Alcohol Policy UK

News & updates April 2015: booze buses, alcohol with marijuana, is alcohol a 'gateway' drug?, memory, movies and pop music

Selected media stories since the March roundup

Mobile “booze buses” to treat drunken revellers could soon become a common sight in towns and cities across England, after a pilot project led to dramatic decreases in A&E admissions and saved the NHS hundreds of thousands of pounds, reported the Independent.

Personnel Today discussed drug and alcohol testing in the workplace. It suggests a sensible way forward for employers is to remove the stigma surrounding drug and alcohol abuse and get to the root of the problem, taking a health-led, rather than disciplinary-led, approach.

Binge drinking is costing UK taxpayers £4.9bn a year as we analysed here or see BBC report and the Telegraph recently asked "Do you know how much alcohol you are drinking?" explaining units and NHS risk levels to readers.

Crime, drink-drug driving & violence

Thermal cameras could be used to catch drink drivers, using an algorithm that spots changes in the face caused by an 'alcohol flush' said the Daily Mail.

People who smoke cannabis while consuming alcohol are twice as likely to drink-drive, says new research reported in the Daily Mail.

People needing medical treatment due to violence dropped by nearly 23,000 between 2013 and 2014, according to Cardiff University researchers as previously reported here or see Wales Online.

Women

272 children left disabled by foetal alcohol syndrome were hospitalised in England over the past 12 months, according to data from the official Health and Social Care Information Centre reported the Daily Mail and Mirror, but the actual number affected by their mother's drinking could be far greater.

A child born with foetal alcohol syndrome has been refused permission to take her case for criminal injuries compensation to the UK Supreme Court said the BBC.

Alcohol policy

Health bosses in Scotland are considering raising the legal age for buying alcohol to 21 to tackle binge drinking, reported the Daily Mail.

Alcohol Concern Cymru has called for tailored health warnings to be included on drinks advertisements, publishing research showing more than half of adverts and advertorials in supermarket magazines do not contain a specific ‘drink responsibly’ message. Wales Online.

More than 100 people have died because of a legal challenge to minimum alcohol pricing by Scotland’s whisky industry, health secretary Shona Robinson has claimed. The Courier 

Treatment 

The NHS could save £27m a year by changing the way it deals with alcoholic patients, reported the BBC after a week at Manchester's Chapman Barker detox unit.

Two key drugs recommended in international guidelines and used to treat alcoholic hepatitis are failing to increase patients' survival and leave death rates among patients "alarmingly high", reported the Mail Online. 

Young people

Marijuana isn’t a gateway drug – alcohol is, said Metro, reporting on research by Treatment4Addiction.

Binge drinking as a teenager causes long-lasting changes to the regions of the brain that control learning and memory, said the Daily Mail, reporting on new research from Duke University.

In a study of 15-year-olds in the UK, those who had been most exposed to alcohol use in films were also most likely to have tried alcohol, and about twice as likely as the least exposed to have been binge drinking, reported the Huffington Post.

Psychologists have documented a striking increase in references to alcohol and heavy drinking in the lyrics of UK chart music. They warn this could mean that attempts to control the direct advertising of alcohol to young people will be in vain, as pop music is effectively spreading a positive message on the drinks companies' behalf.

24 per cent of young professionals in the UK would consider themselves to have a “drinking problem” according to a recent survey reported the Independent.

A new event, Shaken Not Slurred — a pop-up night on the first Thursday of the month has been launched for people to enjoy a drug and alcohol free night out in Bolton without alcohol or drugs. Bolton News

Trade news

Local councils are the real driving force between prohibitionist alcohol policies - and the trade should devote more attention to them, according to the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, reported Harpers.

This Is Money said local councils could be made to pay thousands of pounds in compensation to retailers who say they were pressured into stopping selling strong lagers and ciders, following a legal ruling in Newcastle.

Drinks industry leaders will resist plans for compulsory labeling of calories on alcohol products, by arguing that information would be better used online or on smartphone apps rather than on bottles and cans, said the Grocer.

