Alcohol shrinks brain

Stumbling, slurring, blacking out and passing out.

While these are obvious effects of consuming alcohol, many students are unaware of just how physically damaging drinking can be.

“Long term consumption of alcohol can cause profound brain shrinkage, memory disorders and damage to the liver,” said Robert Lishak, a professor in biology.

However, as many students have the notion that their bodies are invincible, some say this won’t affect their decision of whether to drink.

“I’m not surprised,” said Brandon Carter, a senior in graphic design. “I did not know that it could shrink your brain, but at the same time, isn’t everything in this world bad for you?”

Lishak said the severity of the negative impacts of alcohol on the brain and body is dose-dependent, but varies from person to person.

“We are all genetically unique, so it is hard to say how much alcohol must be consumed to cause real damage,” Lishak said. “However, it is safe to say that damage to the liver and to the brain occur with even moderate consumption of alcohol.”

Physical damage is not the only thing students should worry about when consuming alcohol. Poor decisions made while drinking can often pay a toll on a student’s emotions.

David Eugene is a recovering alcoholic and is the author of the book “20 Good Reasons to Stay Sober.”

“One good reason to stay sober, which is not listed in my book, is that nothing good ever happens as a result of drunkenness,” Eugene said.

“Think of all of the negative things that we’ve seen or experienced for ourselves, as a result of people ‘having a few too many’ or binge drinking.”

Lishak said binge drinking is a big problem for students.

“A large percentage of binge drinkers report proximal memory loss where they have no memory of where they were or who they were with during the time of alcohol consumption,” Lishak said. “This memory loss finds its way into short-term and long-term memory and can affect learning and grades.”

Drinking is not the only health factor than can negatively affect students’ grades.

“It’s to the college student’s advantage to handle things like sleep and diet if you’re serious about your grades,” said Robert Keith, a professor in nutrition and food science.

Many students do not get as much sleep as they should, and some say it does have an effect on their school work.

“When you’re really tired, it’s hard to concentrate,” Carter said. ”It’s hard to focus on taking everything in that you need to learn because your body is trying to force you to go to sleep.”

Keith said stress is another large factor.

“Stress decreases your ability to concentrate,” Keith said. “Whatever is stressing you takes away from your ability to focus on the task, which may be studying in this case.”

Nevertheless, alcohol is a very large factor on a student’s grades, because the effects can be felt well into the next day after drinking.

“I missed many important meetings and appointments because I was too hung over to make it, or I was so drunk that I slept through my alarm clock,” Eugene said. “I spent many days ‘recovering’ from the night before that could have been spent in a much more productive manner.”

Keith agrees that hangovers and schoolwork don’t mix.

“Say you have to study on Sunday and you go out Friday and Saturday night,” Keith said. “You’re not consuming alcohol Sunday, but you’re still feeling the after effects of that, so you’re still sluggish. Your ability to concentrate even the next day after you go out and drink a fair amount is not good.”

Auburn Plainsman

Third of drivers 'take a drink'

A third of respondents to a Northern Ireland road safety survey think it is acceptable to drive after having one alcoholic drink.

However, 61% of people interviewed for the NI Road Safety Monitor 2008 would not travel in a car when the driver had taken a drink.

The study revealed 40% of motorists surveyed normally exceed the speed limit on motorways.

The survey sampled the behaviour, attitudes and awareness of the public.

A total of 14% of motorists interviewed said they normally exceed the speed limit on roads in a built up area, with this figure jumping to 17% outside a built up area, and 25% on dual carriageways.

The survey reported that 27% of those interviewed who drink, would walk across a public road after having five or more alcoholic beverages.

Half of the respondents said they thought it was likely that drivers using a hand held mobile phone would be caught by the police.

A total of 94% of motorists interviewed said they would drive more carefully if they had three penalty points on their licence.

Although 33% of respondents thought it was acceptable to drive after one drink, 65% felt motorists should not be allowed to drive after drinking any alcohol.

Middle-class parents blamed for rise in binge-drinking by encouraging children to drink alcohol at home

Middle class parents 'push' their children into drinking at home to justify their own indulgences, a Government report claimed yesterday.

They encourage binge-drinking by clinging to the 'myth' that introducing children to alcohol teaches them to be responsible, it added.

But the report, commissioned by Ed Balls's schools department, also admitted that the Government's 24-hour licensing laws have left ministers 'no platform' to preach about alcohol abuse.

It said that ministers can only 'take a stand' on the dangers of alcohol after they address the effects of their decision - by defending or reversing it - to avoid being seen as hypocritical.

The report's heavy criticism of parents provoked anger yesterday, with lobby groups accusing the Government of 'passing the buck' after its own policies had failed.

The study claimed that parents who put alcoholic drinks in their trolleys along with other household items 'like bread and meat' were guilty of undermining the message that alcohol can be harmful.

Children became used to seeing 'dad's beer' and 'mum's wine', the study said, particularly in middle-class households.

The researchers, who questioned nearly 400 adults and children, had a direct input into Government policy.

They found that in many households, children were introduced to alcohol from 'a young age' while older children routinely drank with parents at mealtimes and on social occasions.

Parents often tried to supply 'age-appropriate' brands, believing alcopops to be 'safer'.

One couple bought their daughter-a full-size bottle of vodka 'so we could monitor how much she drank and explain to her how to drink, volumes etc'.

