuals working on important studies in this specialised field.

Alcohol Research UK has three goals for the next five years. They are:

1. To increase the quantity of research that we fund
2. To increase the quality of the research that we fund
3. To create a significant profile amongst and influence over policymakers, practitioners, scientists and general stakeholders

See the Alcohol Research UK blog for comments and insights into the field, or sign up to the newsletter. See here for information on grants, or visit the alcohol library for previously funded research projects and findings.

Alcohol fraud rising as illicit beer sales spike

Illicit beer now accounts for up to 14% of total UK sales according to HR Revenue and Customs figures (HMRC), reports the Morning Advertiser (MA).

The Treasury reportedly missed an estimated £800m in 2009/2010 from lost duty and VAT revenue. In 2008/2009, the figure was £550m, with illicit beer making up 10% of the market share. 

Earlier this month illegal alcohol worth more than £250,000 was seized at various locations in Glasgow. A BBC report said the alcohol was intended for export but had been diverted back to avoid paying duty. Earlier in the year reports of a rise in counterfeit alcohol production hit the news following a blast that killed 5 people in Boston.

The MA suggested that rising duty and the VAT increase at the start of the year is fuelling the rise in illegal imports of beer. See here for figures on the value of smuggled alcohol seized.

HMRC has a 'tackling alcohol fraud strategy' and has a Smuggling hotline (0800 59 5000) for fraud or smuggling reports.

'Mixed messages': Alcohol Concern warning over alcohol and energy drinks

A new briefing paper from Alcohol Concern Wales has warned of possible dangers of mixing highly caffeinated drinks with alcohol. In particular it suggests caffeine in energy drinks can mask the effects of alcohol, meaning that drinkers may be less aware of how drunk they are, and more likely to put themselves in danger.  

Download the Mixed messages briefing paper or see the press release.

An Alcohol Concern spokesperson highlighted a rising trend in energy drink sales and an overall lack of awareness about caffeine content. A 500ml energy drink may contain 160mg of caffeine - the equivalent of a double espresso or five cans of Coca-Cola. Andrew Misell warned:

“Both caffeine and alcohol are diuretics – they cause the body to pass water – so mixing energy drinks with alcohol can leave drinkers badly dehydrated, possibly leading to vomiting, nausea, and other health problems in the long term.
 
“What’s more dangerous, perhaps, is that the stimulant effect of so much caffeine can mask the depressant effect of the alcohol. People drinking energy drinks with alcohol may feel very alert and not realise how drunk they are. One possible result of this is that drinkers will take more risks.
 
“A study in the USA found that students drinking alcohol mixed with energy drinks were four times more likely to intend to drive compared with drinkers who had consumed alcohol without energy drinks.”
 
Alcohol Concern Wales’s Drink Wise Wales website contains an alcohol and energy drink counter outlining the amount of alcohol, caffeine and sugar in common energy drink cocktails.

Alcohol advertising on YouTube ‘out of control’ says marketing agency

Children of any age with access to YouTube can instantly view alcohol-related content and on average, 6% of the views of adult-orientated content are by 13 to 17 year olds, according to statistics released by London-based digital agency www.AccuraCast.com. See the press release here.

The research says that if a beer or spirits commercial has had 10 million views on YouTube, on average, 600,000 children under the age of 17 will have seen it. Not only is access to content simple but as YouTube is worldwide and largely unrestricted, underage children are also able to watch alcohol promotions that link booze to sports and music celebrities and even banned advertisements that promote alcohol as ‘cool’.

Farhad Divecha, MD of AccuraCast said “Our research shows that YouTube has lost control of its alcohol related content and that YouTube alcohol uploads currently break every social taboo and regulation in the book.”

The statistics follow on from a recent Alcohol Concern report New Media, New Problem? which called for greater controls on alcohol and tobacco content in social media networks. Alcohol Concern have since called on Facebook to take further action, including baning official alcohol brand pages.

Alcohol Care Teams QIPP for commissioning

An NHS Evidence QIPP case study is available on Alcohol Care Teams: to reduce acute hospital admissions and improve quality of care. The resource was published by The British Society of Gastroenterology and the Royal Bolton Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

An excerpt from the description outlines:

Very few hospitals have dedicated alcohol services, and a 2009 survey showed that only 42% of acute hospitals had any alcohol specialist nurse support (D Ward, et al, 2009).