Starbucks has opened a cafe at Edinburgh Airport which is only its second in the UK to offer dinner and alcohol, reported the Scotsman.

Meanwhile the Grocer says UK consumers have almost no interest in using lower-strength drinks to cut down on alcohol consumption, according to a major new study.

the Telegraph recently asked "Do you know how much alcohol you are drinking?" explaining units and NHS risk levels to readers.

News & updates February 2015: fake alcohol, legal highs, drownings, Starbucks move to sell alcohol & more

Selected media stories since the January roundup:

Community safety

Lincoln will be the first city in the UK to ban the consumption of ‘legal highs’ and alcohol in public spaces. A new Public Space Protection Order is coming into force in the city centre from April 1, 2015, worded  “Persons within this area will not ingest, inhale, inject, smoke or otherwise use intoxicating substances.” The Lincolnite

The Food Standards Agency has been made aware that counterfeit vodka labelled as Glen’s Vodka has been offered for sale in several locations around the UK. The FSA is sharing intelligence with the brand owner and local authority officers investigating this issue.

Criminal gangs are producing potentially lethal alcohol and selling it in the capital, says BBC London's Inside Out, which infiltrated two groups, one of which was targeting rough sleepers and illegal immigrants with unregulated alcohol.

Liverpool street drinkers could be encouraged to gather at a dedicated city centre site in a bid to counter the “unacceptable level of antisocial behaviour” it is claimed they are causing. Liverpool Echo

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has ruled out lifting Scotland’s decades-old ban on drinking at ­football matches, saying the “case has not been made”. Labour, Conservatives and the Scottish Football Association would like to see the ban lifted.

Durham's chief constable has ruled out providing more officers to patrol the banks of the River Wear in the wake of three student drownings in 14 months, reported BBC News. He said: "One thing connected these three young men who died in the river and that was they were so paralytically drunk they were not in control of their bodies."

 

Children and families

Courts which help parents deal with drug or alcohol addiction so they can keep their children are to be opened in more areas of England. London has had a Family Drug and Alcohol Court for seven years, and courts have opened more recently in Gloucestershire and Milton Keynes. More will now open in areas including East Sussex, Kent and Medway, Plymouth, Torbay and Exeter, and West Yorkshire. See BBC News or Government press release.

Primary school children as young as 10 are more familiar with beer brands than leading brands of biscuits, crisps and ice cream, according to a study conducted by Alcohol Concern, reports the Mirror.

 

Health 

Alcohol has virtually no discernible health benefits and claims that a glass of wine is good for the heart have been exaggerated, a new study has concluded. The Times

The Daily Mail in an article on breast cancer advised that too much alcohol – even just a little bit over recommended limits - has [also] been linked with breast cancer. Just one extra unit per day can raise the risk by around 10 per cent it said.

The head of the NHS, Simon Stevens, says increasing the price of cheap alcohol, tackling the toll of obesity caused by soaring sugar consumption, and tackling 'unacceptable' failings in cancer and care of those with learning disabilities, are urgent priorities for the NHS, reports the Telegraph.

 

Trade news  

Starbucks, which has over 700 cafés in the UK, is looking to begin selling premium wines and beers in the evenings to customers, starting with Stansted Airport. Cambridge News

Wine is now the most popular alcohol drink with 60% of adults, according to a new poll commissioned by the Wine and Spirit Trade Association. Harpers

Carlsberg has launched San Miguel 0.0% in the UK, which comes in a 33cl bottle and is said to “maintain all the flavour, freshness and quality of alcoholic beer”.  Off License News

News & updates January 2015: alcosynth; health effects; sports sponsorship; policing

Selected media stories since the December round-up:

Policing alcohol misuse

Cliff Mann, head of an A&E doctors' group, wants police to take a “zero tolerance” approach to alcohol-related antisocial behaviour, to stop drunks clogging up emergency wards, reported the Independent. NHS hospitals and surgeries call police 175 times a day - and alcohol is the biggest cause, said the Mail Online.

