A selection of stories in the media since the September round up:
Young people
Department for Education returns show that local spending on alcohol and drug services for young people has been cut by 22% since 2011 reports Mentor.
293 children aged 11 or under were admitted to A&E units across the UK in 2012/13 after drinking too much, according to the BBC, up a third from the previous year.
A new European Commission report Eyes on Ages: A research on alcohol age limit policies in European Member States. Legislation, enforcement and research says all EU Member States have legal age limits for selling alcohol but, the age limit policies vary widely and countries differ on aspects like sanctions, type of enforcement authorities and communication strategies.
NFER has published Talk About Alcohol: an Evaluation of the Alcohol Education Trust’s Intervention in Secondary Schools which found a statistically significant delay in the onset of drinking amongst the young people in the Talk About Alcohol intervention group.
The Welsh Government's Alcohol in Higher Education Toolkit has been officially launched following extensive trials. The toolkit has been produced to give student welfare services practical advice on addressing alcohol misuse.
Young people tend to view targeted alcohol marketing via social media sites as ''useful and informative'' instead of recognising it as advertising, research reported in The Telegraph finds.
Adfam has published Identifying and supporting children affected by parental substance use: Resource for schools for the Alcohol and Drug Education and Prevention Information Service (ADEPIS). Aimed primarily at school governors and headteachers, it aims to summarise the key issues for children affected by parental substance use, and how schools can consider supporting them.
Demos, in its report Sobering Up has urged the government to introduce tougher punishments for parents, siblings and friends who buy alcohol for children, reports the BBC. However the report, funded by the Association of Convenience stores, has some questionable recommendations - APUK analysis to come.
A research study, Young adults and the decline of the urban English pub: issues for planning, reported in Science Daily, finds evidence for the traditional pub as a site for restrained and responsible social interaction for young adults.
Other news
The Irish Examiner reports on research which found the societal costs of the consumption of alcohol “far outweigh” the employment and tax benefits, and will inform current plans to introduce minimum unit pricing across southern and Northern Ireland.
The Northern Ireland Chief Constable Matt Baggott (right) has urged politicians to do more to tackle the misery caused by alcohol, saying said one in five crimes in Northern Ireland are alcohol related, and 61% of street violence involved alcohol, reports the BBC.
The BBC reports that the number of motorists arrested for drink-driving the "morning after" has risen, police figures suggest - see APUK analysis here. Meanwhile, a new report says Scottish drivers are the worst in the UK for driving under the influence of alcohol or illegal substances, reports the Herald.
Academics have criticised Newcastle's late night levy for lack of evidence, reports the Journal, whilst the Gazette says Colchester is considering such a levy to address its 'image problem' associated with drunken revellers.
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