Alcohol Policy UK

Further minimum pricing evidence: positive effects as predicted?

Two further pieces of evidence have been released indicating the early stage effects of minimum pricing in Scotland, including an analysis on consumer purchasing data and an NHS Health Scotland evaluation of the impact on alcohol retailers and purchasers. 

Published in the BMJ, an analysis of the immediate impact on alcohol purchases in Scotland utilised samples of household purchasing data including England as a control group. Amongst the findings, a fall in the purchasing of alcohol in Scotland was found such that it concluded MUP led to a 7.6% reduction in off-trade purchases in Scotland, equivalent to drop of 328 g (41 UK units) per adult per household per year. This may be seen as broadly in line with early MUP market research sales data released earlier this year by NHS Scotland showing a fall in consumption against a rise in England.

Minimum pricing at home and away: where next?

In this guest post, Jane Hughes, a researcher at the Sheffield Alcohol Research Group (SARG), explores the current position of MUP across the UK and elsewhere, and the key issues for policy debates.

A bit like Brexit, implementation of the minimum unit pricing (MUP) policy in Scotland has had its share of twists, turns, legal challenges and divided public opinion. In Scotland, the Scottish Parliament passed legislation to introduce the policy in 2012 and, after a five-year legal challenge led by the Scotch Whisky Association, it was eventually implemented on 1^st May 2018.

The alcohol tax system: politics & reform after Brexit?

A new report has set out detailed proposals on how alcohol duty could be reformed after Brexit to deliver a 'fit-for purpose' duty system.

See here for the Social Market Foundation's (SMF) report 'Pour Decisions? The case for reforming alcohol duty' [pdf], and summaries from the SMF and the report's sponsors the Institute of Alcohol Studies (IAS).

The current duty system has been a long-running issue of contention in UK policy debates, and whilst the Treasury has the ability to adjust rates, duty systems vary significantly by product. For example, spirits and beer duty is based on alcohol content, whilst wine and cider duties are based on the final product volume, creating 'mixed incentives' in terms of product strength.

More needed to ensure consistent advice from midwives: IAS report

A new study funded by the Institute of Alcohol Studies (IAS) highlights there is no standardised approach to screening for alcohol consumption during antenatal appointments and inconsistency in official guidance has led to midwives giving different advice on alcohol consumption in pregnancy.

Download ‘Alcohol guidelines for pregnant women: Barriers and enablers for midwives to deliver advice’ [pdf].

Nine out of ten midwives reported alcohol abstinence was advised within the guidelines, however four out of ten midwives were not aware of the actual content of the 2016 alcohol guidelines on pregnancy.

Although nearly all midwives (97%) ‘always’ or ‘usually’ advised all women to abstain from alcohol during pregnancy at the booking appointment (the first appointment), the proportion of who did so at later appointments fell to 38%.

Funding to support Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder projects

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) recently announced project funding to support work around foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). 

The fund totals £473,000 though DHSC are aiming for a smaller number of grants and therefore encourage application via consortia where projects align. However, grants will be awarded according to quality of the bid against the specified criteria.

The guidance states it is particularly interested in innovative approaches from the voluntary sector along the themes of:

IAS Alert August 2019: MUP, cancer, genetics, parenting & more

The latest Institute of Alcohol Studies (IAS) Alcohol Alert: August 2019 is now available (here for PDF version). Read the editorial here and articles below:

• COVER STORY – MUP ‘well implemented’ in first year
• Nearly 20,000 new alcohol-related cancer cases in England
• Strict alcohol policy environments may reduce intimate partner violence
• Scientists untangle links between genes and alcohol intake
• Abertay Uni watering hole goes dry
• £1 drinks promo fuels row over Belfast’s drinking culture
• Children’s drinking influenced by parents
• Alcohol does not impair our (moral) behaviour
• Drink driving death numbers still stalling
• ALCOHOL SNAPSHOT – Parental permissiveness the best predictor of underage drinking

Alcohol Change UK Rapid Evidence Reviews: mental health, BME, ARBD, Criminal Justice, digital & intimate partner violence

Alcohol Change UK have released a series of six rapid evidence reviews (RERs) on areas identified as priority areas in the field of alcohol harm reduction.

The RERs are highlighted in the context of alcohol policy and research on the Alcohol Change UK website here, based on the six RERs including:

• Alcohol and Mental Health
• Alcohol and Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) groups
• Alcohol Related Brain Damage (ARBD)
• Digital interventions
• Alcohol and the Criminal Justice System
• Alcohol and intimate partner violence

Prevention Green Paper: another missed opportunity?

The recent release of the Prevention Green Paper consultation for England has prompted has a series of criticisms over a lack of effective actions to address alcohol harms.

Whilst the Green Paper claims to set out a 'new approach to public health that involves a new personalised, prevention model', alcohol and heath groups have spoken out over the absence of any commitments that reflect Public Health England's (PHE) own evidence review.

Drink Free Days evaluations: a worthwhile partnership?

Two evaluations have been released assessing the 'Drink Free Days' (DFD) campaign launched last year as a partnership between Drinkaware and Public Health England (PHE), prompting controversy.

Drinkaware, the alcohol industry funded education charity, jointly launched the DFD campaign in partnership with Government body PHE, with the aim of encouraging at-risk and harmful middle-aged drinkers to take more days off from drinking.

Newly defined at-risk drinkers following the change to the UK low risk drinking guidelines: who and what to do?

In this guest blog, Philippa Case, a researcher at University College London, explores findings from a new study on ‘newly defined at-risk drinkers’ following a change to the UK’s low risk drinking guidelines.

Alcohol guidelines have existed in the UK since 1984 in various forms.  These guidelines exist to help people make informed choices about drinking alcohol by highlighting potential alcohol-related health risks. Guidelines also help health care practitioners assess and advise patients around their alcohol consumption as alcohol brief interventions have become a popular component of alcohol strategies in the UK and beyond.