The justification often used by middle-class mothers and fathers was that introducing children gradually to alcohol worked on the Continent, the researchers said.

Parents interviewed cited countries such as France and Spain, where children are often given watered-down drinks with the family at home with the aim demystifying alcohol.

But the study said: 'The myth that there are no alcoholics on the Continent needs to be firmly and completely busted.'

In fact, liver disease and other related conditions are on the rise in Europe, it said.

The 'overwhelming potency' of the Continental approach was a 'huge obstacle to correct consumption', the researchers added.

'Parents in the UK feel that if Spanish and French and Italian children are learning to drink alcohol from a young age at the table with their families, they will not be inclined to binge-drink as they grow older,' said the report by the Define Research and Insight consultancy.

It added: 'Of course, the misperceptions are firmly based on opinion (perhaps from holidays abroad) rather than from health statistics about mainland Europe.

'Parents... are searching for any logic that helps them maintain their own drinking whilst protecting their children.

'This group inadvertently introduce alcohol at a younger age than some of the young people would naturally be able to access it.

'They effectively "push" their youngsters by drinking regularly in front of them, by buying alcohol with the main shopping each week or by allowing them to start "appreciating" wine from a young age.'

Parents typically showed 'resigned responses' to their children's binge-drinking, believing it to be rite of passage.

However, the report also criticised stricter parents who forbade their offspring from drinking.

These children were often overly-influenced by their peers and ill-informed about the dangers of alcohol, the researchers said.

The report also found that the Government was often viewed as weak on the issue of excessive drinking due to its decision to allow pubs and bars to open around the clock.

It added: 'Many people are currently suspicious of Government motives e.g. believing that 24-hour access was solely an attempt to raise revenue through increased alcohol sales.'

Mail Online

The AbuseCheck Hair Alcohol Test

From a Small Sample of Hair, This Test Can Distinguish Non-Drinkers from Moderate and Abusive Drinkers

Alcoholism poses serious health issues with major socio-economic consequences to society. Four major areas of concern are public transportation, child custody rights, measuring underage drinking, and tools for monitoring rehabilitation. The Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act of 1991 requires drug and alcohol testing of safety-sensitive transportation employees in aviation, trucking, railroads, mass transit, pipelines and other transportation industries. Monies paid to courts for child custody or divorce cases that stem from alcohol use could be significantly decreased if long term alcohol use could be reliably established. A historical alcohol consumption test could also be helpful in optimizing rehabilitation treatment programs and monitoring repeat "driving under the influence" (DUI) offenders. Current testing methods such as breath, blood, or urine, can be more invasive, and provide alcohol use information for a window of only a few hours after alcohol consumption. These tests do not provide quantitative long term information.

Consumer Genetics' new AbuseCheck Hair Alcohol Test provides an extended history of alcohol consumption. The test measures levels of fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs) in the hair. FAEEs are byproducts of alcohol metabolism created by the body. As these molecules circulate in the blood, they are incorporated into the structure of growing hair. The more alcohol which has been consumed the higher the levels of FAEEs in the hair during that period of time. Dr. Chinh Bach, CEO of Consumer Genetics, states, "The longer the hair used for the test, the more history of alcohol consumption which can be ascertained. It is reliable, accurate, and there is no chance of false positives. This is revolutionary."

Extensive studies on FAEE testing, involving over 1000 participants, have been carried out since the year 2000. These have enabled researchers to establish a reliable reference range for FAEEs with respect to drinking habits of the various groups -- non-drinkers, social drinkers and excessive drinkers.

Alcohol abuse is a problem for many corporations, especially those where people are responsible for transporting cargo or passengers, such as airlines and buses, where alcohol related accidents can injure multiple people. Monitoring employees for their recent history of alcohol consumption can lead to safer global transportation systems and a more productive workplace. The AbuseCheck test can monitor months of past alcohol consumption, accurately distinguishing between non-drinkers, drinkers and excessive drinkers.

The benefits of proving or disproving alcohol abuse extend into the medical arena. For William Holowaychuk, AbuseCheck may help save his life. Mr. Holowaychuk was taken off the liver transplant list due to a history of alcohol abuse. However, according to Mr. Holowaychuk, the Canadian Health Ministry said if he could prove that he had not recently been abusing alcohol he could get back on the list in a higher priority. His AbuseCheck test results indicated that he had not been abusing alcohol. Mr. Holowaychuk proclaimed, "If I hadn't found the test, I would have gone back to the beginning of the wait list..."

Typical scenarios for using the Hair Alcohol Test:

1) Parents can now determine if their children have chronic alcohol problems.
2) Child custody cases can use definitive means to determine alcohol abuse or non-abuse.
3) Chronic alcohol abuse among transportation employees can now be monitored.
4) Rehabilitation programs can monitor their members' progress during and after completing the program.
5) Those needing to prove that they have not been recently abusing alcohol for health, domestic or employment purposes now have a solution.

Market Watch

GAA booze battle could make Sam the holey grail

GAA sporting cups could have holes drilled in them to prevent teams taking a victory drink out of their prize.

The Republic's HSE and Guinness-sponsored GAA feel the tradition encourages binge drinking and the unmeasured consumption of alcohol.

The organisations have joined forces to fight alcohol abuse with an Alcohol and Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP) programme.

And GAA officials in Kerry are considering their own plan to drill a hole in the vase of winning cups to deter alcoholic victory celebrations.

