'I can't believe I was so stupid'

Senior police officers have warned that a growing number of young people aged between 17 and 24 in the UK are drinking and driving.

Here, a 17-year-old talks of his regret after crashing his car having drunk several bottles of beer and other alcoholic drinks at a party. He has asked to remain anonymous.

I don't know why I did it. To this day I just can't remember what possessed me to get in my car and go for a drive.

I had never done it before. It must have been the alcohol clouding my judgement, I wasn't thinking straight.

I guess I thought it would be funny, a good laugh. A friend said they would come with me. When I think how bad it could have been I shudder.

I had driven to the party in the evening and intended to stay the night before driving home after sobering up.

Lots of my friends were there and I probably drank between eight and 10 bottles of beer and other drinks.

My memory of the night is that I was very drunk. Suddenly I had the idea to go for a drive. There was no need for it, I wasn't going anywhere or going to get anything.

'It was frightening'

We went around the country roads near the place where the party was being held in a house. On my way back I had the accident.

I just lost control going around a tight bend. I don't remember how fast I was going or anything about it really. I must have been going too quickly.

The car ended up crashing off the side of the road and ending up in a ditch.

It was frightening. Luckily neither myself nor my friend was hurt. But it could have been so much worse.

The car was a write off. I was really shaken up.

People said just learn from it but I couldn't just forget it. I rang Connexions, the young persons' helpline, because it was really getting to me.

'Everyone binge drinks'

I could have killed myself or my friend. It would have been terrible for my friends and family.

In the worst case scenario I would have killed a pedestrian or cyclist, which could have easily happened. I can't believe I was so stupid.

I was really lucky and I'll never do it again. You think you can drive but your reactions are so slow. Everything rushes on you really quickly when you're driving while drunk.

Young people are becoming more blasé about drink-driving. Many of my friends will drive home from the pub over the limit.

Everyone binge drinks these days so people think they're fine if they haven't had what they usually drink.

But they have usually had much more than is safe.

BBC News

Drink Driving Limit Should Be Reduced

The drink driving limit should be lowered to curb the rise in deaths caused by drunk young drivers, road safety campaigners said today.

Random breath testing and harder hitting campaigns are also needed to halt the increase in fatal accidents.

As five police forces raised concern about the number of youngster found drink driving Leicestershire police revealed that the number of 17 to 24 year olds driving while over the limit has risen to the highest level in a decade.

The Metropolitan police say that a quarter of all arrests for drink driving in London are of drivers aged 24 and under.

Every week eleven people are killed by drunk drivers. Between 1996 and 1999, the number of deaths caused by drunk drivers fell dramatically from 580 a year to 460, but provisional figures for 2005 show that they have risen sharply to 560 deaths.

And today, major road safety groups united in their calls for the drink/drive limit to be slashed from 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, the equivalent of between two and two and a half units of alcohol.

One problem is the increasing strength of wine and beers, larger measures for a glass of wine means that the rule of thumb where a half a pint or a glass of wine equals a unit no longer applies.

Cathy Keeler, head of campaigns at Brake, said: "It is a huge problem, and it is really confusing, which is why the only safe amount to have is none. If you start counting your units, in a sense you are missing the point because your driving is affected however much you drink.

"The alcohol industry has a huge role to play. Glass sizes for wine have increased hugely, and are quite often two or three times bigger than you would have had five to ten years ago."

She added: "Our drink driving limit leads to an assumption that it is OK to drink and drive. It is one of the highest in Europe, where most countries set the limit at 50 milligrams, and we would like to see it reduced to 20, which is the limit for train drivers and pilots.

"Even if it is reduced to 50 milligrams, you can't really have a drink and be sure that you are under the limit.

"Another problem is that the level of breath testing in the UK is minuscule compared to other countries.

"One per cent of all drivers are tested every year in the UK, whereas in New Zealand they test half of all drivers every year, which is a massive deterrent."

Ms Keeler also called for more graphic campaigns showing the consequences of drink driving, and said that graduated driving licenses setting a lower alcohol limit for young people could also be effective.

She said: "In Northern Ireland they show very hard hitting adverts showing deaths and injuries which are banned in this country for being too graphic, but they have made a difference.

"Graduated driver licensing would also go some way to reducing the problem, where drivers get their licenses in stages, and there are stricter restrictions on driving in the beginning stages.

"One of the restrictions in the provisional stages could be a much lower drink driving limit."

A spokesman from Alcohol Concern backed calls for the drink driving limit to be slashed to prevent deaths from drink driving.

Frank Soodeen said: "We would like to see the limit reduced.

"When it went down to 50 in 1995 in France, there was a four per cent reduction in deaths caused by traffic accidents, and in Belgium there was a ten per cent reduction.

"In the 80s and 90s there was a large decrease in the number of deaths due to drink driving thanks to a strong campaign by the government, but they have increased again by a fifth.

"We need more campaigns which show how much trouble you can be in if you drink and drive."

But another campaigner accused the police of being "too lax" in preventing drink driving, and said that young people thought that they would not be caught.

David Williams, chief executive of the Guild of Experienced Motorists, (GEM), said: "One of the main reasons for this rise is the lack of police activity on our roads. The number of traffic officers has been reduced, and it's far too lax. Also, the whole message has become rather stale.

"But the underlying fact is that people don't believe there is enough policing on the road. Young people say 'We never see people being tested, so it's worth the risk'. We want police to be given the power to do random breath testing.

"The number of teenagers drinking alcopops is also worrying. Teenagers who would turn their noses up at beer see it as more acceptable, because they taste just like fizzy drinks. That's a worrying thing, and it is quite wrong."

Roger Vincent, a spokesman for The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), said that 65 lives a year could be saved if the limit was reduced to 50 milligrams of alcohol, and that 230 serious injuries would also be prevented.

He said: "Even with a small amount of alcohol in your blood you are six times more likely to crash. Just because the limit is 80, it doesn't mean that it is a safe limit.

"We would like to see a reduction in the drink drive limit, which estimates have shown could save 65 lives a year, and 230 serious injuries a year. That would also be an opportunity to kick start a harder hitting campaign explaining why drink driving needs to be tackled."

National News

Town's drink illness shame

Almost 700 people are admitted to the Royal Bolton Hospital with alcohol-related illnesses every year - and more than 70 of them are teenagers.

An average of 57 people are referred to the hospital's specialist unit each month.

Many of them are suffering from chronic liver disease or other serious illnesses caused by drink, including alcohol-induced dementia, gastric problems and jaundice.

And between 10 and 15 per cent of those 57 are aged between 17 and 19.

Experts at the Royal Bolton have revealed that youngsters under the age of 10 may already be drinking and have warned it is becoming an increasing problem in children attending secondary school as they gain more independence and have more readily available cash.

Sandra Crompton, a liver nurse practioner and member of the alcohol team at the hospital, said: "The age of people suffering because of problems with alcohol is definitely getting younger.
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"We are now quite regularly seeing 17, 18 and 19-year-olds that have an alcohol problem. Some of them started drinking before the age of 10 and the upper age limit goes up infinitely."

The majority of people admitted on to the specialist ward at the hospital are aged in their 20s, 30s and 40s, but there are some patients aged over 90.

Patients are assessed on admission and on a daily basis by the dedicated alcohol team.

When they are discharged their follow up care is dealt with by the same people who nursed them in hospital before they are referred to the Drugs and Alcohol Service, the community alcohol service or Project 360, which provides help for people aged under 19 who have substance misuse.

The recommended weekly allowance for an adult man is 21 units, which is about 10.5 pints of beer, and 14 units for women, which is about 14 125ml glasses of wine.

This Is Lancashire

Young drink-drivers worry police

A growing number of young people in the UK are drinking and driving, senior police officers say.

People aged between 17 and 24 make up a disproportionate number of offenders and casualties in drink-driving incidents, officers told the BBC.

Scotland Yard's Dave Page called for revitalised public information films to warn young people of the dangers.

The government said the under-25 age group would be a big part of their summer drink-driving campaign.

Supt Page said: "About a quarter of all the arrests [in London] are people between 17 and 24, which is obviously very worrying."

'Waste of life'

An investigation by Radio One's Newsbeat uncovered police concern over the figures among six forces - Leicestershire, Cumbria, Metropolitan Police, Strathclyde, Northumbria and Dyfed-Powys.

Leicestershire police revealed that drink-driving had risen to its highest level for a decade in England and Wales.

Sgt Ivan Stafford, from the Leicestershire force, said the problem with young drink-drivers was getting worse.

"They're the majority of the casualties, they're the majority of the offenders.

"And the numbers of people being killed in a drink-related accident have increased dramatically.

"And they're killing themselves, they're mutilating themselves, which is such a tragic waste of life."

Tomorrow's drivers

West Yorkshire's Head of Roads Policing, Inspector Russell Clark, said education about drink-driving needed to start at a young age.

He told BBC News: "We need to start educating not just the drivers of today, we've got to start thinking about educating the drivers of tomorrow, the 12 and 13-year-olds who are going to be coming onto our roads in the next few years."

Alyn Hopkins, whose son Domenic was killed by a drunk driver in Swansea in 2006, told Newsbeat the incident had destroyed his family.

"I can't ever see my wife working again, she's totally devastated," he said.

"She visits my son's grave three times a day, there's no day she doesn't go there."

Carole Whittingham, from the Campaign Against Drinking and Driving, said more police were needed on the roads.

