Selected media stories since the May round-up:
Councils seek local minimum pricing and strength controls
Nine councils are considering implementing local alcohol minimum pricing via local licensing policy statements, reports the Morning Advertiser. Research by Poppleston Allen also found that 10 licensing authorities have confirmed they are planning to ban sales of high strength alcohol as part of the revision of their statement of licensing policy.
In addition, five councils have confirmed interest in introducing a “Reduce the Strength Campaign”, following the introduction of the scheme in Ipswich, which sees outlets agree to remove ‘super strength’ (6.5% ABV+) alcohol from their shelves.
Should Charities receive industry money?
Alcohol charities should be made to declare funding that comes from the alcohol industry in order to improve transparency, according to The Alcohol Industry, Charities and Policy Influence in the UK published by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. The report caused consternation because two beneficiaries of industry funding, Addaction and Mentor UK, are the only health groups that remain involved in the coalition's public health responsibility deal. See Mentor's response here.
Nurses debate treating drunks in A&Es
A recent debate at the Royal College of Nursing conference on how to respond to intoxicated patients hit the headlines. The Daily Mail suggested senior nurses called for drunks to be banned, but a Telegraph report reflected some of the views from nurses not wanting to exclude patients. See our exploration of 'Drunk Tanks' following last year's call for measures to relieve police pressures.
Counterfeit alcohol
Seizures of counterfeit alcohol by UK trading standards authorities have soared fivefold over five years, reports the Guardian. Statistics from Interpol's Operation Opson III show that international criminal gangs are helping to fuel consumer demand for cheap drink. Last year HMRC consulted on actions to help prevent and tackle alcohol fraud after it came under fire from MPs, but no further news yet it seems. You can report fraud to HMRC here.
Alcohol industry news
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In a move welcomed by Alcohol Focus Scotland, C&C Group, owner of Tennent's Lager, has quit the Portman Group, claiming it is dominated by the interests of multi-national companies, reports the HeraldScotland.
Diageo has hired Vickie Sheriff, the Department for Transport's director of communications and former deputy spokeswoman to the Prime Minister, as global communications director, reports PR Week.
- A report by the Retail of Alcohol Standards Group, Rising to the Challenge found that around 850,000 shop workers per year are now given training in how to apply the Challenge 25 initiative, leading to ID requests for around 11 million people, 75% of whom are 18-24 year olds.
- Research by Off Licence News suggests proxy purchasing has almost trebled in the past 12 years. Retailers have called on authorities to overhaul proxy purchasing laws and start a public awareness campaign to teach adults that buying alcohol for children can cost store owners their livelihoods.
Holiday drinking
Half of British holidaymakers drink alcohol every day on summer breaks - and one in three of us admit to drinking in the departure lounge, says the Daily Mail, reporting on research by Alcohol Concern Wales.
Foetal alcohol syndrome
The number of diagnosed cases of foetal alcohol syndrome in those born to women who drink during pregnancy has tripled since records of the debilitating condition were first kept 16 years ago, reports the Guardian. Shadow public health minister, Luciana Berger, who uncovered the new figures, said: "The government must ensure that expectant mums have the information they need to make informed choices during their pregnancy. Instead, ministers have relied too heavily on the drinks industry to do it for them."
Drink driving news
The Ford Motor Company has created a suit that simulates the impact of alcohol on a motorist. The manufacturer is now – courtesy of its Driving Skills For Life courses – encouraging younger drivers to access its impact, reports motoring.co.uk.
A new laser-based device that detects alcohol vapour inside a moving car by detecting tiny changes in the laser beam as it passes through vapour has been reported by the Daily Mail reports on. Just as well, since more than a third of British passengers would turn a blind eye to if a driver was drinking alcohol at the wheel, according to new research reported by the Daily Mail.
Meanwhile, the British Touring Car Championship has become the first motor racing series in the UK to introduce mandatory alcohol testing and a ‘zero tolerance’ policy to driving with any alcohol in the bloodstream, reports motorsport.com.
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