A spokesman for the GAA, which enjoys a controversial €1.5m hurling sponsorship deal with Guinness, said there had already been congress motions that cups should not be filled with alcohol after a victory.

The ASAP programme aims to develop a structure of people throughout the country with specific roles at club, county and provincial levels.

To date, four provincial officers and 32 county officers have been appointed to implement the programme. Over 900 club officers have also been appointed to assist county officers in responding to drug and alcohol related issues.

Brian Sugrue, the honorary ASAP county officer in Kerry, said the main objective was to make clubs aware of who to turn to when they recognise a problem. The practice of filling winning cups with alcohol had to be stamped out, he added.

While not an official plan, the GAA in Kerry is looking at ways of doing this, including the possibility of drilling a hole in the bottom of the cup.

Mr Sugrue said the programme was not anti-alcohol, but against the abuse of alcohol. Clubs were also asked to not serve alcohol when medals were given out.

"We are also asking that presentations not be done in bars, and that there is no alcohol-related sponsorship of underage events," Mr Sugrue said.

Brendan Murphy, Irish National Coordinator of the ASAP programme, said: "We're not looking for people to become experts overnight in dealing with drug and alcohol problems, but we are looking for people who are interested in doing something positive to prevent these problems from spreading.''

"Research shows us that involvement in sport is a preventative factor when it comes to young people taking drugs," he added.

David Lane, co-ordinator of drug & alcohol services for the HSE South said: "A lot of people aren't aware of the dangers associated with the misuse of drugs and alcohol."

Belfast Telegraph

Club boss defends GBP 5, all-you-can-drink offer

A Nightclub manager yesterday defended a £5, five-hour, all-you-can-drink offer after police warned it could promote binge-drinking.

Hundreds of student revellers turned up for the promotion at Escapade in Newport last Wednesday and the club is repeating its Bounce event today.

Manager Steve Dew said customers were only served one drink at a time and had to return their glass or bottle to the bar before being given another.

“The only way you get your next drink is if you bring back your empty bottle or glass,” he said.

“That enables us to make sure no-one drinks to excess, and if someone was seen to be drinking to excess we could put a block on it, and that was explained to them on the door.

“I am not the first to do an all-inclusive and I definitely won’t be the last to do an all-inclusive.”

He said the night, publicised by word of mouth among students, was bringing much-needed customers to other nearby pubs and bars on an otherwise quiet night.

“The town benefited by bringing 600 people into the town,” said Mr Dew, who has 20 years in the licence trade. “If this started going sour on a Wednesday night I would pull it.”

There were no reports of trouble inside or outside the 1,600-capacity venue after the 10pm-to-3am promotion, he added.

Inspector Rod Grindlay, of Gwent Police, said: “We are in discussion with the licence trade and are aware of the situation. We would discourage such drinks promotions as they could be seen to be promoting irresponsible binge-drinking.

“We will monitor the situation and if there are any associated issues with crime and disorder if necessary we will take action against individuals or the licensed premises as appropriate.”

Wales Online

More steps are needed to curb students' binge drinking

Some college traditions are ageless, like eating pizza at midnight and pulling allnighters before a big test. But recent national reports about other "traditions" — guzzling cold beer with friends or getting so drunk you can barely find your dorm room — are being seriously examined for the longterm damage they cause to drinkers and nondrinkers alike.

Despite increased public awareness about the strong relationship between substance abuse and other social problems such as fatal car crashes, increased risk of HIV infection and date rape, students continue to binge drink.

Today, nearly half of all college students drink at least four or five drinks at one time, according to the results of a study on binge drinking published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Over two out of every five college students are binge drinkers. Each year college students spend $5.5 billion on alcohol (mostly beer). This is more than they spend on books, soda, coffee, juice and milk combined.

While many students do not see the harm in having a few beers, the risk of excessive alcohol consumption involves more than just a hangover the next day.

Studies show that alcohol is a factor in 66 percent of student suicides and 60 percent of sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV. More than 30 percent of unplanned pregnancies occur while under the influence of drugs or alcohol. One out of every four student deaths is related to alcohol use. Many studentswho drink heavily have problems keeping up with their school work. Studies show that 41 percent of all academic problems stem from alcohol abuse.

In addition, students who do not drink are affected by their classmates who do. Studies show that 67 percent of college men who sexually assaulted women had been drinking and 50 percent of the victims had also been drinking. Students at schools with high levels of binge drinking are three times more likely to be pushed, hit or sexually assaulted by drunken peers than are students at schools with less drinking.

At campuses across the country, there is a growing movement of students who are taking charge by deciding to stay sober. Many colleges have responded by implementing strong alcohol policies to keep drinking to a minimum. Some have also designated alcohol free dorms and made alcohol-free events a high priority.

It is also crucial that college administrators work with local communities to come up with underage drinking laws to keep students safe and healthy. If we all work together to deglamorize college drinking and provide alternative activities, we can make each school year safer than the one before.

TriTown News

NHS alcohol services 'struggling'

The NHS is failing to get a grip on the growing alcohol problems in England, a watchdog says.

The National Audit Office said local health bosses did not have a clear idea of the scale of the problem and as a result were not co-ordinating services.

In particular, the report called on GPs to take more responsibility as the NHS was struggling to reach those at the early stages of alcohol abuse.

