Alcohol Policy UK

Drinking in pregnancy: lasting effects of low-level alcohol use?

In this guest post, Kayleigh Easey (@KayEasey), a PhD student and member of the Tobacco and Alcohol Research Group (@BristolTARG) at the School of Psychological Science at the University of Bristol, takes a look at a recent systematic review investigating effects of parental alcohol use and offspring mental health.

It’s generally well known that drinking large amounts of alcohol during pregnancy is linked to Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), and negative outcomes such as premature birth and an increase in the risk of miscarriage. However, less is known about the effects of low to moderate alcohol use during pregnancy on offspring outcomes after birth, and even less for mental health outcomes in the child, particularly internalising disorders such as depression. Despite government guidelines being updated by the Department of Health in January 2016, advising pregnant women that the safest approach is to abstain from drinking alcohol altogether through their pregnancy, there remains uncertainty amongst the public as to whether a ‘drink or two’ is harmful or not.

NICE consultation on school based alcohol interventions

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has launched a consultation on alcohol interventions in secondary and further education.

The consultation seeks to update NICE guideline PH7 Alcohol: school based interventions published in 2007 which aimed to prevent and reduce alcohol use among children and young people by preventing alcohol use, delaying drinking onset and reducing the harm to those who do drink.

First guidelines for diagnosing fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD)

New guidelines to help healthcare professionals in diagnosing fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) have been published by the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN).

It is estimated that approximately 3.2% of babies born in the UK are affected by fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), though the guidance says currently few children are identified or receive support. As such, many children have neurodevelopmental disorders where Prenatal Alcohol Exposure (PAE) has not been considered as a possible cause. However early diagnosis and intervention from birth and in the first years of life can make significant differences to the developmental progress of affected children, thus the guidance seeks to improve understanding, identification and care for those affected.

Findings bulletins: education evidence, Scottish drug & alcohol strategy, treatment & recovery lessons

Recent bulletins from the Findings drug and alcohol bank: 

Alcohol harm reduction education gains credibility in UK

Trialled in schools in Northern Ireland and Scotland, an alcohol harm reduction curriculum for secondary schools plus a parental component led to fewer pupils drinking heavily at a single sitting. Bolstered by this study, school programmes aiming to reduce harm rather than prevent drinking per se now have a limited but relatively good research record in the UK.

A new strategy for Scotland: ‘rights, respect and recovery’

Already credited with being the most closely aligned of UK nations with evidence-based recommendations, Scotland’s new strategy on alcohol and other drugs isn’t afraid to stray into value-driven territory. Eschewing messages about ‘personal responsibility’ in favour of respect and dignity, the Scottish Government frames substance use as an urgent human rights and public health issue.

Nine areas awarded children & families innovation fund; new safeguarding guidance & capital fund bid

Earlier this month Public Health England (PHE) announced nine projects that have been awarded funding as part of the innovation fund to support local authorities seeking to address the needs of children of dependent drinkers.

New guidance for local authorities on safeguarding children with alcohol and drug dependent parents has also been released, as well as a new round of capital funding to improve access to alcohol treatment in the community.

CMO guidance for children and young people: an overlooked issue?

Issues around children and young people's drinking (CYP) are never far from the headlines, and certainly well-publicised declines in CYP's drinking have continued to attract media attention. However efforts to further protect CYP from alcohol harms appear to remain a policy priority despite challenges over evidence gaps and communication challenges.

This week Scotland's new national alcohol strategy was released, promising to 'put the voices of children and young people at the heart of developing preventative measures', whilst in the North East of England a new campaign was launched by Balance warning parents about the risks to their children from alcohol. The 'What's the harm' campaign, launched during Alcohol Awareness Week 2018, encourages parents to delay when children first start to drink, citing evidence on the harmful effects on early-onset drinking and Chief Medical Officer (CMO) guidance released in 2009 advising an alcohol-free childhood as best.

Youth drinking in decline: who, why & where next?

A new report examining the decline in youth drinking since the turn of the century has been released as part of a new four-year study which aims to examine the patterns and causes of the decline in youth drinking.

Whilst based on previously released data, it brings together the Smoking Drinking and Drug Use amongst Young People in England surveys (SDD) and Health Surveys for England (HSE) findings 'to present the most comprehensive picture to date of the downturn in alcohol use among young people aged 8 to 24'.

News & updates July 2018: flying and boating; University AA, alcoholocks, marketing & more

Selected media stories since the June update:

A government-backed campaign to prevent inebriated passengers from boarding airplanes is being rolled out at ten airports – Gatwick, Stansted, Birmingham, East Midlands, Manchester, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Southampton, Bristol and Newcastle. The One Too Many initiative, where passengers will see warnings about alcohol consumption posted on digital display screens, will be shown in duty-free shops and leaflets handed out by the police. Telegraph

NUS Wales president Gwyneth Sweatman said Cardiff University's successful Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings means they should be rolled out across all universities, reports the BBC. An AA trustee said the number of younger attendees at meetings was rising each year. However Professor Tony Moss Tweeted the article missed two important points; firstly that not all alcohol problems are dependence, and secondly that AA is just one form of support drinkers might seek.

Further calls for alcohol advertising regulation review as venue digital marketing examined

New research released by Alcohol Research UK says advertising regulation needs to be strengthened to better regulate alcohol marketing on social media. The new study finds social media presents 'new, and significant, challenges to the current regulatory regime' of alcohol marketing which is not able to keep pace with the changes in modern technology and advertising practices.

Download ‘All night long: Social media marketing to young people by alcohol brands and venues’ [pdf].

The report finds that:

News & updates June 2018: airports, teenagers, U-shaped curves, consumption & more

Selected media stories since the May roundup:

A forthcoming consultation on how alcohol is sold at airports has been reported. With increasing numbers of alcohol-related problems on flights and at airports over recent years, calls have been made to review the licensing exemptions at airports. A Home Office spokesperson said: “We will issue a Call for Evidence to assess the impact that an extension of the Licensing Act to airside premises at airports in England and Wales could have on reducing alcohol-related disruptive passenger behaviour.”

The “smoke and mirror” tactics of defence lawyers in drink-driving cases have been criticised by the government’s forensic science regulator, who has launched an investigation into the work of a number of expert witnesses. Guardian