The principal recommendation is for a multidisciplinary "Alcohol Care Team" in each District Hospital, led by a Consultant, with designated sessions, who will collaborate across hospitals and primary care to develop a coordinated alcohol treatment and prevention programme. This team would organise systematic interventions and alcohol specialist nurses. The evidence in this document is not only for the team, but for a variety of actions, including Brief Interventions, specialist alcohol nurses and ways of reaching out to patients.

The purpose highlights:

There are substantial savings to be made, as well as an opportunity to improve quality of care, both at a population and individual level. The savings arise from (i) reduced admissions for detoxification (“drying out”) and (ii) reduced readmissions consequent on better management of alcohol addiction and mental health problems, such as, secondary prevention.

Further alcohol hospital resources are available here on the Alcohol Learning Centre, including on hospital based Alcohol Health Work. See here for NICE alcohol commissioning guidance.

New guide on drug and alcohol harms: 'A summary of the health harms of drugs'

A new guide summarising the health harms of drugs, including alcohol, has been published by the Department of Health and the National Treatment Agency. The guide is aimed at supporting non-medical practitioners working with substance misuse issues.

A summary of the health harms of drugs updates the 2003 Dangerousness of Drugs guide, outlining acute and chronic problems associated with each substance, as well as:

• Factors that mediate or moderate the risk
• Potential health risks linked to substances commonly added to illicit drugs
• The influence of different circumstances of use, e.g poly-substance abuse

The guide for drug and alcohol treatment professionals provides the most up to date scientific evidence on the health harms arising from licit and illicit substance misuse. The update includes new drugs since the guide was last published, such as novel synthetic drugs and takes a more in-depth look at the potential harms of using more than one drug and the adulterants commonly added to illegal drugs.

Public information on the effects on alcohol, and further resources, can be found on the NHS Choices alcohol pages, or from the industry funded Drinkaware site. Alcohol resources for professionals can be found on the Alcohol Learning Centre.

Monitoring and Evaluating Scotland’s Alcohol Strategy (MESAS)

An updated analysis of data on alcohol sales and price in Scotland and England & Wales has been released as part of the evaluation of Scotland's alcohol strategy.

The analysis explores alcohol sales data to profile drinks sold at relatively lower prices, reflecting the Scottish Government's intentions over minimum pricing. In 2009 the University of Sheffield modeled the potential impact of minimum pricing for Scotland, now outlined as a key Government priority.

The analysis includes trends in per adult consumption estimates based on alcohol sales data for 1994-2009 and summary information regarding the price at which off-trade alcohol was sold. The briefing paper includes information highlighting:

• Retail sales data indicate that in 2010, 11.8L of pure alcohol were sold per adult in Scotland (22.8 units per adult per week) compared with 10.7L in 1994, an increase of 11%. Most of this increase occurred between 1994 and 2005, with a broadly stable trend thereafter.
• In England & Wales, per adult sales increased from 9.6L in 1994 to a peak of 10.5L in 2005, decreasing slightly each year thereafter to 9.6L in 2010 (18.5 units per adult per week)
• In Scotland, on-trade sales of pure alcohol decreased by 28% from 5.5L in 1994 to 3.9L in 2010, whereas off-trade sales increased by 52% over the same time period, from 5.2L in 1994 to 7.9L in 2010. It is estimated that about two-thirds (67%) of all pure alcohol sold in Scotland in 2010 was sold through the off-trade.
• The decline in on-trade sales of pure alcohol per adult in Scotland between 1994 and 2010 was driven by a 35% decline in on-trade beer sales (from 3.2L to 2.1L); the upward trend in off-trade sales per adult was driven by a more than twofold increase in off-trade wine sales (from 1.0L to 2.6L).
• Higher off-trade sales were common across the entire price distribution in Scotland and across most drink types. However, this was particularly marked in the 30-44.9ppu range and for spirits, especially vodka.

See the Scottish Government's alcohol page and NHS Health Scotland alcohol page.

JRF report: Young people, alcohol and the media

A new study by The Centre for Public Health at Liverpool John Moores University for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) explores media representations of alcohol and their influence on teenage drinking. 

Download Young people, alcohol and the media or access the summary here.