"We have lost an awful lot of traffic officers over the last five of six years," she said.

"There is a perception that street crime needs a higher profile so police are actually being put onto the streets rather than in their traffic cars to come across these drink-drivers."

BBC News

Big allowances tied to teen alcohol abuse

Kids with money more likely to buy booze, binge drink, UK study finds

Teenagers with large allowances may be more likely to become problem drinkers, research conducted in the UK hints.

In a study of more than 10,000 15- and 16-year-olds, British researchers found that teens with larger allowances were more likely to drink frequently, binge or drink on street corners and other public places.

The large majority of the teenagers in the study — 88 percent — had tried alcohol at some point. But risky drinking was particularly common among teenagers with more pocket money, presumably because they were better able to buy their own alcohol.

About one-third of teens in the survey said they bought their own alcohol, and they were six times more likely than their peers to drink in public places, three times more likely to drink frequently and twice as likely to binge on a regular basis.

The findings suggest that parents could help curb problem drinking by keeping tabs on how their children spend their money, according to lead study author Mark A. Bellis, of Liverpool John Moores University.

The results also call for better enforcement of laws prohibiting alcohol sales to minors, he told Reuters Health.

Bellis and his colleagues report the findings in the online journal Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention and Policy.

Learn from parents

Besides risk factors for problem drinking, the survey also identified some protective factors. For example, teens who drank alcohol with their parents in a family setting — like having wine with dinner — were less likely to binge or drink in other particularly risky ways.

“Put simply,” Bellis said, “by the age of 14 most children in the UK have drank some alcohol, and they are either learning to drink it from parents in a secure home environment or from peers in a park, bar or on a street corner.”

Teens who learn from their parents may be learning how to drink moderately and responsibly, he noted. Parents may be able to lower the odds of problem drinking by talking to their teenagers about “how to and how not to” drink alcohol, Bellis said.

But they should also make sure they know how their kids are spending their money, he noted. In this study, teens whose parents gave them more than 10 pounds — or roughly $20 — each week were more likely to use alcohol in particularly risky ways.

Parents are not, however, the only ones with a responsibility, according to Bellis. They need help, he said, from strict enforcement of underage sales laws — which, in the UK, apply to teenagers younger than 18.

“Those establishments that continue to sell alcohol to people underage should be penalized with the full force of the law,” Bellis said.

Reuters

Alcohol health warnings by 2008

Alcoholic drinks will carry new health warning labels by the end of 2008 under a voluntary agreement between ministers and the drinks industry.

The labels will detail alcoholic units and recommended safe drinking levels.

Bottles and cans currently have alcohol percentages, but only some state what this equals in alcoholic units.

Public health minister Caroline Flint says exactly what the labels will say is not decided, but the warnings will not be as strong as for cigarettes.

The measure was first proposed three years ago, but both sides have struggled to agree on a format.

It is not known how many drinks firms will sign up for the scheme, but ministers said if the industry did not comply, the government would introduce legislation.

Calculating units

The proposed warning labels will include words such as "know your limits" or "drink responsibly", and the number of units each drink contains.

They will also warn that drinking alcohol should be avoided if pregnant or trying to conceive.

They will also give the web address for the education campaign group Drink Aware.

More than 7m people drink more than the recommended daily amounts - three to four units for men and two to three units for women.

A small glass of wine, half a pint of beer or one measure of spirits are often taken as being one unit, but it depends on the percentage of alcohol the drink contains.

With some strong beers and ciders, a pint or a large bottle can add up to three units or more.

Ms Flint said: "This landmark, voluntary agreement will help people calculate, at a glance, how much they are drinking and whether they are staying within sensible drinking guidelines...

"This is about helping people to make the right choices."

While the agreement has been reached only by health ministers in England, it will effectively apply to the UK as manufacturers are unlikely to take a different tack depending on where it is sold.

Kevin Hawkins, of the British Retail Consortium, said the industry wanted to take a "responsible attitude to selling alcohol" and was committed to the system.

"Retailers have been actively involved in the development of this label and the concise and simple way it sets out information," he said.

Pubs call

Alcohol Concern welcomed the scheme but said it did not go far enough.

Don Shenkar, director of policy and services for the charity, said: "We'd like there to be more information in pubs and bars, in terms of the sensible drinking limits there.

"But in terms of cans and bottles, it's a very good first step."

However, Annette Fleming, chief executive of Aquarius, a Midlands-based alcohol and drugs charity, questioned how effective the labelling would be.

She told BBC Radio Five Live: "It begs the question, that once people have had one drink out of a bottle, are they really going to be bothered to read the tiny print that talks about units?

"I'm not sure it will actually make a difference."

BBC News

Breaking the binge culture

The news that alcoholic drinks will have new warning labels including the number of units of alcohol and information about safe drinking levels by the end of next year is an important step forward in tackling the increasing scourge of alcohol abuse in our society.

It can only succeed in achieving more responsible patterns of drinking alongside other measures. The announcement of a new voluntary agreement between the government and the drink manufacturers is welcome, not least because it follows the latest gloomy figures from the Office for National Statistics showing that the number of deaths directly related to alcohol has more than doubled in men and increased by 67% in women between 1993 and 2005. Charities believe there are more than 22,000 premature deaths a year in the UK due to alcohol, much higher than the number where an alcohol-linked condition is noted on the death certificate.

The figures in Scotland are consistently and considerably worse than in England and only yesterday a new study suggested that even our top athletes drink more than sportsmen from other countries. A generation ago, Scotland proudly proclaimed that new, relaxed licensing laws would lead to more civilised drinking habits. Our city streets belie that every weekend. Young men and women who have had too much to drink are either vulnerable or a danger to others, quite apart from the long-term health damage they are risking. The binge-drinking culture that has become embedded in our society shows no sign of slowing. The brakes must be applied and that can only be done by changing the culture.
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The health warnings on cigarette packets have become simpler and more stark over the years. That may not correlate exactly with the decrease in smoking, but they have been one factor in ensuring that the health message is transmitted clearly. The message on alcohol has become more confused with claims made for benefits associated with moderate drinking, particularly of red wine. Clarity is needed, and information about units of alcohol is the best way to be clear about how much is too much. Calculating the recommended limit in daily rather than weekly units is a simple way to illustrate the particular dangers of bingeing. Labels with units per glass and per bottle will allow people to keep track of how much they are drinking - and they should be encouraged to do so.

The Herald has urged the Scottish Parliament to lead the way in tackling the problem by educating children about the dangers of alcohol and raising the age at which it can be purchased. We reiterate that now and suggest that the issue of price must also be tackled. If the new government at Holyrood is serious about moving forward on issues where there is cross-party consensus, then this is one which should be grasped. Of course, the brewing and distilling industries are important employers and significant exporters. That does not rule out a new, responsible understanding of alcohol, and it must start with the young.

The Herald

Health warning for alcoholic drinks

Alcoholic drinks will get new warning labels under a Government scheme.

In a voluntary agreement between ministers and the industry, all drinks will be expected to carry details of units and recommended safe drinking levels on their labels by the end of 2008.

At present, bottles and cans carry percentage details of alcohol and most carry unit information. But the Government now wants safety advice for pregnant women put on there as well as the recommendations for safe drinking.

One unit is equivalent to a small glass of wine, half a pint of beer or one pub measure of spirits. The Government recommends that men do not regularly exceed three or four units a day and women do not exceed two or three units a day.

The move comes amid fears about the rise in binge drinking and an increase in alcohol-related diseases and death. Last week, the Government issued new guidance saying pregnant women and those trying to conceive should not drink at all.

The new labels will include the drink's unit content and the recommended safe drinking levels. For beer, wines and spirits, unit information will be given per glass and per bottle.

The charity website - www.drinkaware.co.uk - will also be included on the labels.

The Government said it would ask manufacturers to include the words "avoid alcohol if pregnant or trying to conceive".

Public health minister Caroline Flint said: "This landmark, voluntary agreement will help people calculate, at a glance, how much they are drinking and whether they are staying within sensible drinking guidelines.

"We want to make it as simple as possible for people to keep an eye on how much they are drinking and help them take the responsibility for lessening the impact excess alcohol can have on their health."

Press Association

Blitz highlights drink drive problem

Police conducted their biggest ever nationwide drink driving blitz and say the number over the limit was way too high.

On Friday night 43,000 motorists were breath tested throughout New Zealand with what police call alarming results - around 340 drivers are likely to face prosecution.

National Road Policing Manager Superintendent Dave Cliff has been vocal about the need to do something about the number of people drinking and driving. Friday night proved his point.

"The number of alcohol related crashes are going up, the number of prosecutions is going up and the number of prosecutions from last night really demonstrates we have got a significant drink drive problem in New Zealand," says Cliff.

Already this year, 43 people have died in alcohol-related crashes compared to 28 this time last year, and many more have been caught drinking and driving.

Most of those stopped on Friday were under the limit but it is the ones who aren't that are causing concern.

Cliff says drink driving campaigns are no longer working and action of a different kind is needed.

"The most significant change we could make is the reduction in the blood alcohol level to the same levels of Australia, which is something we're very strongly advocating for. There's a potential to save a huge amount of lives through that initiative," he says.

But Police Minister Annette King's office has reiterated they are not looking at lowering the blood alcohol level although she is pleased the issue is being discussed.