Police officers are being forced to make “pragmatic decisions” about whether to arrest people for low-level crimes such as drunkenness and minor disorder, according to Inspector Ian Hanson, chairman of Greater Manchester Police Federation - Independent

Health and research in the news

Consuming seven alcoholic drinks over the course of a week could reduce the risk of heart failure, reported the Mirror and others. NHS Choices analysed the research and concluded "it is generally not recommended that people take up drinking alcohol just for any potential heart benefits".

Not long ago research also found one drink a day could be enough to increase the risk of heart disease, a different condition to heart failure. See a related piece in the Independent on 'why are we so obsessed with alcohol health effects?

More than half of the British public are unaware of the link between alcohol consumption and cancer, according to a survey from the Alcohol Health Alliance UK, reported Cancer Research UK.

Alcohol can wreak havoc on your immune system from the moment you start imbibing reported the New Scientist.

Poor sleep in teenage years could be an early warning sign for alcohol problems, illicit drug use and "regretful" sexual behaviour, research suggests. BBC News

Although drinking alcohol before bed can induce drowsiness, it is proven to disrupt the quality of rest and have negative effects on brain function the next day, according to new research reported in the Independent.

Working more than 48 hours a week makes people more likely to drink excessive levels of alcohol, suggests research reported in the Times.

Experts reckon Edinburgh is losing £86 million in economic output through “presenteeism” – when an employee’s performance is weakened by the after-effects of alcohol – as well as absenteeism, drink-related sickness, unemployment and premature death caused by alcohol. Edinburgh Evening News

Policy news

Labour MP Bill Esterson is seeking better labelling of alcoholic beverages to warn pregnant women against drinking alcohol. BBC News

A group of more than 30 health leaders says exposing alcohol sponsorship to children is creating links between drinking brands and sport, calling for a ban on alcohol industry sponsorship of sport, reported Channel 4 News.

Meanwhile Labour has rowed back from banning alcohol brands from sports sponsorship and the party was forced to discard other health policies that were deemed “anti-business”, said the Times whilst Harpers gave a trade perspective.

Alternatives to alcohol

Redemption in Holborn, London - a club and pop-up bar - has opened, offering a bar and restaurant with mocktails on the menu but without a drop of alcohol available. BBC News

Professor David Nutt, in his product 'alcosynth', has cracked a chemical conundrum, which has allowed him to develop new drugs that could wean people off alcohol, while allowing them to enjoy the feeling of being “tipsy”, reported the Telegraph

Trade news

Budweiser brewer AB Inbev has expressed an interest in using alcohol-free beers to win over health-conscious younger drinkers as part of wider efforts to overcome volume declines fuelled by shifts in demographics and consumer preferences. The Drum

Carlsberg’s Special Brew is about to get a makeover and could be watered down to comply with new guidelines designed to stamp out anti-social behaviour, reported the Telegraph.

Drinkers at pubs and clubs in York could face being breathalysed as part of an initiative to reduce drink related disorder. BBC News

Regional consumption explored in new study correlating consumption and harm

A new study details regional variations in alcohol consumption and provides "support for the ecological relationship between alcohol-related mortality and alcohol consumption".

The NHS Scotland commissioned research was published in the open access journal BMC Public Health. The study is the first to combine alcohol retail sales with other research and survey data to analyse regional alcohol consumption and its relationship to alcohol-related mortality.

Central Scotland was shown to have the highest levels of alcohol consumption, largely due to high off-trade spirit sales, and highest mortality rates. The South West, North East, North West and Yorkshire also ranked above average for Great Britain. In contrast, there were lower average per adult sales in London, Central England and the East of England. See a Daily Mail report here which includes info-graphics.

Key findings included:

• Per adult consumption in northern England was above the GB average and characterised by high beer sales.
• A high level of consumption in South West England was driven by on-trade sales of cider and spirits and off-trade wine sales.
• Scottish regions had substantially higher spirits sales than elsewhere in GB, particularly through the off-trade.
• London had the lowest per adult consumption, attributable to lower off-trade sales across most drink types.
• Alcohol-related mortality was generally higher in regions with higher per adult consumption.