But the government said it was doing "more than ever" to tackle the problem.

The criticism comes after the number of alcohol-related deaths has doubled since the early 1990s to nearly 9,000 a year.

Hospital admissions for conditions such as liver disease have also soared, leaving the NHS bill for alcohol abuse at £2.7bn a year.

The NAO quizzed primary care trusts (PCTs), which are in charge of local services, GPs and a host of experts providing alcohol services.

It found that a quarter of PCTs had not carried out assessments of the problem locally, four in 10 did not have a strategy in place and a third did not know what they were spending on the problem.

Where evidence on investment was available, just £600,000 a year - or 0.1% of the budget - was spent on average.

The report said, because of the lack of co-ordination, the services were not providing value for money.

Hazardous drinkers

It said most of the responsibility was being placed on drug and alcohol action teams, which were often run jointly with councils, but these tended to focus on the most serious cases that required detox and counselling programmes.

It meant that too little was being done for the estimated 7m hazardous drinkers - those drinking above the recommended limits but who were not yet seeing their health affected.

The NAO said GPs were in the ideal position to help these groups of people through the use of brief advice during consultations on how to reduce drinking levels.

But the report added that currently this only happened sporadically.

Mark Davies, who oversees health at the NAO, said: "The NHS is just not getting to grips with the issue. It needs to take a much wider approach and improve the way it is delivering it services."

Don Shenker, chief executive of Alcohol Concern, added: "There is a clear case for urgent improvement to treatment services, if we want to see an end to spiralling costs of alcohol misuse to the NHS."

But a Department of Health spokesman said the government was doing "more than ever" to tackle alcohol-related problems.

He added: "Most PCTs with high levels of hospital admissions have already decided to tackle this as a local NHS priority.

"We have appointed regional alcohol managers to support the local NHS and develop regional strategies to reduce alcohol misuse."

BBC News

Drink turned man orange

An alcoholic who drank about eight pints of cider a day did not realise how ill he was until he turned orange.

Michael Stenning’s friends were so worried about him when his skin changed colour, they told him to go to hospital.

Doctors could not believe Mr Stenning’s liver had not already collapsed because of the amount of alcohol he was drinking.

Dr Sumita Verma, who researches alcoholic hepatitis, said: “It was a miracle. I have never seen anyone as sick as him leave the hospital alive.”

Mr Stenning, 47, who has now kicked alcohol, started drinking heavily when he lost his job at Allied National Couriers, which was based in Hove.

He said he used alcohol to help pass the day and only left his house to buy more supplies.

His former life was a drunken haze as he sank further into depression and his relationships with his family and friends suffered.

Mr Stenning, known as Mick, spent three weeks in hospital and feels he owes his life to the staff at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton.

Mr Stenning, who is divorced and has two children, Matthew, 22, and Sophie, 19, said it was their support and enthusiasm which helped him to turn his life around.

Mr Stenning now has an active social life and wants to warn others about the damage caused by alcohol abuse.

He said: “I am a miracle case and just so happy to still be alive. I am touched by the continuous support from my family and friends, especially after how I treated them at the time. I now want to make up for the years I’ve lost while drunk.”

He still goes to bars but only to socialise.

Mr Stenning, of Coolham Drive, Whitehawk, Brighton, who is currently unemployed, added: “Staying off the booze has been easier than I thought and I’m happier drinking non-alcoholic drinks, which complement my healthier diet. I have even started an exercise regime.”

He buys non-alcoholic mouthwash and vows alcohol will never pass his lips again.

Stephen Leggett, one of the friends who took Mr Stenning to hospital, is proud of him.

He said: “If you had seen the state he was in before and now he doesn’t even touch a drop when he is in a bar. A lot of people relapse but Mick has stayed so strong.”

The Argus

Alcoholism related to trauma, shows new Polish study

Every fourth alcoholic is a victim of violence, motor vehicle accident, of some other catastrophe, according to the reports of a several-years-long study of alcoholics in Poland.

Dr. Malgorzata Dragan of the University of Warsaw Psychology faculty, who issued the report, says that 80 percent of alcoholics have undergone some traumatic event in their lives. Sixty percent claim that they have undergone more than one traumatic incident.

The results show that every fourth alcoholic suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), in other word, psychological or physical manifestations that recall the trauma they underwent. Dragan claims that her study shows that people turn to alcohol to numb their pain.

“Alcohol fulfills these criteria. After one drunk, problems haven’t disappeared. One starts to drink again and a vicious cycle begins, which is extrememly difficult to break out of. It can become an addiction,” she states.

According to the results of the study, the most commonly occurring trauma amongst women is related to sexual abuse. Thirty percent of alcoholic females were sexually molested in their lives.

Dagan’s study is the first of it’s kind in Poland – a study analyzing trauma and addiction

Polskie Radio

GBP 5 for non-stop drinking defended

The promotion allows people to drink as much as they like, one drink at a time

A nightclub manager has denied a drinks promotion, which cost customers just £5 for five hours of unlimited alcohol, could promote binge drinking.

Escapade in Newport, south Wales, had hundreds of student customers attend the event last Wednesday, which it is repeating on the same night this week.

Manager Steve Dew said customers had to return an empty glass or bottle in order to be served another drink.

Gwent Police said such events could be seen to promote binge drinking.

Mr Dew said he was not the first to organise an all-inclusive drinking night and he "definitely won't be the last".