With blitz's like Friday nights it is unlikely the discussion will go away fast.

One News

'Don't let these two drunks buy alcohol'

Off-licences are being urged to help enforce ASBOs which ban two drunks from boozing on the streets of Cambridge.

Troublesome drunk Paul Longhurst, of Victoria Road, Cambridge, was this week handed a two-year Anti Social Behaviour Order barring him from being drunk in public in the city.

The banning order follows the 58-year-old's conviction for five offences of being drunk and disorderly and drunk in a public place. He was also fined £10 for each offence.

Cambridge magistrates also handed Brian Cook, 43, of Cameron Road, Cambridge an ASBO, barring him from entering premises which sell alcohol or having alcohol in public in the city for the next two years.

Sgt Kay Stevens, who is based in the city, said: "Paul Longhurst was before the court for a number of drink-related offences that had been committed in a variety of public places across the city.

"When drunk, he is aggressive and verbally abusive, which causes distress to members of the public who, by simply passing by, are unavoidably affected by his anti-social behaviour.

"Paul will be recognised by Cambridge residents for his on-street drinking around Newmarket Road, Mill Road and the city centre. He has been in Cambridge for a number of years and several agencies provide him with professional support to help him stop drinking and reform his behaviour.

"This work will continue as the aim of the ASBO is to stop the problem behaviour, rather than to punish the offender."

He said Brian Cook's ASBO was similar.

"To help both Paul and Brian comply with the order, we would urge licensees and off-licence stores not to sell them alcohol."

CEN

Workplace Drinking Culture Influences Employees' Alcohol Use

Workers are less likely to drink heavily, frequently, or at work if the companies discourage drinking, researchers found.

In environments where drinking is most discouraged, workers were 45% less likely to be heavy drinkers, 54% less likely to be frequent drinkers, and 69% less likely to drink at work than their counterparts in workplaces with the most relaxed attitudes toward drinking, according to an online report in Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

The percentage of the various drinking behaviors decreased as social norms discouraging drinking increased, said Benjamin C. Amick, Ph.D., of the Institute for Work and Health here and the University of Texas, Houston.

Dr. Amick and colleagues surveyed 5,338 workers at 16 Fortune 500 companies. Almost 40% were drinkers; 19% (1,015) were classified as heavy drinkers outside of work, 8% (423) as frequent drinkers, and 11% (577) as drinking at work.

Overall, women, workers who frequently attended religious services (once or more a week; at least once a month), and people living with a partner were less likely to drink. On the other hand, younger workers and those who smoked were more likely to drink, the researchers reported.

Their findings came from a detailed analysis of workplace attitudes and drinking behavior, with complete data nested in 137 supervisory workgroups. This analysis was part of the Worksite Alcohol Study phase II conducted in 1994.

To examine the drinking-social norm relationship, various workgroups were divided into four groups based on a quartile distribution. Workgroups in the first quartile had the most encouraging drinking norms while those in the fourth quartile had the most discouraging norms.

Workers were classified as frequent drinkers if, during the past 30 days, they had consumed any beer, wine, or liquor on five or more days in a week.

Men were considered heavy drinkers if they drank five or more drinks in one day in the past month. For women the cut-off was four or more drinks in the same time span.

Workers were considered to drink at work if they reported drinking during the workday or if they had drunk alcohol in the past 30 days two hours before going to work, during lunch or a break, while working, before driving a vehicle on company business, or at a company-sponsored event.

Measures of worksite management tolerance were based on responses by managers to questions about how tolerant the worksite was about drinking in an earlier survey of the same sites, the researchers said.

Drinking social norms were measured by answers to eight statements:

Having a drink or two after work to relax; getting together for drinks after work; drinking with clients and customers is good for business; supervisors miss key information if they don't socialize with colleagues over a drink; a drink or two a day is good for a person's health; having a few beers at lunch is a reasonable way to deal with a boring job; the more frequently people are exposed to alcohol, the more likely they are to develop an alcohol problem; serving alcohol at a company social event sets a bad example.

Workers reported their agreement ranging from strongly agree to strongly disagree. From this information and other evaluations the researchers established workgroup "social norms."

Notably, the researchers said, while the observed association was stronger for drinking at work, workgroup norms were also strongly associated with decreased odds for drinking behavior outside the work environment, suggesting the potential long reach of worksite-based public health campaigns, the researchers said.

This study supports and extends previous research, Dr. Amick said. "To our knowledge," he added, "this is the first study using a multilevel design and analysis with measures of group level social norms. To extend the generalizations of previous social-norms research, this study was conducted in a wide range of organizations with different dominant occupations and managerial attitudes toward drinking."

Some limitations must be noted, the investigators acknowledged. For example, the cross-sectional design precluded separating out relations between social norms and drinking. Self-selection of drinkers to favorable workplaces might also produce clusters of workers with similar beliefs, which might be interpreted as drinking social norms.

Another criticism of aggregated measures is that they capture individual not group characteristics, the researchers said. However, they believe, a statistical test suggests that this is not so.

Model misclassification may have been a confounder, they said. Nevertheless, the final model estimates were adjusted for a wide range of known drinking risk factors, such as gender, age, education, salary, family history, alcohol, and attendance at religious services, the researchers said.

Organizations that discourage drinking reduce the likelihood of both heavy and frequent drinking outside of work as well as drinking on the job, Dr. Amick said. However, further prospective research is needed to show a causal relationship between drinking social norms and actual drinking, he and his colleagues said.

As part of a broad-based public health campaign, the current study suggests the importance of job-based social interventions to reduce drinking, alcohol-related injuries, illnesses, and diseases beyond the workplace, Dr. Amick said.

MedPage Today

'Pregnant women should avoid all alcohol': UK government

The UK government has advised women who are pregnant to avoid alcohol altogether - in advice that contradicts its own previous guidance.

Previously government - and most physicians - have advised one to two units per week of wine is acceptable.

The Department of Health admitted the revised position, which also applies to women trying to conceive, was not based on any new medical research.

Indeed, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists continues to maintain that there is no evidence that the previously recommended moderate consumption is detrimental to foetal development.

'My midwife told me that one two units of alcohol – a pint of beer or a small glass of wine – is fine, and I have been following this advice,' said Akiko Mumford, an advertising executive in London who is six months pregnant. 'If I'm out at night and I want to have a drink, I do.'

The Portman Group, a drinks industry-funded association that promotes responsible drinking and a balanced understanding of alcohol-related issues, would not comment on the new recommendation itself.

'Pregnant women should be made aware of this medical advice and the risk of drinking alcohol during pregnancy,' said chief executive David Poley. 'We are having constructive discussions with the government about what more the industry can do to effectively communicate this advice.'

While the effects of binge-drinking are unclear – and heavy consumption during pregnancy is known to cause birth defects – the anti-alcohol and children's charities claim that no amount is safe, and advocate a blanket ban.

'To be honest, I am annoyed that the government – which we are supposed to look to for advice – makes these kinds of announcements with no facts to back them up,' said Mumford.

'It seems like the anti-alcohol lobby is pushing them into it, and I feel they are ill-informing women across the UK. We'll end up with a situation very similar to that of the US, where everyone is incredibly judgmental. Most women are smart enough to ask for advice and follow it. I think the recommendation of one to two units is sensible and I am confident I am doing no harm.'

In a similar move, Alcohol Concern recently advocated that parents who serve alcohol at home to their children under 15 should be prosecuted.

Decanter

Alcohol-related deaths for men doubled in 12 years

The number of alcohol-related deaths that could have been prevented has more than doubled in men since 1993, figures show.

In 1993, 1,776 men died from alcohol-related disease that could have been avoided, rising to 3,884 in 2005. In 1993, 1,049 women died from alcohol-related disease, rising 67 per cent to 1,873 in 2005.

However, the statistics only relate to the number of death certificates where conditions related to alcohol are specifically mentioned, such as cirrhosis of the liver. Charities have put the real figure at more than 22,000 premature deaths a year and, three years ago, government estimates ran at 16,000 to 22,000 deaths a year.

The charity Alcohol Concern estimates that 60 people die every day from drink-related causes.

According to government figures, more than 90 per cent of the adult population consumes alcohol. Fears have been raised over an increase in binge drinking.

The report, from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) related to deaths of those under the age of 75 in England and Wales. The ONS released figures in February showing there were 8,386 such deaths across the UK.

Yesterday, it said the alcohol-related disease death rate went up from 7.3 men per 100,000 population in 1993 in England and Wales to 14.4 per 100,000 population in 2005. In women, the rate went from 4.0 per 100,000 in 1993 to 6.7 per 100,000 in 2005.

Levin Wheller, who presented the data, said the figures were more likely to reflect long-term heavy drinking leading to problems such as cirrhosis of the liver than short-term binge drinking.

In 2004, the Government launched a strategy for dealing with the problems of alcohol abuse. The Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy proposed a number of measures to improve early identification and treatment of alcohol problems.

They included improved training to help NHS staff spot the signs of alcohol abuse and a national audit of alcohol treatment services. But Alcohol Concern said the plan lacked muscle and it wants the treatment issue to be properly addressed in the new strategy, currently in the process of being drafted.

The number of people taken to accident and emergency departments for injuries related to drinking has also risen sharply.

Independent

2nd area man's death at SMU tied to alcohol

A Southern Methodist University freshman from Hinsdale, found dead earlier this month in his dormitory room, died of alcohol poisoning, according to the Dallas County medical examiner's office.

