Selected media stories since the April roundup:
Analysis by the BBC found £162m (18%) has been cut from drug and alcohol treatment budgets in England since 2013-14, with budgeted spending falling from £877m in 2013-14 to £716m in 2017-18.
Severe funding cuts and a loss of qualified staff have pushed England’s alcohol treatment services to crisis point, a report published by Alcohol Concern warned. Problems could further worsen from 2020 due to the end of ring-fenced public health funding. LocalGov and APUK analysis.
Ministers are set to launch a crackdown on the causes of alcohol-fueled violence as part of a new strategy that will look at how to better manage the licensing system and also how to protect vulnerable people. Independent and APUK analysis.
Junior health minister Steve Brine (pictured) has told the Commons that the government is “committed to tackling all alcohol-related harms” and has commissioned Public Health England to review evidence for introducing a minimum price in England. The Grocer
Meanwhile, the Express has been busy looking for MUP 'loopholes': 'on the day the new legislation came into force north of the Border, we were able to purchase two boxes of drink for considerably less than it would now cost in Scotland. Our order from online shopping giant Amazon was dispatched from Doncaster in South Yorkshire, therefore avoiding the minimum price of 50p per unit of alcohol'. A Telegraph article reported on retailers just south of the Scottish border 'hoping to cash in on the minimum alcohol pricing ruling' as Miles Beale, Chief Executive of the WSTA, told The Telegraph MUP will 'impact most drinkers' in Scotland.
The latest consumption figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) were again reported mainly in terms of the divide between different earners, and across age groups, with higher earning professionals more likely to be regular drinkers than less well-off adults. Independent and APUK analysis.
Derry City and Strabane District Council in Northern Ireland could soon be introducing a scheme to test employees for alcohol and drug use, as elected members gave their support for a new Workplace Alcohol and Drugs Policy. LocalGov
Research 
Findings from the annual Global Drugs Survey Labels suggests that warning drinkers they risk seven different forms of cancer could make some people re-think their alcohol consumption, but most will ignore other warnings on bottles and drinks about the damaging effects of alcohol on health. Guardian
New research published by universities in Liverpool and Sheffield has been reported as suggesting smaller alcohol measures could lead to 1,400 fewer alcohol-related deaths in the UK. Spirits Business and APUK analysis.
'Drink this much alcohol to avoid the risk of strokes' headlined the Express, saying heavy drinking raises your risk of stroke, but a small amount each day can have a protective effect.
New research led by the University of Bristol has found that drinkers support clearer labelling of alcohol products, including the provision of unit, calorie and health information, which would address current gaps in public knowledge.
A study led by the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College London suggests that alcoholic cardiomyopathy is not simply the result of alcohol poisoning, but arises from a genetic predisposition – and that other family members may be at risk too. Belfast Telegraph
Industry news
Responding to a consumer desire for smaller bottles in order to both cut down on waste and curb their midweek drinking, Tesco have launched a range of 37.5cl half bottles and 50cl bottles in store this week. The Drinks Business
Current legislation around the labelling of low- and no-alcohol products ought to be moved in line with European law, according to one of the founders of the UK’s newest low-alcohol beer brand, reported the Morning Advertiser. The call comes following the Department of Health and Social Care’s consultation on the issue, which seeks public opinion on whether the descriptors still resonate with consumers and industry. Current labelling regulations for food and drink in the UK are due to expire in December this year. The Portman Group's view are reported in the Spirits Business.
Selling alcohol online: What licenses do you need? Startups has written a how-to guide, but warns that 'Unfortunately, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to run an online alcohol business from your house as local authorities don’t tend to grant licenses to domestic dwellings'.
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