The study shows that, compared with the influence of friends, young people’s exposure to media coverage of alcohol usage and their attachment to celebrities were not important risk factors for their own alcohol consumption. Instead, estimates of their friends’ drinking and the perceived acceptability of drinking by friends were found to be much better predictors. Key findings include:

• alcohol was the most prominent substance and beverage portrayed in TV programmes watched by young people;
• when the effects of alcohol were shown, they tended to focus on intoxication and extreme effects such as violence and alcohol dependence;
• young people were critical of celebrities who were depicted drinking to intoxication; and
• neither young people nor media professionals thought that health-related messages about alcohol were newsworthy or of entertainment value

According to the JRF report page, the authors conclude that the media can help to set 'healthy' norms for drinking behaviour. However, policies to restrict media representations of alcohol need to be part of wider strategies involving families, friends and media professionals. Promoting better understanding of how and why alcohol messages are presented may help to improve young people’s health literacy and reduce alcohol-related problems.

Alcohol Concern recently produced a report warning of the impact of advertising through new media and social networking sites (SNS). Further JRF alcohol reports can be found here or a 2010 DCSF report. The Alcohol Learning Centre also has a Children and Young People section.

News and updates Sep 2011: Scotland sets sights on minimum pricing as Lansley praises industry

The Scottish Government has set out its 2011-2012 programme, including a bill to introduce minimum pricing as a condition of licences granted under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 - see reports from the Financial Times and Scotsman. The Scottish National Party (SNP) now have a significant majority which may turn the tables after their previous attempt at a 45 pence minimum price was blocked by opposition parties. However industry bodies are expected to oppose the move by referring it to the EU courts as a breach of competition law.

Challenge 25 becomes a mandatory condition for all of Scotland’s licensed premises on 1 October 2011 under the terms of the 2010 Alcohol Bill. The Scottish Beer & Pub Association (SBPA) has launched a new Challenge 25 initiative to ensure pubs comply with new proof-of-age regulations coming into force next month.

However part of the Alcohol Bill may backfire on restricting off-sale promotions until minimum pricing is introduced. According to the Daily Express, rules to restrict irresponsible promotions may see premises lowering some prices as a result of changing multi-buy offers to apply to single drinks. Majestic Wines chief executive Steve Lewis stated: “To ensure we still offer the best prices we are converting our multi-buy prices to single bottle prices.”

In England, Health Secretary Andrew Lansley praised the industry at the annual Wine and Spirits Trade Association (WTSA) conference this week, reports the Morning Advertiser (MA). Lansley praised progress made with 110 alcohol companies signed up to the Responsibility Deal, but called on others to join. Lansley reiterated that regulation should be a last resort and the Government would not be seeking a minimum price, but cited the below cost ban. 

However medical experts have continued to speak out against the "obscenely low" price of alcohol, the Guardian reports. Doctors in the North East also wrote to express support for the recent private members Bill to restrict alcohol advertising to children and young people. Also in the news, more drinkers are turning away form the pub to cheaper supermarket drinks reports the Daily Mail, whilst middle class Britons drinking too much says the Daily Telegraph.

In other news, Heineken will launch a 'schooner' reports the MA and Telegraph - under new regulations coming into force on 1 October in England, pubs will be able to sell draught beer and cider in two-thirds glasses. 40 MPs will work bar shifts to learn more about the pressures facing the trade, whilst the Treasury says it will examine the case for a VAT cut for the hospitality sector.

Drinkaware's 'why let good times go bad' returns for 2011

The industry funded body Drinkaware has re-launched its why let good times go bad? campaign to 'tackle binge drinking amongst young adults'.

Messages were placed on billboards, poster sites and in stations, supporting campaign activity taking place in pubs, clubs, bars and supermarkets 'ensuring that young adult drinkers are targeted at every stage of their night out'. The campaign includes 3 main tips:

• 'It’s not a race, remember to pace'
• 'Have something to eat to stay on your feet'
• 'Try to make every third drink a soft one'

Trade and industry groups wrote to the Guardian expressing their support. Other Drinkaware activity includes MyDrinkaware, an online drinks tracking tool and  a new leaflet for parents encouraging them to start talking to their children early about alcohol.

Drinkaware campaigns are now the only national messages relating to alcohol awareness following cuts to Department of Health campaign activity, though the Change4Life website expanded its remit for alcohol messaging. Public information and tools on alcohol are also available from the NHS Choices alcohol pages.