The study found a 'a general pattern of higher alcohol-related mortality in regions with higher population alcohol consumption', but two outliers existed with Central Scotland and South West England showing conversely disproportionate mortality rates. 

See here for the Local Alcohol Profiles for England (LAPE) data tool or Alcohol Concern alcohol harm map also based largely on alcohol-related hospital admissions.

Last year PHE released new liver disease profiles to highlight alcohol's role in premature deaths across England.

Monitoring and Evaluating Scotland’s Alcohol Strategy (MESAS): fourth annual report summarises impact to date

The fourth annual report that provides an update on the monitoring and evaluation of Scotland’s alcohol strategy has been released by NHS Health Scotland. The report summarises the impact various elements of the national strategy are thought to have had on alcohol-related harm.

Overall, consumption and most alcohol harm measures have been continuing to fall over recent years. However according to the report, 'a substantial proportion' of the improvements in alcohol-related harms are associated with 'declining affordability of alcohol due to the economic downturn'. Nonetheless, the ban on quantity discounting of alcohol and increased Alcohol Brief Intervention activity (or 'IBA' in England) were thought to be contributing to the improvements seen in Scotland.

Although some increased awareness of the harm caused by alcohol was evident amongst the population, there had been little notable change to attitudes or other knowledge around alcohol. Whilst significant investment and access to alcohol treatment services had been made, more understanding was needed to assess the potential contribution this made. Other licensing work actions were not shown to have played a significant role as yet, and the strategy aim of minimum pricing has not yet been achieved owing to an EU legal battle led by sections of the alcohol industry.

For further analysis read the full MESAS report here [pdf], or see a recent Findings Bank entry.

News & updates December 2014: pub closures; 'arrest drunks to save A&Es'; drinking and the body; trade news & more

Selected media reports since the November roundup:

Policy in the news

A report from 'free-market think-tank' the Institute of Economic Affairs blamed pub closures since the recession on the smoking ban, increases in alcohol duty and declining real wages. It says these directly contributed to more than half of the total 6,000 pub closures since 2006, but plays down the role of cheap off-trade sales. See the Daily Mail and Daily Telegraph reports.

Tory peer Lord Hodgson preferred to blame the closure of pubs on an increase in the size of the country's Muslim community, along with the 'inexorable rise of regulation' and the availability of low price alcohol in supermarkets, reported the Daily Mail.

Calls to arrest and fine drunks to reduce pressure on A&Es has been made by the president of the College of Emergency Medicine, Dr Cliff Mann. He claimed it would act as a deterrent and change the idea it was 'normal' to get too drunk - the Guardian (or see a previous RCN debate on the subject).

The Guardian reported new research findings that industry lobbyists are hijacking government alcohol policy reform discussions and hampering efforts in Australia and the UK to curb drinking rates.

Doctors demanded a ban on alcohol firms sponsoring sports clubs and events because they claim that the “outrageous” practice is fuelling underage drinking by children, reported the Guardian. as Wales Online. reported Alcohol Concern Cymru's calls for statutory regulation of the drinks industry.

A National Audit Office (NAO) report has said a £2.7bn fund to improve public health in England has warned over the need to better target health money, and often spend on alcohol is not reflecting local need. BBC News.

The Court of Appeal has ruled that a child born with foetal alcohol syndrome is not legally entitled to compensation after her mother drank excessively while pregnant, reported BBC News.

Drinking and drinkers

BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat ran a feature on how the body metabolises alcohol, which also explained how different factors such as age and gender impact on level of intoxication.

'Most people who die from liver disease AREN'T alcoholics - they just drink nearly every day': Experts warn we need a 3-day break each week so the body can recover, proclaimed the Daily Mail.

New figures have indicated the extent of the danger posed by pedestrians under the influence of alcohol, with the Glasgow area third for pedestrian drunkenness, just behind Greater London and Kent, reported BBC News.

New research reported in the Daily Mail shows tee-totallers have come up with various ways of getting out of drinking at work social events without arousing suspicion from their colleagues.