He suggested staff were keeping an eye on customers' alcohol intake during the event, which lasted from 2200 to 0300.

"The only way you get your next drink is if you bring back your empty bottle or glass," he said.

"That enables us to make sure no one drinks to excess and if someone was seen to be drinking to excess we could put a block on it, and that was explained to them on the door."

Mr Dew also claimed the event had brought much-needed custom to both his and other nearby pubs and clubs on a night which was usually quiet, adding there had been no trouble reported inside or outside the 1,600-capacity venue.

"The town benefited by bringing 600 people into the town," said Mr Dew.

"If this started going sour on a Wednesday night I would pull it."

Insp Rod Grindley from Gwent Police said: "We are in discussion with the licence trade and are aware of the situation.

"We would discourage such drinks promotions as they could be seen to be promoting irresponsible binge drinking.

"We will monitor the situation and if there are any associated issues with crime and disorder if necessary we will take action against individuals or the licensed premises as appropriate."

BBC News

Time at the bar for beer sales

The froth has gone out of the beer market. Sales have suffered their largest fall in a decade. It appears that even traditional stalwarts like the local boozer may fall victim to the credit crunch.

Fears of a recession and the spectre of widespread job cuts, against a backdrop of falling house prices and rising food and energy bills, are driving us back to the comfort of our own homes - rather than seeking traditional solace in the bottom of a pint.

Beer sales in pubs fell by a whopping 8.1 per cent in the third quarter, according to the latest UK Quarterly Beer Barometer.

That equates to 1.8million fewer pints a day, or 161million less sold between July and September, according to the British Beer & Pub Association.
beer

No cheers to the future: More people are now choosing to drink at home

'The new figures are an indicator of the impact the credit crunch and looming recession are having on British households - worsening beer sales are a further sign of weakening consumer confidence and falling consumer spending,' the BBPA said.

And analysts are predicting that things could get even worse after Christmas, with Evolution's Nigel Parson forecasting a consumer 'strike'.

He said: 'You've got another 750,000 mortgages coming off a fixed rate in the next couple of months, so debt will be more expensive.

'Even with lower oil prices its still going to be horrendous.'

Already, five pubs close every day. But Parson believes that the toll will continue to rise, with smaller pubs that are more dependent on beer sales suffering most, as they won't be able to expand food and wine sales to make up for the shortfall.

With the government unlikely to ease the increasing tax burden on the sector, there's no respite in sight.

Beer duty rose by 9.1 per cent in the last budget. A so-called 'escalator' was also introduced, which will see alcohol duties increase by 2 per cent above inflation for the next four years.

But the fall in beer sales is likely to result in a £1.2billion tax shortfall for the government - at a time when the Exchequer can least afford it.

The BBPA estimates that the Treasury has collected £138million less in beer duty and VAT in the six months since the budget.

Datamonitor estimates the drinks market grew by 21 per cent in the five years to 2007, when it was worth an estimated £30.5billion, with alcoholic drinks accounting for the largest share of the drinks market at 51.4 per cent.

The Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers, which represents over 15,000 outlets, has called on the government to scrap plans to increase beer taxes.

'It's no surprise (that sales have dropped),' said spokesman Kate Nicholls.

'Beer is four times more expensive in a pub than in a supermarket.

'And the price of beer is going to go up inexorably with the government imposing a duty escalator for the next four years.'

She says people will continue to drink at home, stocking up on cheaper alcohol in a new trend called 'preloading', and going out at 10pm.

Daily Mail

One little glass can't hurt an alcoholic, can it?

Can a recovering alcoholic still have the occasional drink, or is it the road back to oblivion?

Claire had been sober for two years when she began a relationship with another recovering alcoholic. One evening at his house he made a suggestion. “How do you think we would react if we had just one drink?” he asked.

“I couldn't resist the challenge,” says Claire. “Within minutes we had downed the first glass of whisky and then another and another until the bottle was empty. That was the start of a two-day bender that ended up in hospital after I knocked myself out. I understand now that I can't ever have just one drink. I never could stop at one.”

What Claire discovered the hard way - and there is no other way for someone to acknowledge the extent of their dependency on alcohol - is the received wisdom that only abstinence will enable her to control her drinking. For those who are dependent, just one drink is not an option. They must stop and never start again.

This is the mantra of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and its 12-step programme, and such is its prevalence that you will hear it again and again from recovering alcoholics who have successfully stayed dry over a period of years, and from those who treat and support them.

Not that this removes the temptation to experiment with alcohol, as Robert Teed admits on the right. After five dry years he has taken a few surreptitious slurps of Rioja, and this is precisely the slippery slope that he must avoid, says David Bremner, medical director of Winthrop Hall, the addiction treatment centre in Staplehurst, Kent.

“For someone who is dependent on alcohol, one drink leads to the rapid reinstatement of the habit to the point where they were when they stopped,” he says. “There is biological evidence to support this, and even evidence that babies born to actively drinking alcohol-dependent mothers can remain abstinent throughout their childhood, but when they start drinking in early adulthood they rapidly return to the level of alcohol to which they were exposed in the womb.

“Stealing slurps is dishonest and hidden, it's guilt-laden, it's not normal social drinking and although the quantity might be small, this is alcoholic drinking. It's high up there as an indicator of relapse.”

