Selected alcohol media reports since the October roundup:
Alcohol policy
Burger King launches bid to become first fast food chain to sell alcohol in the UK - Independent - and subsequently confirmed this month.
Liver deaths are 'likely to increase' after relaxation of alcohol tax policies, according to a report from a Lancet medical journal commission on liver disease - The Guardian
Tougher regulation of caffeinated alcoholic drinks such as Buckfast is necessary to tackle the problem of "wired-awake drunks", MSPs have been told - The Courier
Did 24-hour drinking actually change anything? BBC News explores following media coverage of the ten year anniversary of the Licensing Act - see our analysis.
Reliance on voluntary action by alcohol firms to tackle drink-related harm has been a failure, a hard-hitting report warns - The Guardian and our analysis.
Health
Advice on the number of units of alcohol you can safely drink a week will be lowered by Government's top medical officer; a 'source' told the Sunday Times they woud drop the guidelines 'significantly' - Mail Online
Pregnant women could be advised to drink no alcohol under new NHS guidelines - Telegraph
Lowered risk of cardiovascular disease, longer life, and protection against the common cold are all apparent benefits to be had from moderate drinking - Independent
Alcohol research
Coffee ‘fixes the damage booze does to your liver’; according to research patients with liver disease who drank coffee saw an improvement in their livers, especially those with hepatitis C - Metro
A study suggests that drinking slimline mixers with spirits can mean getting drunk faster, as the sugar in regular drinks slows the effects of intoxication Telegraph
A gene mutation is linked to impulsive behaviour with alcohol. A study found the mutuation could affect decision making in some people, although the research needed further development - The Guardian
Local initiatives
Merseyside drinkers are being warned they could be hit with a £1,000 fine if they buy alcohol for a "clearly drunk" friend. Bar staff are also being reminded they face the same punishment if they serve someone who has had too much to drink - Liverpool Echo
A Welsh council floats plan to test its employees for alcohol and drugs - Wales Online. Random drug and alcohol testing was introduced at Barking and Dagenham Council earlier this year and Calderdale Council became the first local authority in Yorkshire to introduce such measures back in 2013 - Local Gov
Dial-a-drink services are selling alcohol to underagers in Glasgow say police, who have vowed to crack down on illegal trade - Daily Record
A new scheme to help wine drinkers cut down on their alcohol consumption is being introduced in East Dunbartonshire as more than 100 licensed premises have volunteered to serve customers smaller glasses - BBC News
Alcohol industry news
The main source of alcohol duty tax losses to the UK treasury – estimated at £500M to £700M annually – is from “diversion smuggled” beer channelled through the Port of Dover, the head of regulatory affairs at the Wine and Spirit Trade Association has claimed. Food Manufacture
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