Selected media stories since the November roundup:
Alcohol policy
News on the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling of the Scottish Government's plan for a minimum alcohol price and the intricacies of EU law was widely reported (eg Herald Scotland; see also our recent analysis). The Telegraph's Scotland Editor argued 'this is one battle the Nats should keep fighting.'
The Scottish government is to reintroduce stop and search of children (for alcohol), according to campaigners who fear could worsen Police Scotland’s already vexed relationship with young people reported the Guardian.
Ireland plans to introduce minimum alcohol pricing in a bid to reduce drinking levels that are among the highest in the Western world, the government has announced, in a bill which comes as part of a wider push to change what Health Minister Leo Varadkar (pictured) called "Ireland's damaging attitude to alcohol" and discourage young people from binge drinking. Yahoo News.
The Telegraph says a judge has criticised the criminal justice system after he admitted he had insufficient sentencing powers to protect the public from a "deadly" drink-driver.
Alcohol research in the news
Middle-class parents who introduce their children to alcohol with a glass of wine at family dinners will not protect them from becoming problem drinkers, campaigners have warned, with a new study showing affluent teens were twice as likely to drink regularly than those from poorer backgrounds, said the Guardian.
Two-thirds of motorists who drive after drinking alcohol would not have drunk at all if the drink-driving limit was reduced, according to a Populus survey which has prompted alcohol and public health campaigners to urge ministers to impose Scotland’s lower limit across the rest of the UK, said the Guardian.
A Scottish Ambulance Service survey found that alcohol is a factor in more than half of all weekend ambulance call-outs in Scotland, and 42 per cent of incidents on weeknights and one in six during weekdays, reported the Express.
Two-fifths of middle-aged mothers admit drinking as much or more than their grown-up children, according to polling, and a quarter say they have increased their alcohol intake since their children flew the nest reported the Daily Mail.
A new NHS study reported in the Independent found that one in 20 men in England drink more than 50 units of alcohol units each week. It also reported men drink twice as much alcohol as their female peers with the average Englishman drinking 16.8 units a week compared to the average woman drinking 8.8 units. The same study was reported in the Evening Standard with a focus on inequality: wealthy Britons are up to five times more likely to drink dangerous amounts of alcohol than those who are poorer.
A US study has found that legalisation of cannabis caused young people to move away from calorific alcohol and helped older people suffering from chronic pain become more active, reported the Independent.
A UK study found that abstaining from alcohol on a short-term basis improved insulin resistance, reduced liver stiffness and lowered blood pressure, to the apparent chagrin of Endocrineweb, which reported that this runs counter to conventional advice on moderate drinking for diabetics.
Research by Serve Legal found that 56 per cent of delivery staff for online alcohol suppliers did not carry out checks when handing over drink on the doorstep, reported the MailOnline.
Miscellaneous
The MailOnline explored the idea of 'driet' - a 'drinking diet', which challenges us to think about the number of alcoholic drinks consumed – as well as their strength - and to cut back if necessary (see infomatic).
In the run up to Christmas the Telegraph looked at what alcohol does to your body after the age of 40, whilst the Guardian opined on 'drinking culture: statistics, myths and alcohol abuse'.
An article in Community Care explains why a knowledge of foetal alcohol spectrum disorders is vital for social workers.
Trade news
Just Drinks reports the alcohol-free beer segment is on the rise in the UK, according to research, with female and Millennial consumers driving growth.
Meanwhile, Seedlip, the 'world’s first distilled non-alcohol spirit' had a rave review in the Evening Standard.
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