But if someone with a high dependence on alcohol must accept that he or she can never return to moderate social drinking, does this apply to others who misuse drink? It's a relevant question given that one in four of the UK population drinks more than twice the recommended weekly limits of 21 units of alcohol for men, and 14 for women. (A bottle of wine contains nine units.)

When surveyed for a 2008 NHS report, almost 23 per cent of the male and 15 per cent of the female respondents in England said they had drunk twice the daily limit at least once in the previous week. These people are not alcoholics because they are not dependent on alcohol and they certainly don't need a swig of vodka to kick-start their day, but healthcare professionals regard them as heavy drinkers, and they include those within the middle classes who think nothing of polishing off a bottle of wine on Friday or Saturday night. Or both.

Nick Heather, professor of alcohol and other drug studies at Northumbria University, admires the support that AA gives to those dependent on alcohol, but says that its unscientific approach to addiction can be confusing to those who are less dependent but who still drink to harmful levels.

“The term recovering alcoholic, as used by the AA, loads the dice,” he says. “They believe that alcoholism is an incurable disease and that one is never recovered but always recovering, and that one drink leads inevitably to suicide or death. That's not true. It's a gross oversimplification.

“What is true is that for people at the highest level of dependence involving delirium tremens, hallucinations and fits, it's extremely difficult to maintain a pattern of controlled drinking. The much easier option is for them to rule alcohol out of the equation.

“The problem with the AA approach is that it focuses attention on the relatively few people with a high level of dependence, whereas an enormous number of people damage their health or the welfare of others through their drinking - eight million in England alone.

“For these people much the best option is to tell them they can continue to drink, but in a less harmful fashion. The evidence is overwhelming that at lower levels of dependence controlled drinking is an option, and it doesn't deter people from seeking treatment, whereas the prospect of lifelong total abstinence would.”

Health professionals, from GPs to hos- pital doctors, nurses and probation officers, are primed to identify these people and to refer them where necessary: the Government calls this programme brief interventions. All of which makes it sound as if millions of weekend imbibers will be chastised and booted off to therapy the second they take their tennis elbow to a GP.

Obviously this isn't going to happen - the NHS couldn't cope with the numbers - though as the psychologist Oliver James explains, it can be worth examining the reasons why so many of us often pour second or third glasses of wine that we don't need. Once this is understood, he suggests, it is feasible to return to “normal” drinking with impunity.

“Most people have some kind of what would generally be referred to as a vice,” says James. “In my case it's nicotine that has played a role in keeping my moods stable. For a lot of people it's eating or shopping. Or there is the middle-class person who finds themselves drinking two glasses of wine a night and has been heavily criticised by the Government.

“People find all sorts of physical methods of boosting their cortisol and serotonin levels, of finding a place where they feel comfortable or balanced.

“For the person drinking a bottle of wine a night, the chief medical officer is right that it will shorten their life, and good psychoanalytic psychotherapy could help them to drink to safe levels. What you would have to do is learn what's going on in your contemporary life and what went on in your childhood history that means one glass is not enough.

“Are you working too hard? Are you lacking proper intimate relationships? You can sort yourself out in ways that mean you don't need that second glass of wine.”

On the wagon: I can't have a single drink

I've been riding this wagon for five long years now. I wouldn't call it thirsty work - it means a lot of fizzy water and ginger cordial - but it is a lonesome trail. There have been times when I've had to ask the driver to pull over, but he's ignored me. Sometimes, I've even been tempted to fling myself from the wagon's swaying roof on to the booze-sodden earth below. But I never have - not quite.

The temptation is growing, however. It's stronger now than when I first gave up, which might surprise some people. Five years ago my friends' comments were all of the “I don't know how you do it” variety; nowadays those who know me don't question it, and those who don't know me just think I'm driving.

Maybe that's the problem: this wagon trail is taken too much for granted, by myself and others, so it doesn't feel special any more. For when I started it did feel very special: I was kicking a lifetime's habit, and doing it through pure willpower - there were no pills, no meetings, no stomach insertions to make you heave at the smell of wine. Friends and family continued to drink freely while marvelling at my strength of will, and I was happy to let them do both. Now, however, no one bats an eyelid, while I have started to covet their Rioja. I have even taken to sneaking slurps. Is this a slippery slope? Will the odd sip lead to the odd glass, and then to two, and so on to oblivion? Or could I stop at that first glass? Maybe I should experiment - pour that glass of Rioja and call it mine. See if that staved off my craving.

And if it did, surely that would be the sign that I am “cured”, to have had that one drink and no more - that must be the holy grail for any wagon trail? Perhaps. But it would be dangerous and foolish to pour that Rioja. It would mean that I had forgotten the reasons I was on this trail in the first place - the amnesiac drunkenness, the annihilating self-disgust, the disaster zone of my relationships.

Better, then, to stop moping on the top of the wagon and to climb back inside its button-backed, sumptuous carriage, pour myself a ginger cordial and enjoy the ride.

The Times

New counsellors vow to help treat Alcoholics

A New wing of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) was established at the end of a five-day counselling course organised by YMCA Bahrain.

About 40 people, including housewives, doctors, teachers, engineers and other professionals, were trained as de-addiction counsellors.

An AA spokesman from Kerala and a de-addiction counselling expert Reverend E J Joseph conducted the classes at the old Falcon Hotel, Gudaibiya .

He is the director of the Marthoma Guidance Centre, in Kochi, Kerala.