Jordan Crist, 19, is the third SMU student in the last year -- the second from Chicago's western suburbs -- whose death has been linked to alcohol or drugs.

In December, Jacob Stiles, 20, a sophomore from Naperville, died of combination of cocaine, alcohol and fentanyl.

His body was found in his room inside the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity house.

A third student, Meaghan Bosch, was found dead this month in a portable toilet at a construction site near Waco.

Texas Rangers police said they are investigating a possible overdose, although the medical examiner's office has not issued a final report.

The Dallas County medical examiner's office would not immediately release Crist's blood-alcohol level, But the Dallas Morning News reported the examiner said the level was 0.4, or five times the .08 legal limit for driving.

Crist's family members believe his death is directly connected to his long-standing battle with diabetes insipidus, or "water" diabetes.

His father, Peter Crist of Hinsdale, said a characteristic of the disease is that a sufferer who fails to take medication can consume large amounts of liquid and not feel hydrated.

Jordan Crist may have consumed a lot of alcohol to quench his thirst, resulting in his body shutting down, Peter Crist said.

Jordan Crist was drinking with three other students the night before he was found dead, his father said, adding that none of those students has reached out to the family to discuss what happened.

Jordan Crist's medical bracelet identifying his condition was not on his body. Family members found it later on his dorm room desk, his father said.

"I accept the fact that he was drinking. I'm not refuting the medical examiner's findings," Peter Crist said. "I just think there's a direct linkage between the diabetes insipidus and this event. ... It is my firm belief that there is some connection there. ... But I'm afraid that with all that's going on in Dallas, that's been lost."

Crist said he didn't want his son's legacy as an outgoing, talented and athletic young man to be marred by one terrible mistake and the intense media coverage over the recent deaths at SMU.

University officials said the three deaths have prompted new programs to educate students about the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse.

In response to Stiles' death, a new program, "Because I Care," was launched in the spring, said John Sanger, director of the SMU Center for Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention.

It involves training student leaders in how to intervene when they encounter a friend with a drinking or drug problem. In the fall, SMU plans to expand the program so more students can begin teaching the intervention techniques to peers.

Yet for some faculty on campus, the changes haven't been far-reaching enough.

George Henson, a lecturer in Spanish who had both Stiles and Bosch in his classes, said the university needs to be more aggressive and should start with a campuswide discussion about the incidents.

He also argues there should be more consequences for students involved in the drinking binges that led to the students' deaths.

No information has been released on whether the Stiles' fraternity brothers or the students with Crist were disciplined in any way, he said.

"I want the university to talk about what's going on and have a dialogue across the faculty, student and staff lines," he said. "And the university needs to establish a protocol for faculty. What do we do if we suspect a student has a problem with alcohol? I have students who come to class reeking of alcohol, and I have no idea what to do.

"I don't want to see more people die, and I really don't like the idea that SMU is compromising students' safety for the sake of their reputation."

Dee Siscoe, associate vice president for student affairs at SMU, said she could not violate student privacy by discussing individual discipline matters.

She also would not say whether Stiles' fraternity had been disciplined, but said the university takes an overall educational approach to discipline as well as suspending students in specific cases.

"I think one of the things we do really well here is we try to work with students and we try to provide an opportunity for the individual student to learn something from the situation," she said. "That is why our [discipline] process is educational and not punitive. Police have standard outcomes. Educational institutions provide the opportunity to grow and develop."

Chicago Tribune

'No alcohol in pregnancy' advised

Experts say there is no proven safe limit of consumption. Pregnant women and those trying for a baby should avoid alcohol completely, according to new government advice.

It replaces existing advice that one to two units such as a couple of glasses of wine per week is acceptable.

The change follows concern from some sectors that there is no safe amount of alcohol that mothers-to-be can drink.

While heavy alcohol consumption during pregnancy is known to be damaging to the unborn child, the effects of more moderate intake are less clear.

There is no proven safe level of alcohol to drink during pregnancy because any amount can pass through the placenta to the baby

The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists says there is no evidence that a couple of units once or twice a week will do any harm to the baby.

The Department of Health said the revision was not based on new scientific evidence but was needed to help ensure that women did not underestimate the risks to their baby.

It now says pregnant women or women trying to conceive should abstain from alcohol.

If they do choose to drink, to minimise the risk to the baby, they should not drink more than one to two units of alcohol once or twice a week and should not get drunk.

Abstinence

Women who are already pregnant and who have followed the earlier advice "will not have put themselves or their baby at risk", the Department reassured.

Deputy Chief Medical Officer Dr Fiona Adshead said: "We have strengthened our advice to women to help ensure that no-one underestimates the risk to the developing foetus of drinking above the recommended safe levels.

"Our advice is simple: avoid alcohol if pregnant or trying to conceive.

"This advice could also be included on alcohol packaging or labels," she added.

She said many women give up drinking alcohol completely during pregnancy.

But data suggest 9% still drink above recommended levels.

Dr Sheila Shribman, the National Clinical Director for Children, Young People and Maternity Services, said: "It is vital that we alert pregnant women and women hoping to conceive about the potential dangers of excessive alcohol consumption during pregnancy.

"Although there is still scientific uncertainty about the precise impact of excess alcohol on unborn babies we believe the time is right to introduce a strong consistent approach across the whole of the UK."

Sketchy science

Dame Karlene Davis, general secretary of the Royal College of Midwives, said: "We do not live in an ideal world, and we know that some women may drink alcohol when pregnant, but our advice remains that they should not."

Jane Brewin, chief executive of the baby charity Tommy's, agreed, saying: "There is no proven safe level of alcohol to drink during pregnancy because any amount can pass through the placenta to the baby."

There is no consistent evidence that low to moderate consumption of alcohol during pregnancy has any adverse effects, although there is some evidence that binge drinking can affect neurodevelopment of the foetus.

And heavy consumption can cause serious harm, including a condition called Foetal Alcohol Syndrome.

The National Organisation on Foetal Alcohol Syndrome estimates more than 6,000 UK children are born with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder each year.

The drinks industry said it was in discussions with government about what more it could do to effectively communicate the new advice.

BBC News

Parents worried about alcohol use by Twin Falls High students

Students at Twin Falls High School are becoming more tolerant of alcohol use on campus, according to a recent survey.

Now the question is: Who will do something about it before it's too late?

About 30 parents voiced their concerns Monday afternoon about the pervasiveness of drugs and alcohol at the high school. Several parents asked the district to do more to fight the growing problem, while others offered their support.

Principal Ben Allen said he welcomed the meeting as well as the support.

"It takes parents, staff and students to create a culture where this (substance abuse) is not acceptable," Allen said. "And based on our survey, the problem is that it's becoming more acceptable by students who do not normally participate in it."

The high school conducted the survey as part of an eligibility requirement for grant money.

Sherri Molina, the district's coordinator of the Safe and Drug Free Schools program, said students are reluctant to speak out against alcohol and drug use on campus because they fear repercussions from other students.

And students are not the only people who are afraid to speak out.

Parents who attended the meeting on Monday asked not to be identified by the Times-News because they feared that their kids would be singled out in school.

"That's kind of the problem because we have parents and students who want something to be done, but nobody is willing to step up and do something," Molina said. "I think there is a lot of frustration and I understand that, but sometimes it's not very easy for schools to prove that a student is intoxicated."

She said the school can only require random drug testing of students who are involved in athletics or other school-sponsored activities. Federal law prohibits schools from testing students who do not participate in school activities unless a parent authorizes the drug test.

But confusion and disagreement also appear to be factors in the way the school district is approaching substance abuse.

Many parents are asking for a zero-tolerance policy on school campuses, while others say intervention programs would be more effective.

Even the types of drugs that are prevalent on school campuses are being debated.

Allen said that while alcohol use among students was increasing, other drugs appeared to be declining.

But Molina said that wasn't true because the use of drugs such as cocaine and painkillers also is rising.

However, everyone seemed to agree that somebody needs to do something.

Times News

Drug / alcohol treatment program

Another weapon against the evil forces of drug and alcohol abuse may find its way to far western North Carolina.

The program follows a treatment model called the Matrix Model, said Dr. James Kowalski, who is a licensed professional counselor and a Master Addiction counselor for Murphy Counseling Services.

A possible client would be evaluated and if the intensive outpatient program is indicated, he would go for treatment three times a week - three hours for each session. Treatment includes individual, group and family counseling, supplemented by attendance at a 12th step program such as Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous.

Getting the program is a matter of funding, staffing and finding transportation for clients. Kowalski pointed out that if a person is asked to come in three times a week for a total of nine hours, there will be transportation costs for gasoline and cost of someone to watch kids. Murphy Counseling is pursuing grants or state funding to help get the program started.

"California got this started," Kowalski said. "They say it is the best thing available for treatment."

Murphy Counseling S e r v i c e s treats a range of disorders, including substance abuse, depression, sexual offenses and anger management through a variety of programs. Substance Abuse is presently addressed primarily through DWI (Driving While Impaired) services.

North Carolina law provides for five different levels of DWI substance abuse treatment, depending on a variety of factors, including how many DWIs a person has received.

"We have three groups running and we treat anyone who wants help or who is court ordered," Kowalski said. "We do an evaluation to determine what level (of treatment) is appropriate for the individual."

DWI programs involve group participation but individual counseling is offered if needed.

