Alcohol Policy UK

The Effects of Alcohol Hangover on the Mind: Challenges and Implications of Research

In this guest post Dr Sally Adams, Assistant Professor in Health Psychology at the University of Bath, takes a look current knowledge and gaps in our understanding of the impact of hangovers.

Alcohol hangover – “the…combination of cognitive and physical symptoms, experienced the day after a single episode of heavy drinking, starting when blood alcohol concentration approaches zero.”

Brief intervention reports highlight role of GPs but delivery still questionable

Two new reports on alcohol brief interventions (ABIs) in Scotland have been released, highlighting the importance of GP settings and key factors influencing delivery.

The reports, published by Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP), are:

• 'Practice and attitudes of General Practitioners in the delivery of Alcohol Brief Interventions in Scotland' [pdf]

• 'Financial incentives for Alcohol Brief Interventions in Primary Care in Scotland' [pdf]

Supreme Court MUP ruling underway amid liver disease warnings

An anticipated end to the long drawn out legal battle over Scotland's Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) bid is being played out in the UK's Supreme Court this week - live stream here. The final ruling is expected nearly five years after Scotland legislated for MUP, but has been subject to a long drawn out legal challenge from sections of the alcohol industry.

Public health groups have continued to highlight the expected benefits - and lives lost in the period the policy has been delayed. A new report, the 'Financial case for action on liver disease' [PDF], predicts 63,000 alcohol-related deaths over the next five years, attracting significant media attention. As well as MUP, the report also calls for a range of policy measures including taxation, restrictions on trading hours and marketing.

LAPE local alcohol surveys: a consistent picture?

A new report detailing results from drinking surveys in 25 local areas has been released by Public Health England (PHE).

The aim of the surveys was to establish the accuracy of existing localised consumption estimates and methodologies. Overall the data shows that despite significant variations between the local authorities sampled, general consistency with estimated prevalence of consumption and key demographics was found.

Key findings included:

New drug strategy prompts calls for clear national alcohol policy

The release of a new national drugs strategy for England and Wales has prompted revised calls for a new national alcohol strategy that includes minimum unit pricing (MUP).

The last national alcohol strategy was released in 2012 promising MUP, followed by an infamous U-turn. MUP has of course still yet to be implemented in Scotland, though a final legal ruling is expected this month following a drawn out legal challenge, with Ireland and Wales also committed.

Findings bulletins: personality-based treatment, family interventions & alcohol treatment matrix

Recent bulletins from the Findings drug and alcohol bank:  

UK trial tests personality-based approach to preventing drinking

Positive and persistent effects on the drinking outcomes of high-risk London pupils suggests they may have benefited from this psychosocial intervention over standard drug education – but was the novel strategy of matching the intervention to the pupils’ personality the active ingredient?

Pubs in 2017: diversify or demise?

Its no secret that the number of pubs has been declining for decades, long before the introduction of the smoking ban ten years ago. The changing picture of the nation's pubs though, like many alcohol policy areas, is both often politicised and complex.

Whilst pubs have been closing steadily since the 1980s, the total number of licensed premises has in fact been rising in recent years across both the on and off-trade. The profile of on-trade premises has diversified through the growth in restaurants and other non-pub and mixed service premises such as hotels. Meanwhile the pull of an ever widening price gap between on and off sales has been central to rising home drinking habits such as increasing wine consumption, particularity amongst women. Beer drinking though too has changed dramatically; in 2015 off-trade beer sales overtook pub and on-trade sales, declining from an 88% stronghold in 1980.

News & updates June 2017: Welsh MUP, white wine, gin lollies, diabetes and hayfever

Selected news and media stories since the May roundup: 

BBC News reported that plans to introduce a new law setting a minimum price for alcohol in Wales could be revived by the Welsh Government, depending on the result of a Supreme Court challenge against similar plans by the Scottish Government.  Meanwhile, the number of alcohol-related deaths in Wales has stabilised following a significant rise towards the end of the last decade, reported WalesOnline.

IAS Alert June 2017: KBS, sobriety tags, labelling, pricing & more

The latest Institute of Alcohol Studies (IAS) Alcohol Alert: June 2017 is now available (here for PDF version). Read the editorial here and articles below:

• TOP STORY: KBS – Researchers walk “advocacy tightrope”
• Tower Hamlets Late Night Levy put on hold
• Drinking could raise brain damage risk
• Graphic cancer warnings on alcohol ‘could cut drinking’
• ‘Sobriety tags’ scheme spreads
• Alcohol labelling information, calorie-free
• Don’t get too chill about alcoholic ice lollies, police warn
• Sexualised drinks ads undermine anti-rape campaigns
• Young and old missing out on A&E alcohol screening practices
• Rise in number of older drink-drivers
• Alcohol sales in England and Wales 50% above guideline levels
• Canada votes for alcohol tax rise
• Wales: Alcohol pricing is a legislative priority
• ALCOHOL SNAPSHOT: The effect of a 50p minimum unit price has been eroded, but only slightly