Scientists claim to have discovered a drug that reduces the harmful effects of binge drinking, reported the Daily Mail of 'wonder drug' ethane-β-sultam, which reduces the loss of brain cells and the inflammation that results from bouts of heavy drinking. However, NHS Choices said the Mail had exaggerated the research findings.

A decline in drinking among middle-aged people over the past decade could be caused by isolation as well as a growing awareness of the dangers of alcohol, research suggested. Yahoo News.

About a third of 15-year-olds in the UK have blacked out due to alcohol, a new survey indicates - and the rate rises to nearly three-quarters by the time they reach 19, reported Reuters.

Researchers believe early man developed a gene mutation that meant they could metabolise fermenting fruit lying on the ground, prompting the Daily Mail to suggest we have been drinking alcohol for 10 million years.

Trade news

Just 10 people were prosecuted in England and Wales in 2013 for selling alcohol to a drunk person, reported the Morning Advertiser, a fall from 18 the previous year. See our recent post on this issue.

UK beer sales have bounced back after five consecutive years of decline, according to the latest research from Mintel. Big Hospitality

A powers of entry code, stipulating that licensing authorities will be expected to give at least 48 hours’ notice before visiting a pub, will come into force in April, reported the Morning Advertiser.

Tameside council has rejected a proposed late-night levy due to the current economic climate, whilst Liverpool council is about to launch a consultation on the levy for the city.

The Gambling Commission is looking to appeal the First-Tier Tribunal’s decision to allow Greene King a bingo licence, in order to stop commercial gambling “spreading to pubs”, said the Morning Advertiser.

See the Morning Advertiser's ten most popular stories of 2014.

Other news

Alcohol consumption in Scotland has fallen by the equivalent of 38 million pints of beer a year since 2009, according to an NHS Health Scotland report, which said much of this could be attributed to the economy crashing and the scrapping of multi-buy deals. BBC News.

The number of towns and cities which are officially “saturated” with alcohol has grown by a third in just two years reported the Telegraph.

One in five drivers admits to getting behind the wheel the morning after a heavy night’s drinking despite the risk of still being over the drink-drive limit, according to AA research reported by Yahoo.

The Mirror reviewed 5 smartphone apps that can 'keep you on a relatively straight and narrow path and help you avoid becoming the ultimate Yule fool'.

50 years of drink-drive campaigns as new limit for Scotland approaches

A new drink-drive advert highlights the significant reductions in drink-driving made over the last 50 years, but that that current figure of 230 a year is still "230 too many".

The history of drink-drive campaigns were reviewed in reports by the Independent and Telegraph, also identifying legislation changes and key developments such as the introduction of the breathalyser in 1967. See here for a montage of drink drive campaigns through the years.

Drink-drive incidents still account for 13% of all road fatalities. The 'Think!' campaign aims to highlight the dangers, as well as a fine of up to £5,000, a minimum 12-month driving ban and a criminal record if caught.

As from 5th December Scotland's legal blood alcohol limit for driving will be cut from 80mg to 50mg in every 100ml of blood, following new legislation recently passed. Kenny MacAskill, the Scottish Justice Secretary said there was "strong evidence that drivers with a blood alcohol reading of between 50mg and 80mg are significantly impaired" as he justified the automatic ban for anyone convicted.

In 2011 it was announced the legal drink-drive limit in England would remain at 80mg per 100ml of blood despite an independent report calling for it to be reduced to bring it in line with most European countries. Instead the Government said it would focus on "improving enforcement and education to tackle the drink and drug drivers who put lives at risk."

Last year a warning that 'morning after’ drink driving was on the increase was reported, with 46% of drivers having no idea or underestimated how long it took for alcohol to leave the body. Typically a healthy body will process around 1 unit per hour, but a wide range of variables such as body size, gender, age and other factors come into play - read more here or see www.morning-after.org.uk

  

See here for the Think! road safety website, including facts and advice on drink-driving.

New research probes links between alcohol availability and harm in Scotland

Last month the Centre for Research on Environment, Society and Health (CRESH), in collaboration with Alcohol Focus Scotland, published Alcohol outlets and health in Scotland [pdf] from their research on the relationship between the number of alcohol outlets, and alcohol-related illness and death in Scottish neighbourhoods. See a blog post by CRESH on the research. 