The DWI program recently received 100 percent in a MH/DD/SAS Programmatic Review evaluation.

"I have been doing the group for six months and we have only had one repeat offender," Kowalski said. (About 75 people have entered the DWI treatment to this point).

The DWI program is helping people get their driver's licenses back.

"We hammer to them not to get behind the wheel of an automobile, golf cart, scooter or boat," Kowalski said. "I saw a video that showed that a person can drive 2,000 times (intoxicated) before he is caught. The risky hours are 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. on weekends. I tell them that if they are on the road during those hours, they are fair game."

Kowalski pointed out that not everyone who gets a DWI is an alcoholic. Most people who get their first DWI will realize the problem and won't do it again.

Kowalski has counseled substance abusers in large, metropolitan areas and he sees a difference in this region in that people, in general, are poorer and more isolated and don't seek treatment as readily as those in the big cities. He also sees a generational substance abuse pattern where kids of alcoholics become alcoholics themselves.

The main drug of abuse in this area is still alcohol. But methamphetamine, prescription drugs (such as oxycontin and anti-anxiety medications) are also abused.

Alcohol depresses part of the brain that affects judgement and motor skills. Meth causes the body to be in a high state of arousal and improves energy. The brain is flooded with certain chemicals. When the euphoria runs out, the meth user needs more of the drug to get back to feeling better. Meth involves all kinds of physical risks, Kowalski said.

The meth addict is the hardest to treat because it is more addictive. A person normally becomes an alcoholic over a period of time. However, a person can get hooked on meth after the first use.

"They say that once you use meth, it can change your brain forever," he said. "It can take years for the brain to get back to where it was."

Kowalski said the government has cut back on funding for substance abuse treatment. A treatment facility in Black Mountain, North Carolina cut its in-patient treatment program from 28 to 14 days. If a person needs in-patient treatment, presently they can be directed to Christian Love Ministries in Murphy or to the Black Mountain facility.

"It seems like in North Carolina and Georgia, (substance abuse treatment) is not a priority," he said. "The government is spending money on other things and cutting back on what they spend on their own people."

Kowalski pointed out that it costs more than $20,000 a year to support an inmate in the prison system and those locked up could be treated for much less than that.

He said that two of the biggest cop-outs or excuses for using drugs and not seeking help are the statement "There is nothing to do around here" so they get into drugs and "I can do it (recover from drugs) by myself". People need support from family, spiritual support, a sponsor and others.

However, there is hope for the terrible drug abuse problem. Treatment is available and the intensive outpatient program will hopefully become a reality.

"I have worked in the field for 18 years and I like helping people make changes in their lives," Kowalski said.

Cherokee Sentinel

Don't put minors in jail for alcohol

Even though they cite the wrong reasons, Tuscaloosa leaders are right to maintain that minors shouldn’t be jailed for simple alcohol possession.

They say jailing the youngsters on misdemeanor charges creates bad publicity and has a temporary negative effect on business.

The real concern should be about the jailed youths. In many cases, throwing them into jail for a misdemeanor offense is almost certain to produce lasting negative attitudes and mindsets.

We don’t downplay the importance of curbing underage drinking. But in most cases, it would be much better to issue a citation to minors in possession of alcohol and channel those who need it into treatment and education programs.

City police officers now give citations that order minors in possession of alcohol to appear in municipal court. The minor is jailed only if he or she is intoxicated.

Unfortunately, the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Board has chosen to take a harder approach. State ABC board administrator Emory Folmar, the former gun-toting, tough-talking mayor of Montgomery, is adamant that the only responsible option for dealing with people under 21 in possession of alcohol is to put them in jail, regardless of their level of intoxication.

Folmar says public safety is an issue because the youngsters could be involved in an accident. He also accuses the city of dumping the problem in ABC’s lap “so they don’t get blamed for something that happens to Junior out on the Strip."

Folmar’s hard-nosed tactics are likely to breed nothing but fear and resentment. There’s a much more intelligent, effective way to handle the problem.

Tuscaloosa News

Combined effort to beat problem drinking

The dangers of drinking too much will be highlighted at a conference at Taunton Racecourse on Wednesday.

The event comes a week after West Somerset Coroner Michael Rose warned that alcohol kills more people than drugs in Taunton.

Tomorrow's event will be attended by district council licensing experts, trading standards and crime reduction officers, police and councillors.

The aim is to share good practice and consider how the different authorities and services can develop a consistent and enhanced approach to tackling alcohol abuse on licensed premises.

Supt Gary Davies said: "This is not just about reducing crime.

"There are all kinds of other problems that are caused by excessive alcohol consumption, such as accidents and underage sexual activity.

"Great efforts are being made across the county to address these problems, but even more can be done if services work together.

"Somerset is overwhelmingly a safe place and a great place to live and work. We want to make sure that everyone can go out and enjoy it safely."

Jim Hunter, Taunton Deane Council's Operations Manager for Environmental Health, said: "We all have the same agenda but at the moment each do things a little differently.

"I hope we can establish what exactly we are all doing, and then start to consider how we can have a more integrated approach that brings everyone together."

Mr Rose's comments came at the inquest into the death of alcoholic Alexander Devine, 62, whose body lay undiscovered in his flat in Monmouth Road, Taunton, for almost a fortnight.

Mr Rose said: "It's a sad indictment of our society that we can't drink respectably."

Somerset County Gazette

Parents have a key role in dealing with the drinking problem

Midland's Holli Carter is passionate about parenting and underage drinking, because in her mind, the two go hand-in-hand.

Carter, a mother of an 18-year-old son and 12-year-old daughter, believes that too many parents are afraid to set boundaries for appropriate behavior and hold their children accountable by having consequences for their actions.

Instead, she contends that a number of parents are often too interested in being their son's or daughter's friend, and that is why so many parents shy away from confronting their teen-agers about difficult issues, such as drinking alcohol and drug usage.

From her experience, Carter believes many parents either accept, overlook or ignore the fact that their teen-agers drink alcohol, even though it is against the law (Michigan law requires a person to be 21 to legally drink), and even though it may be taking place in their own home.

"That is the majority of parents, by far, and it just floors me," Carter said. "What you see in this community is that parents overindulge their kids, and are more interested in being friends with their kids.

"They don't set limits. ... They're afraid to say 'no' because it may create a rift."

Carter's son, Kelvin, a senior at Midland High who was the Midland Daily News 2006-07 Player of the Year in boys' basketball, made a commitment to not drink alcohol during his time in high school, and tried to avoid parties where alcohol was being served.

And the response to that from some parents? Holli Carter said many parents either doubted that her son was being honest or they weren't supportive of his stance.

"I believe that some parents wanted to see him fail," she said.

Carter said one mother flat out told her that Kelvin wasn't telling the truth about not drinking alcohol.

"She told me, 'I hate to burst your bubble, but they all (drink alcohol),'" Carter recalled. "It wasn't like she wanted to know how my son was able to make his (stance). This has cost him a lot in terms of friendships and his social connections.

"He's been pretty lonely at times because the choices that he's made have been hard and unpopular."

Carter and her husband, Tim, have found this topic to be a polarizing issue among parents and students.

"The kids who do choose not to drink are in a lot of ways chastised by other kids and other parents," said Holli Carter, who is the Residential Program Manager at the TenSixteen Treatment Center in Midland. "It's like they want to see them fail."

In many communities, including Midland, parents sometimes find themselves in a tug-of-war situation with other parents over value systems.

A percentage of parents believe that it is OK for their son or daughter and their teen-age friends to drink alcohol inside a home, with adults nearby. The reasoning, in most cases, is that at least they're not driving a vehicle and that a teen's parent is in the house.

But other parents find that attitude unacceptable, saying it not only undermines the standards set in many homes, but it's essentially giving teens the go-ahead to break the law.

"I think it's a disservice to teach kids to manipulate the system. You are training your child to break the law and not get caught. That's the message you are sending, whether you know it or not," said Midland County Prosecutor Mike Carpenter.

Carpenter believes a vast percentage of parents want to do the right thing and keep their teen-agers from drinking alcohol and are concerned when they find out drinking is taking place among teens.

"There's a silent majority out there that believes the law is the law," Carpenter said.

He encourages parents to be actively involved in their child's life, listening to their concerns and communicating with them openly and honestly. He takes the approach of "trust, but verify" when a parent talks to his or her teen. He believes parents must show that they care about their teen's problems.

"Do your kids really know what your position is and whether you care if they're drinking or smoking? Do you show concern or frustration?" Carpenter said. "(A parent) needs to be diligent and vigilant in conversations."

Which leads to another key area: friendships. Finding out who your children are hanging out with is crucial, because peer pressure can be overwhelming, and friends influence behavior.

"We've always told our kids that you're judged by the people you hang out with," said Midlander Jean Bell, the mother of two sons. "You have to be aware of who your kids' friends are. That's huge."

Bell said that she and her husband, Tom, try to be good role models at home, and encourage open dialogue with their 20-year-old and 14-year-old sons to find out what's going on in their lives.

"We believe you're a product of your environment," she said. "We feel we've been fortunate to have two good kids."

Like a lot of parents, Bell said it's challenging to raise a family. She noted that balancing rules with a solid relationship is extremely important in relating to your child and earning their trust to open up about issues in their lives.

"It's work, it's not easy," she said. "No one is telling you how to be a good parent."

