Recent bulletins from the 
drug and alcohol Bank:
Community involvement and law enforcement safeguard clubgoers
In pubs and clubs, especially for young patrons, out-of-control intoxication is sometimes the aim rather than an undesirable outcome to be prevented. How in these circumstances to reduce use and harm has been investigated in the 17 studies analysed in this review; involve the community and stiffen good intentions with enforcement is the message.
Alcoholism medication review recommends newly UK-licensed Naltrexone
Last year Naltrexone was licensed for the treatment of alcohol dependence in Britain, meaning the UK now has the full suite of major medications licensed for this purpose. As this US review of these and other medications confirms, it represents a valuable addition, and one usually found more effective than the main alternative.
Threat of aversive Disulfiram reaction does deter drinking
Given effective supervision from family or clinicians to help ensure patients keep taking the tablets, this first systematic synthesis of research finds that on average the drug disulfiram, which produces an unpleasant physical reaction to drinking, does act as an aid to abstinence in the treatment of alcohol dependence.
Half century of evidence on which drugs aid alcohol treatment
Largely from a primary care perspective, this US review examines a half century of evidence for whether drugs aid recovery from dependence on alcohol and which work best. Top candidates are Naltrexone (newly licensed for this role in the UK), Topiramate, and Acamprosate.
Scottish health service cautious about computer-based alcohol advice and therapy
Worth trying, but unproven for the UK and for general populations and in need of further evaluation, were the messages of this review for the health service in Scotland of computer-based alcohol interventions as possible ways to extend treatment and the national brief intervention programme.
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