"I am extremely happy at the success of the course ," said Rev Joseph.

"I was also delighted to see some of the participants taking a pledge at the end of the course to stop drinking.

"A group of counsellors also decided to visit labour camps and advise them on the hazards of drinking."

The YMCA's AA is aimed at helping those who desire to stop drinking, said chief consultant and YMCA Bahrain vice-president Dr John Panackel.

"We are grateful to Rev Joseph, who has brought thousands of people into sober life, saving them from the clutches of alcoholism," he added.

"The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking.

"There are no fees for AA membership. It is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organisation or institution. Its primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety."

It is estimated that there are more than 114,000 AA groups and over two million members in more than 180 countries.

AA was started in 1935 by a New York stockbroker and an Ohio surgeon in an effort to help others who suffered from alcoholism.

Gulf Daily News

Binge-drinking puts sex life on the rocks

Britain is a nation obsessed with booze.

Many of us drink over the recommended levels of alcohol and increasingly we're drinking at home rather than in clubs and pubs where the prices are high.

A little alcohol can help lubricate a romantic evening, but bingedrinking and sex just don't mix.

What is bingedrinking?

Binge-drinking used to refer to bouts of heavy drinking followed by a drying-out period, but now it describes going out and drinking large quantities of alcohol with the explicit aim of getting drunk.

People who start binge-drinking in their 20s are more likely to be heavy drinkers in their 50s. This can have longterm health implications.

Sex and alcohol

The odd drink can help you to enjoy an evening with a new lover and champagne can be a powerful aphrodisiac. If a man suf fers from premature ejaculation, then a drink can help him to have sex for longer.

But too much alcohol can get you into trouble.

Alcohol is a major cause of erectile dysfunction - from the occasional case of brewer's droop to more lasting difficulty with sex.

Booze can also sap the sex drives of both men and women.

Too much drink can also muddle your head so you don't take proper precautions. Women who first have sex when drunk are more likely to be dissatisfied and regret their actions too.

Long-term effects

Long-term alcohol intake has been linked to a wide range of illnesses: cancers, high blood pressure, stomach ulcers, liver disease and malnutrition can result from downing too much booze.

The answer is to drink alcohol in moderation and avoid the bingeing. That way you get the benefits and hopefully avoid the risks.

Sunday Mirror

Expert calls for advert ban on booze

Adopting an anti-drinking campaign that mirrors the successful anti-smoking program will help curb excessive drinking among young adults, an expert told a binge drinking forum in Melbourne last night.

Adolescent psychiatrist Michael Carr-Gregg advocates a "boozer-pays" tax and believes a ban on alcohol advertising would discourage teenagers from over-indulging.

He warned that teenagers' brains were vulnerable to the effects of alcohol. "Binge drinking isn't just bad for their health but bad for their brain development," he told the audience at the Salvation Army event.

Other speakers included former Collingwood captain Nathan Buckley, The Age editor-in-chief Paul Ramadge and Dr Pippa Grange, manager of psychology, people and culture with the AFL Players' Association.

Dr Carr-Gregg suggested under-age drinking from 16 with adult supervision could teach teenagers to drink responsibly and curb the alcohol scourge affecting school students.

He also criticised the alcohol industry for having "the ethics of a cash register" by targeting young adults with powerful marketing messages.

Raising the legal drinking age limit from 18 to 21 would be virtually impossible given drinking is so embedded in Australia culture, the panellists agreed.

Assistant Police Commissioner Stephen Fontana said violence in the CBD had increased by more than 9% over the past two years, which he believes is linked to the rapid growth in licensed venue outlets.

There are now 1500 such places in the city, 400 of which police have labelled "high risk".

He said alcohol fuelled the majority of violent incidents in Victoria, including 90 per cent of night calls attended by police. Forty per cent of domestic violence and 73% of street offences involved alcohol.

The Age

Warning labels on alcoholic drinks soon law

In less than four months‘ time all alcoholic drinks will come with a warning label.

Anti-alcohol lobby groups are happy about the move, but industry insiders fear it is just the tip of the iceberg in the government‘s fast-tightening grip on the multi-billion rand industry.

As with the tobacco industry – which first was forced by law to put warning labels on all cigarette packets, followed by a ban on advertising – the alcohol industry is scrambling to prepare itself for a marketing blackout which they believe is only “a matter of time”.

Already major retailers have started receiving liquor supplies with the warning labels which read: “Alcohol reduces driving ability – don‘t drink and drive” and “Drinking during pregnancy can be harmful to your unborn baby”.

By the end of February, alcoholic drinks must carry warning labels.

The ANC Youth League has stepped up its call from March this year for a total ban on alcohol advertisements, as well as the re-introduction of the ban on selling liquor on a Sunday.

National ANCYL spokesman Floyd Shivambu told Weekend Post: “This is a resolution adopted at the Youth League‘s 23rd national congress (earlier this year). We want to see this happen.”

But, say analysts, the expected ban will force the industry to adopt clandestine marketing techniques, such as the controversial cigarette promotion “smoking parties”, organised by companies which then aggressively push their products on party-goers.

“If the government tightened on cigarettes the way they did, they‘ll do it to the alcohol industry for sure,” said Ray Edwards, Spar national buyer for their liquor outlet Tops. “We are all bracing ourselves for it.”