Gary Strickler, a swim and soccer coach at Dow High, believes in a "proactive" approach. As a coach, particularly in swimming, he tells his athletes about the detrimental effects that alcohol can have on the body and how it affects one's performance in the water.

"If someone is drinking, they should go through one of our (swim) practices, that would fix the problem," he says matter-of-factly, noting how demanding swim practices are.

As parents, Strickler and his wife, Amy, who have four children, are quite aware of how much drinking is taking place among teen-agers throughout the community, so they impose a strict curfew at home and don't allow their teens to sleep over at another family's house.

"We found out that that's when most of the drinking is taking place -- at sleepovers," he said.

For a lot of parents, the bottom line is this: establishing rules, consistently enforcing those rules and still maintaining a good relationship with their child.

"Society's priorities are out of whack," Holli Carter said. "If my son got caught drinking, he would not play (sports). I don't care what the school does, because his life matters that much to me. ... It's tough-love. It's a hard line to toe, but I would do it, because I love him."

Midland Daily News

Calls to save a generation from alcohol

There will be an "epidemic" of alcoholics in the next decade unless drastic measures are taken to curb underage drinking, the head of a drug hotline has warned.

The warning comes after a report in last week's Sun-Herald revealed teenagers were meeting for binge drinking sessions in Sydney parks and beaches, using popular internet sites such as MySpace to drum up numbers.

Calls to the Family Drug Support helpline from parents concerned about teenage alcoholism have increased by 11 per cent in the past 10 years, said chief executive Tony Trimingham.

Last year, 15 per cent of the 25,000 calls to the hotline were about alcohol, with the overwhelming majority relating to underage drinking.

"The parents ring up in desperation and panic," Mr Trimingham said. "Nobody calls up about kids experimenting. Either the kids are dependent on alcohol, in trouble with the police or there is quite a lot of violence at home [because of it]."

Mr Trimingham, who lost his son to a heroin overdose 10 years ago, said that the "900 or so" mixed drinks on the market contributed to the problem because they appealed to young palates.

"Now, kids have got access to alcohol that is like lolly water, and they're getting smashed," he said. "About 10 per cent of users develop problems and dependency. I just feel that we are creating - in about 10 years' time - a whole generation of people in their 20s and 30s who will be dependent on alcohol. And most will be female."

The heads of two Bondi-based youth groups admitted that teens were drinking younger, and more, than ever before.

Point Zero general manager, Stephanie Lenga, said volunteers visited eastern suburbs beaches and parks to help underage drinkers who needed emergency care. The group assisted 3000 young people last year.

WAYS Youth Services general manager of operations, Karen McLaughlan, said part of the problem was that extra policing had pushed young people from the beaches into the parks.

The Sun-Herald

Alcohol victims seek more help

More and more people from York are seeking help because their families are being torn apart by alcoholic relatives - with men and teenagers increasingly needing support.

The York branch of Al-Anon, a support group for the relatives of alcoholics, has reported a sharp rise in members.

Over the past nine months, the group has seen numbers of those attending rise from about five a week to more than 20.

The meetings are now welcoming male members seeking refuge from the heavy drinkers they live with - with about five men now regularly turning up for meetings.

The group is proving so well- used it has just set up another one on Saturdays to cope with increased demand.

Group member Brenda* suggested recent changes to drinking laws might be one reason for the sudden rise in membership.
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She said: "It's the society we are living in. Young people are doing too much, too early, and not knowing how to drink socially without going to complete excess. Could it be to do with the drinking laws?

"Most of the people who come are in their 20s and 30s, the youngest is 17 or 18. (They can be) children of people who drink. Or a lot of members say: it's my daughter who's the alcoholic, or my son who's a drug-user.

"In almost all cases, the drugs are preceded by the drinking, and the parents are at their wits' end.

"For a long time, we had no men. In the past nine months, quite a few men have joined."

Brenda, who has been to group meetings for the past ten years, said those who went along to Al-Anon could often spur their alcoholic relatives to seek help themselves.

She said the group followed the same 12-step programme as Alcoholics Anonymous. Members could attend and hear stories from other people - some of them with messages of hope after their own relatives had finally given up drinking.

Leaflets giving advice were also available.

Brenda said: "These are confidential, closed meetings. This is a safe environment. Whatever we say in these rooms will stay in these rooms. There's no repeating of anything, or gossiping.

"People need to know there's help and support for them to get a better handle on how to cope with their addicted spouse or loved one.

"The benefit of it is you will find hope and a light at the end of the tunnel.

"All families of active drinkers have got their own story to tell."

Al-Anon runs the free meetings at 7pm on Wednesdays and 2pm on Saturdays, in the Friends' Meeting House, Friargate, York. You can also phone a 24-hour helpline on 0207 403 0888, or log on to www.al-anonuk.org.uk
# Name has been changed

'My life was ruled by fear'

BOB had been married to his wife for nine years before their lives started to fall apart.

His wife became an alcoholic and unable to cope, Bob, 58, turned to York's Al-Anon for support.

He said: "She was drinking probably about half a bottle of vodka a day and she was doing it secretively.

"Alcoholics usually have something in their life that they can't cope with and for my wife it was the death of her father. She became dependent on drinking.

"I wasn't able to cope. I was no longer able to run my business and my life was ruled by fear. I was frightened when I went out because I didn't know what I would find when I got back.

"Al-Anon was a lifeline for me. I felt incredibly lonely because I thought I was the only person going through this, but Al-Anon allowed me to meet other people with exactly the same experiences.

"It helped me find a way of coping with my life by teaching me I had to focus on my own life rather than my wife's.

"It is a natural thing to blame yourself, but Al-Anon made me realise that nothing that I was doing was making my wife pick up the bottle.

"I became calmer and managed to get a grip of my life again."

Bob's wife is now in recovery after a course of hypnotherapy, but he said he was still attending the Al-Anon sessions because he wanted to help others.

He said: "I still go because by sharing my experiences I know I can help somebody else. Al-Anon helped me more than I can say and now I want to give something back."

York Press

Gadsden teen recovering from alcohol poisoning

A 15-year-old Gadsden High School honor student who was in a coma induced by alcohol and cocaine poisoning is being treated at Las Palmas Hospital, a Doña Ana County Sheriff's Office investigator said Thursday.

The teenager was hospitalized Wednesday after sheriff's deputies went to her home in Anthony, N.M., for what they thought was a domestic violence incident, Investigator Bo Nevarez said.

The El Paso Times is not publishing her name because she is a minor.

Nevarez said that when the deputies arrived, they saw that she had an injury on her lip and that her eyes were swollen. They then noticed a strong odor of alcohol.

She was taken by ambulance to Memorial Medical Center in Las Cruces. At the hospital, authorities learned that her blood-alcohol level was 0.50 -- about six times as high as the 0.08 limit allowed under Texas and New Mexico laws for driving -- and that she also had cocaine in her system. She was then transferred to Las Palmas in El Paso.

Las Palmas officials on Thursday declined to comment on her condition, citing federal patient privacy laws.

Nevarez said the girl was in a coma on Wednesday but showed signs of improvement on Thursday.

"She is responsive. She came out of the coma (Thursday)," Nevarez said. "I don't want to speculate because I'm not a medical professional, but according to her sister and her mother, it appears that she is going to be fine."

Her family couldn't be reached for comment.

Nevarez said her parents told him the girl is an honor student at Gadsden High School.

Art Ruiloba, Gadsden Independent School District spokesman, said the girl is a freshman and a member of the volleyball team. She has no history of disciplinary problems at the school.

"It's unfortunate that an incident like this happens to one of our students," Ruiloba said. "It's important to stress the importance of being responsible and knowing that there are consequences when that responsibility is broken. We at the district are praying for a full recovery."

Nevarez said the investigation revealed that the girl was hanging out with her 17-year-old boyfriend and other friends at a friend's home after 4:30 p.m. Wednesday. She returned home about three hours later, and that's when the deputies were called for assistance.

Initially, deputies suspected she had been assaulted. But they later learned that was not the case, and that she voluntarily consumed the alcohol and cocaine, Nevarez said.

"We believe it was voluntary for all of them. They did it together," he said. "It's that time of year, schools are letting out, and parents have to be aware of who their children are hanging around with."

Her boyfriend and other friends are not expected to face any charges, Nevarez said.

Nevarez said investigators were trying to find out who supplied the teenagers with the alcohol and cocaine. That person would face charges, he said.

Nevarez encourages parents to look out for signs and symptoms that could indicate that their child has consumed alcohol or drugs, such as bloodshot eyes and changes in personality.

Mary Ellen Hernandez, Rio Grande Safe Communities manager, said the tragedy is a harsh reminder of the dangers of alcohol. She said El Paso has a problem with binge drinking, particularly among people ages 17 to 24 "because of the fact that they cross over into Mexico, drink and come back."

"They don't know when to stop," she said.

Rio Grande Safe Communities is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing substance abuse.

Hernandez said men are considered to binge drink if they have five alcoholic beverages within a two-hour period. Binge drinking for women means they have four alcoholic drinks within a two-hour period.

"Kids tend to binge drink," Hernandez said. "They don't stop. They tend to drink and drink until they pass out. They don't understand the severity of this problem."

Parents need to know whom their children are hanging out with and where they are at all times to help prevent these kinds of tragedies, she said, especially during this time of year when students attend parties, many related to graduation.

