Alcohol Policy UK

IAS Alert May 2018: MUP in Scotland, consumption, treatment, dependent parents & more

The latest Institute of Alcohol Studies (IAS) Alcohol Alert: May 2018 is now available (here for PDF version). Read the editorial here and articles below:

• TOP STORY – MUP lands on Scottish shores
• Final adult drinking habits survey released
• Record hospital admissions, again
• Alcohol treatment services in England at crisis point
• European Commission warns Irish about alcohol Bill
• New Alcohol Strategy on the cards?
• Brits show unhealthy scepticism of drinks labels
• Wales: Alcohol-related admissions at higher risk of suicide
• One in three underage drinkers served in Scots pubs and clubs
• $100 million ‘moderate drinking’ study paused
• Innovation fund open to help children of dependent drinkers
• Social media usage linked to underage drinking
• Alcohol cancer link grows
• Alcohol behind a third of Irish Saturday night A&E visits
• New report surveys alcohol policy debates following Brexit
• ALCOHOL SNAPSHOT – How alcohol use disorders vary by gender in different countries

Alcohol treatment 'in crisis': hope for the new national strategy?

Earlier this month Alcohol Concern/Alcohol Research UK released a new report “The hardest hit: addressing the crisis in alcohol treatment services”, calling for action to address the many issues arising from funding cuts and other challenges facing the sector.

Subsequently the Government has made the surprise announcement that it will develop a new alcohol strategy, though whether this will include any commitments to further resourcing alcohol services remains to be seen.

Innovation fund to support children of dependent drinkers

Public Health England (PHE) have announced details of the £4.5 million innovation fund to support up to eight local authorities in addressing the needs of children of dependent drinkers, in addition to a new toolkit to support local authorities identify and respond to local needs.

The details follow an announcement made last month and ongoing campaigning by several MPs including a parliamentary group Manifesto for 'Children of Alcoholics'.

Further labelling insights: TARG & Global Drugs Survey 2018 findings

Further media attention to the issue of consumer alcohol labelling has followed the release of further insights from the Bristol Tobacco and Alcohol Research Group (TARG) and the Global Drugs Survey (GDS) 2018.

Bristol TARG project findings

Alcohol Research UK has published findings from the University of Bristol's TARG which it has supported to deliver part of a project on alcohol labelling. The report 'Know your limit: labelling interventions to reduce alcohol consumption' sought to explore questions relating to the European Parliament’s call for ‘clear, concise and effective information on the effects of alcohol consumption and its health risks’. Labelling has been a contentious topic given a history of voluntary regulation which many argue has failed to deliver key information that alcohol consumers have a right to. The TARG report suggest that 'statutory regulation may be the only feasible method of ensuring alcohol labelling is clear and consistent across all producers' in the wake of the recent responsibility deal's now expired but contested labelling pledge. 

New alcohol strategy plans include further minimum pricing review

A recent surprise announcement that the Government are developing a new alcohol strategy has been made by The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, part of which includes commissioning Public Health England to undertake a further review of the evidence for minimum unit pricing (MUP) in England.

Currently England has no over-arching national strategy, though the 2016 'Modern Crime Prevention Strategy' sets out alcohol-related crime objectives whilst certain health and treatment objectives include a national CQUIN and Public Health England (PHE) guidance and support.

A recent surprise announcement that the Government are developing a new alcohol strategy has been made by The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, part of which includes commissioning Public Health England to undertake a further review of the evidence for minimum unit pricing (MUP) in England.

Currently England has no over-arching national strategy, though the 2016 'Modern Crime Prevention Strategy' sets out alcohol-related crime objectives whilst certain health and treatment objectives include a national CQUIN and Public Health England (PHE) guidance and support.

Wine nation? Industry insights into drinking motives and trends

A major player in the UK wine market recently released a 2018 UK wine report, detailing insights into the nation's wine drinkers and what it sees as opportunities for developing the market.

Wine volume sales are down, but the value of spending is up. The report attributes this 'premiumisation' trend (in which quality is increasingly prized over quantity) to more health conscious consumers. However, the majority of off-trade wine is still sold for under £6 per bottle, and the largest 'segment' of wine drinkers are identified as 'newbies': those who 'know very little about wine and want to be guided when they shop'.

News & updates April 2018: MUP build up, taxes, non-drinking, greetings cards under fire & more

Selected media stories since the March roundup:

Significant media attention to minimum pricing was seen in the run-up to Scotland's implementation date on the 1st April 2018, the Guardian headline reading 'Scotland awaits alcohol minimum pricing with mixed emotions'. See APUK analysis here.

Research from the University of Cambridge and the British Heart Foundation, which looked at 600,000 drinkers across the world, was reported as anything more than five glasses of wine a week, or pints of beer, is dangerous to health, and could be knocking years off a person’s lifespan - the Telegraph. A useful summary from NHS Choices reviewed the research and coverage and concluded that the study adds weight to the recommendations that both women and men drink within the UK limits of 14 units of alcohol a week. APUK analysis here.

Statistics on Alcohol England 2018 & latest OPN drinking figures

The annual Statistics on Alcohol for England 2018 has been released, detailing national data for key alcohol-related indicators and health harms.

Mainly bringing together recent alcohol data releases, the overall trends remain suggesting stabilisation of overall consumption and harm measures such as alcohol-related hospital admissions. As before though, significant variations exists between age groups, gender, regions, income and other factors. The measures used are also important as the 'broad' measure of alcohol-related admissions suggest an increase on last year, whilst the 'narrow' measure suggests a fall for the first time. Meanwhile, the final release of the Opinions and Lifestyle Survey, focusing on drinking in the last week, will no longer continue.

Key figures from the national statistics release include:

IAS Alert April 2018: alcohol taxation and the economy, crime and outlets linked, Brexit & more

The latest Institute of Alcohol Studies (IAS) Alcohol Alert: March 2018 is now available (here for PDF version). Read the editorial here and articles below:

• TOP STORY – Raising alcohol taxes could boost the economy
• Drinking more than two units a day increases risk of death
• Scotland: Higher crime rate linked to more drink outlets
• Support for kids of alcohol-dependent parents confirmed
• Brexit must 'Do No Harm' to public health
• One-in-ten PMS cases linked to drink
• Bill should cover drunken sexual assault of emergency workers
• Alcohol and mental health services ‘lack joined-up action’
• Could lower strength drinks raise consumption levels?
• ALCOHOL SNAPSHOT: Rich face the brunt of alcohol policies in most countries