Key findings were:

• There are large variations in numbers of alcohol outlets within neighbourhoods across Scotland.

• Across the whole of Scotland, neighbourhoods with higher numbers of alcohol outlets had significantly higher alcohol-related death rates. 

• Across the whole of Scotland, alcohol-related hospitalisation rates were
  significantly higher in neighbourhoods with the most alcohol outlets.

The authors do not make any claims for a causal relationship between the density of alcohol outlets and alcohol-related illness and death, but note that the relationship is strongest for off-sales outlets, saying:

Comparing our results for on-sales and off-sales outlets should be done with caution, but we suggest that the relationships found were stronger for off-sales outlets. This supports claims that off-sales outlets have the greatest potential for alcohol-related harm, due to their cheaper product, large volumes obtainable, accessibility for under-age drinkers, and the absence of control over the final recipient.

In conclusion, the authors suggest that reducing the neighbourhood availability of alcohol outlets, particularly in areas with the highest densities of outlets, could have significant health benefits for the Scottish population.

The research may help to inform decisions made by licensing authorities in Scotland, where the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 permits them to take into account an ‘over-provision’ of licensed outlets in general, or licensed outlets of a particular type, in a given locality. Where over-provision is held to apply, there is a rebuttable assumption that additional licences may not be granted, though each application must still be considered on its own merits. However in 2013 the third Monitoring and Evaluating Scotland’s Alcohol Strategy (MESAS) annual report found that Licensing boards had found it difficult to measure overprovison.

In 2011 Alcohol Concern published a report stating a link between the density of off-licensed premises and harm from alcohol in underage drinkers. See the IAS paper Licensing legislation and alcohol availability for a round up of licensing law as it relates to outlet density in Scotland, Northern Ireland and England & Wales. See here for a Findings Bank analysis on a US review of limiting licensed premises density to curb alcohol-related harm.

News & updates October 2014: Scotland's drink drive limit; pre-paid benefits cards; sperm quality & health 'benefits'; sex and driving offences by young people; industry news & more

Selected media reports since the September roundup:

Alcohol policy & research

The Scottish Government has announced plans to reduce the country's drink-drive limit in time for Christmas. Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill has taken steps which, if approved by the Scottish Parliament, would mean a new limit being introduced on 5 December. Under the plans, Scotland's blood alcohol limit would be cut from 80mg to 50mg in every 100ml of blood. BBC News

The British Government is to introduce pre-paid benefit cards to stop claimants spending their money on alcohol, drugs or gambling habits. Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith said it would help those "on the margins break the cycle of poverty". BBC News

Drinking just five units of alcohol every week could reduce the quality of a man’s sperm, new research suggests. And the more alcohol consumed, the weaker the quality reports The Guardian

Meanwhile, drinking alcohol for health reasons would be "silly", says this Telegraph report which attempts to unpick the various myths and messages around supposed health impacts of moderate consumption. 

Couples are drinking more at home as staying in with a glass of wine as television replaces outings to the pub. The amount households spend on alcohol at supermarkets and off-licences has risen to almost £500 a year on average, according to a study by the Grocer magazine - The Telegraph.

The average Briton spends almost £50,000 on alcohol during their lifetime, says Macmillan Cancer Support. The Independent

Researchers have argued for cap on caffeine levels, citing health risks, particularly when the drinks are consumed with alcohol. The Guardian.

Dangerous levels of alcohol consumption are “the norm” in the armed forces, with urgent action needed. Links with PTSD and domestic violence need better understanding and more attention to address the issue - the Independent.

Young people and alcohol

Children as young as 11 have been caught drink driving in the UK, with an average of 1,000 under-18s being convicted of the offence in the last six years. Over 6,500 under 18s have been caught driving while drunk by police, with more than a quarter of offenders driving under the age of 16, with the added danger of being completely uninsured. The Independent.