"Graduation or not, spring break or not, they should enforce zero tolerance. Zero tolerance means no drugs at any time and, if you are under 21, no alcohol," Hernandez said.

El Paso Times

Alcohol addict

Mary began drinking as a young teenager. However it would be some thirty years later before she would admit that alcohol had become a problem. Now 57, she has been sober for five years and takes group sessions at White Oaks having come through the education and training programme at the centre.

"Around 1992 I realised that I had started to drink more than usual. It progressed from there, slowly, until it spiralled out of control in the last two years before I sought help.

"I was a home drinker. In those last two years I would wake up with a hangover and reach for a glass of wine to bring me round. It would progress to drinking all day and going back to bed to sleep it off. I was married with four children and by that stage they had given up. They had supported me enough and were letting me do my own thing.

"I didn't want to lose them but I had tried everything to recover. I tried to stop by myself and even went to AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) but it didn't work," she sighed.

The straw that eventually broke the camel's back came during a week long family holiday in Spain.

"I went with my brothers and sisters. I had been off the drink for a month at that stage and thought I could handle one glass of white wine at the airport. I couldn't - the week was a blur and when I came home my own family were in bits. They were all crying and when I went to bed that night I knew something had to be done or I was going to die. I phoned a friend who put me in contact with White Oaks. You have to be sober for three days before they'll entertain you. I was taken for screening and admitted in October 1, 2002. I haven't looked back from that day. I'm a facilitator there now and take a group every week. It's very much a case of one day at a time but it's going great," she said.

"The best thing about all of this is that I managed to keep my family. I have to say that I had tried everything and I wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for White Oaks. Now I'm trying to give a little back," Mary said.

Looking back, Mary believes that she her drinking became more pronounced when her children reached their teenage years.

"I was a housewife. The kids were at school while my husband was out working. I suppose I just got bored with it all. I though I was doing a good job of masking it but the kids now tell me that they knew all along. In the end I was going to bed at five in the evening having drunk two bottles of wine during the course of the day.

"The message is that you can't beat this thing on your own. I can't stress that highly enough. I had to be educated on it and be introduced to a higher power. There is a power greater than me - God - and I needed his help," she said.

Mary has three grand children with one 'on the way' and she's looking forward to doing 'normal' things.

"Only one of them saw me drinking and I hope and pray that will remain the case. I still do normal things and attend family functions like weddings and christenings. I go to the meal and pass myself for a wee while but when the drinking starts I make my excuses and head for home. I have an escape plan," she laughs.

"There is no such thing as one drink. I have come to accept that I can never take a drink again. It's very much a case of one day at a time but with help and support from my family and friends I will continue do my best," she said.

AT JUST 16, Michael began using heroin. Now 25, he has been clean for nine months and is working hard to turn his life around.

"I always smoked and started drinking Bulmers when I was 13. I moved on to ecstasy at 14 and then LSD. Then I dropped out of school. I was living down the country at the time," he said.

"When I first started taking drugs, I really took everything and anything - heroin and cocaine mainly. I'm in my mid 20s now and I took drugs altogether for about 10 years.

"I started getting treatment down the country but it wasn't until I moved to Donegal that I started to sort out my life. If I hadn't got into White Oaks, I don't think I'd be here. The great thing about up here is all the education you can do. I've just had my first foreign holiday - my first time on a plane. I'm just starting to live life - it's great," Michael said.

"I was totally strung out by the time I was 18. I begged, borrowed and stole to feed my habit. I was basically out of control. It got to the stage when I was begging on the streets. I lost my family, my home and decided to get out of the place. It was the best decision I ever made," he added.

"When I came up here I left all that behind but, unfortunately, the alcohol then took over. I couldn't pay the rent and something had to give. I've been sober since last year's Fleadh Cheoil in Letterkenny. It's the longest period of sobriety I've had in many, many years," he said.

Michael's message is quite simple. Always be aware of what you're doing.

"The reason a lot of people got addicted to heroin years back is because of the rave scene. People would do loads of E's and then take heroin to come down. They didn't know how addictive it was," he said.

"Life is so much better now. I've money in my pocket, some money in the bank and I'm doing a course. Life is starting to open up for me," he said.

Names have been changed in this article

Donegal News

AA: Sober Celebration

In a small upstairs room in a parish hall near St Mary’s Catholic Church, a group of men pour out their hearts to one another, thanking God for saving them from the perilous clutches of alcoholism, a condition they say almost cost them everything.

Not only have they come to the Alcoholics Anonymous meeting to lean on each other for support in their fight against the bottle, they are also here to celebrate one man who is marking 15 years of sobriety.

The meeting is alive with hugs, handshakes and welcoming smiles. Generous slices of cake are passed around and the group sings a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday to mark their mate’s important milestone. At one time, said the man of the hour, 15 days without alcohol would have been a miracle, let alone 15 years.

“For a person like me, nothing short of a miracle was going to work for me,” says John, seated comfortably with his friends in a circle of plastic lawn chairs.

In the early 1990s after years of drinking and getting high on illicit drugs, John, from India, landed in hospital knocking on death’s door.

“At that time, my living skills were reduced to living like an animal. I didn’t know whether I was coming or going. Being dishonest was a way of life for me,” he said, noting he would beg, borrow and steal to secure his next fix.

It was then that John experienced an epiphany and decided to live without alcohol and drugs.

The journey to sobriety, however, proved harder than a previous life spent inebriated and drugged, he said. Loved ones often didn’t understand the struggle and neither did friends.

Those at AA, however, never waned in their support.

“Since then, it’s been one hell of a journey,” he said to fellow AA members.

Thanks to a lot of individual work and the support of the group, John said he learnt to accept things around him and learnt to take responsibility. “If I mess things up, I have no one to blame but myself,” he said. “This journey has given me self- respect, I now love myself.”

John’s face is bright as he is handed a 15-year pin.

There are others who understand the moment well.

Tim, an Indian, founded the first AA chapter in the UAE in 1977 and, 30 years later, feels fulfilled that not only his own life, but the lives of others, have been saved from alcoholism.

Tomorrow, Tim is expecting hundreds of AA members from across Dubai to converge for the 30th anniversary celebration of the group here in the city.

“It has saved many, many lives and families,” he said.

That said, Tim says that alcoholism can never be cured.

He lauds John for having the courage to fight the illness.

“We were all on the road to destruction. Coming here is a new lease on life for some,” says Tim, who has been sober for 36 years.

Alcoholics Anonymous works, he said, when other methods fail because only abusers and users truly understand the deep emotions behind powerful addictions. When users and recovering abusers connect, something powerful happens.

“We call it the language of the heart. It’s one sufferer to another sufferer,” Tim says.

Addicts can find a way out from a life that often ends in death or severe impairment. The key to the programme is surviving one day at a time without taking a drink.

“Even one day away from alcohol is a miracle,” he says. “Every day after that is a bonus.”

(Names in this story have been changed to keep identities from being publicly disclosed. The local group will meet in a closed celebration tomorrow in Dubai.)

Step by step

Alcoholics Anonymous was founded in 1935 in Akron, Ohio by a New York stockbroker, Bill Wilson, and an Akron surgeon, Dr Bob Smith.

The group has used a 12-step programme to help millions recover from their illness.

Some of the group’s steps are:
Admitting you are powerless over alcohol - that your lives had become unmanageable; believing that a power greater than yourself could restore you to sanity, making a list of all persons you have harmed, and becoming willing to make amends to them all.

Xpress

Group helps people to give up drinking

Steven first tasted liquor at the age of 15. The fancy of the first 'kick' soon developed into an obsession. In his pursuit of alcoholic pleasure, Steven lost everything, including his family, friends and relatives.

Today, however, Steven is a changed man. A marketing executive in Dubai, the man has got a new life with a happy family, relatives and friends. To him now, alcohol is a thing of the past. But even then, Steven is one of the active members of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) which celebrates its 30th anniversary today.

"It was never a social drinking affair for me. I don't remember when I got addicted to liquor. The fact is that I lost everything. It is not that I didn’t try quitting. I went to hospitals, the private nursing homes, counsellors, psychiatrists et al. But nothing helped. The AA was the last resort for me. I joined it in 1991 and I am a changed person now. The AA has saved me and my family. And now I am helping others with the same problem to get over the deadly habit," he said.

Steven is an active member of the ‘Road to Sobriety’ group, one of the many branches of AA in the emirate. It is one of the first groups of AA in this region. The AA has branches in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Sharjah as well.

A member of the group said; "We cannot be named as our group is an anonymous one. The AA is a fellowship of men and women who share their experiences with each other in a bid to solve their common problem of drinking and help others to recover from alcoholism. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There is no fee for AA membership. We do not associate ourselves with any sect, denomination, politics, organisation or institution. Our primary motive is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.”

Among the members are both men and women. The AA follows a 12-step recovery programme. "We can call it a spiritual programme. All the members sit in one place and then talk and discuss the problem among themselves. We discuss the negative things that affected us as alcoholics. Then we talk about the present and about how most of us are changed people. This gives a hope to the ones who have joined. This AA works on this particular principle," the member added.

Khaleej Times

The real cost of booze-related sickness

More than 2,000 people in East Anglia are claiming benefits and unable to work because of alcohol-related sickness.

Some are getting up to £20,000 a year in incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance and other payments to deal with their addiction.

