Selected media stories since the January roundup:
Alcohol policy and interventions
Scotland: MSPs have voted down a members bill which would have resulted in a ban on alcohol advertising within 200 metres (656ft) of schools. BBC News
Taxes on alcohol have been branded “a mess” by the Institute for Fiscal Studies, which claimed they were responsible for a shrinking share of tax receipts, saying there was “a clear case for reform” of duties on driving and alcohol as they were poorly targeted at problem drinking. Financial Times
There are no plans to lower the drink-drive limit in England and Wales to bring it in line with Scotland - the Department for Transport saidit was not undertaking a review on changing the legal level down from 80mg to 50mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. BBC.
Despite increased awareness of the harm caused, the latest evaluation of Scotland’s alcohol strategy suggests public knowledge and attitudes around alcohol haven’t really budged in the last ten years. Holyrood.com
Specialist “alcohol care teams” are being set up in each of Wales’ health boards, with an investment of £1M to tackle a sharp increase in deaths caused by liver disease. WalesOnline
England’s chief medical officer has warned people to think about their increased risk of cancer before reaching for a glass of wine, after a near 60% rise in the rate of drinking deaths over two decades.Guardian See also How does alcohol cause cancer Cancer Research UK
Courts across London will now be able to issue "sobriety tags" for offenders whose crimes were influenced by alcohol. BBC
North East Police and Crime Commissioners have joined forces to call for a Parliamentary debate on how to reduce alcohol consumption. Chronicle Live
Research and statistics
Some 1,780 people died on Britain's roads last year - 49 more than the previous year, new figures suggest, with separate DfT figures suggesting about 240 deaths in 2014 involved drivers over the legal alcohol limit. BBC News
Cancer death rates in the UK have fallen by almost 10 per cent in a decade, but those fuelled by alcohol and unhealthy lifestyles are rising sharply, new figures show. Telegraph
It is now emerging that alcoholic brain damage is catching up with Alzheimer’s because 'oldies are drinking more and more' claimed the Mirror
From the Guardian's Social Network practice hub: How foetal alcohol spectrum disorder affects the care system
Research published in the journal BMC Public Health suggests that the risks of alcohol are not spread evenly amongst the population, and could even be counter-balanced by maintaining an otherwise fit and healthy lifestyle. Daily Mail see also The alcohol harm paradox explained, MedicalXPress
A review of nine existing studies, taking in more than 430,000 people, found even two cups of coffee each day was linked to a 44 per cent lower chance of developing liver cirrhosis. “Cirrhosis is potentially fatal and there is no cure as such,” said lead study author Dr. Oliver Kennedy.. Daily Mail & Telegraph.
A few drinks may disrupt the memory system – but in certain circumstances, they can actually aid recall. In this extract from his new book, Idiot Brain, neuroscientist Dean Burnett explores some complicated effects. The Guardian.
A total of 2.3m people applied for Employment and Support Allowance in the UK in the three months up to May 2015, with 2.4% (55,930) people claiming alcohol misuse as their main disabling condition. Mirror
Pubs, industry and licensing
Tennent's lager is to become the first alcohol product in the UK to display calorie information on its packaging. Cans and bottles will carry the information from March in a move to 'educate drinkers and promote the responsible consumption of alcohol'. Daily Mail
The number of pubs in the UK fell to its lowest level for a decade in 2015, according to the Campaign for Real Ale. Guardian
Pret a Manger and coffee giant Starbucks are planning to sell alcohol in branches across the UK in a bid to lure late-night drinkers away from pubs and bars. Evening Standard
Scotland should introduce alcohol-only check-outs and ban drinks advertising, as part of 20 recommendations made by Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems BBC.
Camden Council is under pressure to stamp out the sale of super-strength drinks after a coroner ruled that a rough sleeper drank himself to death on the streets of Camden Town. Camden New Journal
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