Neknominate death was ruled 'accidental' after a 20 year old collapsed and died after drinking a 30 unit mix of wine, vodka, beer and whisky earlier this year. Pathology tests found he had drunk a "very high" amount of alcohol which was "within the range to induce a coma". BBC.

Humberside Police figures show the number of sex attacks where the offender and victim are both under 18 are increasing at a rapid rate. Assistant Chief Constable Alan Leaver has said more must be done to tackle the issue. He said: "There is one common factor to be found in both suspects and victim and that is alcohol consumption". Hull Daily Mail

Young people in Wales drink more alcohol each week than in any other part of the UK, a new report has found. According to the Public Health Wales Observatory, 17% of boys and 14% of girls between 11 and 16 drink alcohol at least once a week – 2% higher than in England and Scotland and twice the amount of youngsters in the Republic of Ireland. Wales Online

Alcohol industry news

Diageo has been criticised by the Advertising Standards Agency for an advert featuring an animated parrot, which was judged to have a strong appeal to children. Morning Advertiser

The Publican’s Morning Advertiser has launched a campaign, Make Some Noise, to protect established pubs and bars that are threatened with closure due to noise complaints.  In an early success, a Manchester music venue has won a licence review after claiming the council made “severe errors” in failing to install soundproofing in a neighbouring residential flat. Morning Advertiser

A Big Hospitality infographic (right) shows the claimed positive impact that two consecutive beer duty cuts have had on sales, employment and investment in the pub industry, using data from the British Beer and Pub Association's 'Cheers 2014' report.

The first scientific study of the impact of pubs on rural communities has proved they are “a vital service the countryside cannot afford to lose”, saying they are worth up to £120k to the community. Morning Advertiser

Almost 19,000 different cask ales are now brewed in Britain as a surge in demand for the beers has led to three new breweries opening every week, according to a new report. The Independent

Minimum pricing would be '50 times' more effective than below cost ban as Scotland continue to fight EU battle

Minimum pricing Vs Below Cost Ban

The Sheffield Alcohol Research Group (ScHARR) have published new research comparing the impact of Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) with the current below cost ban. Published in the BMJ, the analysis estimates a 50 pence MUP would have approximately a 50 times greater effect.

In England a 'below cost ban' recently came into place as an MUP substitute following the Government's u-turn, but ScHARR have estimated just 0.7% of units sold are likely to have been affected. It is also unclear if any retailers have actually adjusted any retail prices following the ban, although some staff discounts on alcohol have reportedly been stopped.

On why MUP would have such a greater effect the paper states:

'[For MUP] a greater proportion of the market is affected and to a greater extent and this is especially true for harmful drinkers. It is this more specific targeting of harmful drinkers that sets the minimum unit pricing policies aside from for example general price or tax increases across the board.

The Independent picked up on the news by highlighting the missed opportunity to save lives - the analysis suggests the below cost ban will only prevent 14 deaths and 500 hospital admissions in England each year, compared to saving 624 deaths and 23,700 admissions annually from a 45p MUP.

Earlier this year ScHARR also published work which is said shows MUP is a targeted measure, as it would have negligible effects on low income moderate drinkers’ alcohol consumption and spending, therefore would not 'punish responsible drinkers'. Further work by Sheffield recently suggested supermarkets subsidise tax increases on the cheapest drinks to keep customers attracted in store.

Of course the modeled impacts of MUP have often been questioned by opponents. ScHARR have however also published a mathematical description of the alcohol policy analysis model.

Scotland's minimum pricing battle: SHAAP Brussels report  

SHAAP (Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems) have published a briefing Alcohol Policy in Scotland: Proceedings from Brussles event [pdf] following a recent meeting over Scotland's current battle to implement MUP.

The briefing contains articles by a range of health roles and industry roles, as well as an explanation of the current position by Donald Henderson, Head of Public Health Policy, Scottish Government. He explains Scotland are 'in the middle of a process where member states have to submit observations' [following the current appeal stage] and that 'sometime next year we will have both an Advocate General opinion and possibly the full court’s opinion and response'.

 

SHAAP are campaigning for people to sign in support for Scotland's Alcohol Minimum Pricing legislation.