Figures obtained from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) revealed some of the worst places for claimants are in Britian's seaside resorts - where they can enjoy a life of sun, sea and strong cider.

In the east of England, 2,280 people are currently claiming and have legitimately stated alcohol as a reason for claiming incapacity benefit and other payments such as housing support and child-related benefits.

The Norfolk Drug and Alcohol Action Team (DAAT) encourages employers to develop alcohol and drug policies.

Daniel Harry from DAAT said: “People experiencing alcohol and/or drug problems who lose their job may have difficulties in accessing employment in the future.”

As reported in the Evening News, alcohol abuse and binge drinking is resulting in more and more youngsters being treated at the accident and emergency department at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.

Last year, 507 people aged between 16 and 19 were treated in A&E at the N&N and figures from the Office for National Statistics show drink-related deaths among 15 to 34-year-olds have increased by almost 60pc since 1991.

Out of the 507 A&E attendances in 2006, 46 patients were admitted with an alcohol-related illness or a mental disorder related to drinking.

The number of under-18s in Norfolk seeking treatment for alcohol-related health problems has leapt by 18pc in the past year and for adults it has risen by 42pc.

The N&N has launched a screening project and offers help, treatment and advice if needed.

More than 72,000 people a year visit the A&E department and in about 40pc of cases alcohol is a factor.

Across the country there are 49,720 claimants of benefits because of alcohol-related sickness, at a cost of £1bn.

Britain's drunk jobless capital is the Inverclyde area, around Greenock on Scotland's west coast, where one in 150 people are claiming benefits because of drink problems.

A DWP spokesman said: “We acknowledge that people are claiming incapacity benefits for different reasons from in the past.

“Mental health problems have by and large replaced industrial injuries as the main reason why people are claiming incapacity benefits.

“Our reforms of the welfare system address these changes to provide the support that each individual needs to help them get back to work.”

Evening News 24

Principle or practical: Reservation alcohol ban sparks debate

The federal prosecution of three accused bootleggers has renewed a debate over whether alcohol should be legalized on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.

In a nutshell, the issue comes down to whether the tribe should stand by its alcohol ban as a matter of principle or take a practical approach and benefit from the money residents now spend buying alcohol off the reservation.

Many say Pine Ridge residents should decide.

“It really is up to the people that live here,” said Terryl Blue-White Eyes, director of Anpetu Luta Otipi treatment program at Porcupine. The alcohol ban was discussed on the tribal council floor a few years ago but died without being referred to a public vote, she said. “I really wish the people could speak on this.”

So does tribal councilman Tom Poor Bear, who represents Eagle Nest District.

“That’s the way it should be done,” he said. “The people should have their say.”

By law, American Indian people in the U.S. were prohibited from buying alcohol until 1953. Alcohol has been banned on the Pine Ridge reservation since the 1970s.

Because Pine Ridge is the only reservation in South Dakota that doesn’t allow alcohol, it is also the only reservation where the U.S. Attorney’s Office enforces a federal law against dispensing intoxicants in Indian Country, a crime punishable by a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

On Monday, Juanita Jumping Eagle of Manderson and Louise Jumping Eagle of Pine Ridge were sentenced in U.S. District Court to two years of probation after admitting they sold vodka to an undercover Bureau of Indian Affairs agent in December 2005.

A third woman, Judy Lays Hard of Kyle, has pleaded not guilty to the same federal charge.

Federal attorneys who handle criminal cases on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation say it has been several years since a bootlegging case was prosecuted in U.S. District Court (tribal courts can also enforce the tribal law). U.S. Attorney Marty Jackley told an Associated Press reporter that his office has increased enforcement of the law in response to requests from elders and tribal leaders at Pine Ridge.

Calls to Oglala Sioux Tribal President John Steele and Vice President William “Shorty” Brewer were not returned.

But Kay Red Hail is positive most elders are strongly opposed to allowing alcohol on the reservation.

“It’s not good,” she said. “I don’t even understand why they bring it up.”

When the Oglala Sioux Tribe legalized alcohol briefly in the 1970s, Red Hail remembers an increase in crime, people passed out on the street and panhandlers outside the reservation grocery stores that sold alcohol.

Alcohol is destructive to families, beliefs and cultural traditions, she said, and it would be more destructive if it were allowed on the reservation.

“It would be just bringing the whole problem and setting it right in the middle of us,” said Red Hail, who lives in Evergreen Housing north of Porcupine. “We don’t need that.”
Others disagree.

“I think we ought to legalize booze and put all of the money (from alcohol tax revenues) into treatment,” said Alma Brewer, a retired substance-abuse counselor. “The white people tried Prohibition. It didn’t work. … It’s a foolish law.”

Meanwhile, four stores in Whiteclay, Neb. – about two miles south of Pine Ridge village – sell about 4 million cans of beer each year, mostly to people from the Pine Ridge reservation. Crowds of people have marched from Pine Ridge to Whiteclay several times to protest alcohol sales to people from the reservation, which has one of the nation’s highest alcohol-related mortality rates.

“They contribute nothing back to our people,” said Poor Bear, who has led marches to Whiteclay. “The border towns are sure getting rich off us.”

If the tribe did legalize alcohol, Poor Bear said, tax revenues could be used to address alcohol addiction. “I feel the revenues from alcohol would really help us with the detox centers, treatment centers, help with the pain people have in turning to alcohol,” he said.

Brewer has seen the need for more treatment options. She spent 10 years as director of Flowering Tree, a residential substance-abuse treatment program for pregnant women and their children.

Currently, Anpetu Luta Otipi is the only treatment center on the reservation. There’s a waiting list for the 10 beds available in its inpatient program, which serves adolescents and adults.

Some tribal members are leery of legalizing alcohol for fear tribal leaders would spend alcohol revenues on projects other than alcohol treatment and education. Others believe banning alcohol keeps people from drinking.

“People are going to drink no matter what,” said Brewer, a former drinker who has been sober for 35 years. “They’re going to get their booze no matter what.”

Bootleggers have been around for years, Brewer said, recalling one man in the 1970s who had a drive-up window at his Pine Ridge home.

“Where there’s a will, there’s a way,” Blue-White Eyes agreed. “Whether or not they’re getting it from the bootlegger or from the liquor store is really not as important so much as what they do with it afterward. Either way, it’s a problem.”

Her program is federally funded through Indian Health Services. Along with inpatient treatment, it provides outpatient treatment and aftercare.

“There’s a continuum of care, and it could certainly be expanded,” she said, adding that there’s also a need to attract more Indian counselors. “You’d be able to do a lot more (with more funding). You could have centers in every (reservation) district.”

Red Hail is skeptical.

“It’s not going to solve the problem,” she said. “It’s just going to be trying to take care of aggravation of a problem that’s (now) sitting right in the midst of us.”

The Lower Brule Sioux Tribe has passed an ordinance setting a $10,000 annual license fee for businesses that sell alcohol on the reservation. The money is meant to help with alcohol treatment and related issues, tribal Chairman Mike Jandreau said.

He thinks alcohol is a split issue on the reservation, with the segment that supports legal alcohol sales “very strongly in favor of it.”

“It’s a difficult issue for anyone,” Jandreau said. “Personally, I’ve lived with the results of what occurs with unrestricted alcohol, and I have found that it’s not a good thing.”

Many say alcohol use is an entry into other drug use. Banning alcohol on the reservation could make it harder for young people to get it, Jandreau said.

But as Blue-White Eyes points out, young people at Pine Ridge buy alcohol from bootleggers. “At least if they had it regulated, maybe they’d get carded,” she said. “The bootleggers don’t card.”

Poor Bear suggested what could be a compromise.

“We don’t have to really legalize it on the reservation,” he said. “We can also accumulate liquor licenses to buy bars off the reservation.”

That’s similar to what happened at Cedar Pass Lodge in Interior, which was managed by the Oglala Sioux Tribe parks and recreation department for years. The tribe sold beer there under a lodge liquor license.

Tribal leaders voted against an exemption that would have allowed alcohol sales at Prairie Wind Casino.

As for a public vote on alcohol prohibition, Blue-White Eyes can’t predict the results.

“It’s an emotional issue here because of the cost that we pay for the people’s use of it,” she said.

She sees the reservation’s alcohol use as a socioeconomic problem based on 400 years of Indian history. That’s not long for people to adjust to the effects of it, she said.

Pine Ridge does have a strong abstinence movement – in fact, Blue-White Eyes said, Indian people have a higher abstinence rate than any other ethnic group.

“There’s no middle ground here,” she said. “There’s abstinence, and then there’s the using population.”

Whatever the result of a public vote, she said, “is what we’ll deal with.”

Poor Bear wouldn’t venture a guess either as to how a public vote would turn out.

“It would be a close vote, that’s all I could say,” Poor Bear said. “It would be interesting to find out.”

Rapid City Journal

Couples Often Share Risk for Problem Drinking

People at risk for drinking problems are more likely to marry someone who's also at risk for alcohol dependence, according to a team of American and Australian researchers.

Reporting in the May issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, the researchers studied almost 6,000 twins born in Australia between 1902 and 1964. They also spoke with more than 3,800 of the twins' spouses.

"As they say, 'like marries like,'" first author Julia D. Grant, a research assistant professor of psychiatry at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, said in a prepared statement.

"Spouse selection is not a random process, and we call this non-random mating. People tend to choose mates who are similar to them, not only from the same nei