Already many companies have begun investigating ways to use the internet to sell their products. It would not count as advertising since visitors to such websites would willingly view them.

“We call it the darkening period – the darkening of the ability to sell our product,” said Edwards.

Industry executives agree the ban will only be enforced after soccer‘s 2010 World Cup, as the government has already committed to a deal with one of the major Fifa sponsors, US beer Budweiser.

SA Breweries said the ban would hurt consumers, inhibiting them from making the choices they wanted.

“There is no convincing evidence that advertising influences total (alcohol) consumption, or has an impact on levels of alcohol abuse,” said spokesman Janine van Stolk.

“Advertising of alcohol beverages is aimed at people who are above the legal drinking age. SAB does not advertise its products on television before 5pm during the week or 1pm over the weekend, and advertisements are only placed at times when at least 70% of the audience is 18 years or older.”

But groups aimed at curbing alcohol abuse say the ban will ease the societal bane of alcoholism.

“Alcohol adverts makes it look as if not having a cold beer is a major disaster and many adverts are targeted at the youth,” said Trixie Pereira, head of prevention at The South African National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (Sanca) in Port Elizabeth.

“A lot of youngsters are influenced by what they see, so a ban would be a good thing, with fewer youngsters experimenting with alcohol.”

According to Medical Research Council substance abuse epidemiologist and policy analyst Professor Charles Parry, the government‘s attitude towards the abuses associated with alcohol was hardening, with increasing recognition of the need to take more decisive action.

But, he said, it would only drive the industry to other forms of selling drinks. “I am sure that if above-the- line alcohol advertising were banned the industry would look for other forms of promotion as the tobacco industry has done. This, however, should not be a deterrent to action.”

Weekend Post

Is youth drinking worse than we think?

The public perceives youth drinking in North Dakota as less of a problem than people who work closely with alcohol prevention, a new survey shows.

Among adults surveyed in North Dakota, 41.3 percent perceived alcohol use by youths as a serious problem, according to the North Dakota Department of Human Services and Minot State University.

That’s almost a 20 percent difference from the perception among key community professionals involved in law enforcement, health, counseling, and treatment and prevention.

Of surveyed professionals, 62.2 percent ranked alcohol use by youth as a serious problem.

The disparity in perception is surprising and disappointing, said a Fargo-based treatment coordinator.

“When we cheer on a team, go to a company Christmas party, we’re surrounded by alcohol,” said Robyn Litke, coordinator of the Safe Communities Coalition of the Red River Valley.

The December 2007 issue of Men’s Health magazine ranked Fargo as the fifth-drunkest city in America, earning the dubious honor of one of the “most dangerously drunk” cities from the magazine.

Litke said she knows some people in the region may view the ranking as “a bragging right.”

For example, a Facebook group about the magazine’s grade has 3,855 members, with posts asking, “How can we make Fargo #1?!”

“That is really indicative of how engrained this is in our culture, because it’s so accepted,” she said.

“You will not find one person who says that they haven’t been personally affected by this problem and acknowledge how grave the consequences are,” Litke said.

The Community Readiness Survey, conducted in April, interviewed 14,400 adults, and 1,725 community professionals. The margin of error of the study is 10 percentage points.

“We’re trying to get the temperature of a community to see how ready they are to make the changes,” said Pamela Sagness, prevention administrator for the state Human Services Department’s Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services division.

Community perception and readiness to address alcohol problems need to be periodically assessed in order to develop a comprehensive plan, according to a statement from the Rural Crime and Justice Center at Minot State University.

“This is not just for schools or for law enforcement,” Sagness said. “It’s something that we all need to work on.”

She said survey sponsors were surprised by some of the perceptions, “but it’s a good surprise,” so professionals can begin beefing up prevention efforts.

In 2007, alcohol or drugs were a contributing factor in 598 car crashes, according to the state Department of Transportation. Sixty-three North Dakotans died because a driver was under the influence of alcohol.

“We’re almost desensitized to those numbers,” Sagness said.

A report breaking down regional statistics will be released in late November, she said.

The Forum

MP questions fall in youth binge drinking prosecutions

A Fall in the number of prosecutions of children for being drunk and disorderly has been questioned by South Cheshire MP Stephen O’Brien.

His comments follow the presentation of the Guardian’s Dying for a Drink campaign petition to 10 Downing Street with local campaigner Alison Dixon.

With binge drinking and alcohol abuse on the increase, Mr O’Brien has expressed his surprise at the figures, which show an inexplicable drop in the number of ten to 17-year-olds being prosecuted for being drunk and disorderly.

The Shadow Health Minister has warned that not enough is being done to stem the problem of binge drinking among young people, as well as anti-social behaviour on the streets of Cheshire.

He said: “I’m not alone when I express my amazement that the number of prosecutions of this age group for being drunk and disorderly has fallen so sharply since 1997.

“We see the evidence of anti-social behaviour and the binge drinking culture regularly on the streets of Crewe and Winsford, as well as other towns and cities across Cheshire, so the headline figure just does not ring true!

“I regularly receive complaints about drunken youths running riot in our parks and public places – so one has to ask is the law being adequately enforced?

“Are slapped wrists and flimsy fixed penalty notices being given instead to keep the headline figure down? “Or are the authorities just not taking adequate action to tackle this menace?

“Alcohol is behind much of the anti-social behaviour and violent attacks in our area.

“Too many youngsters have access to alcohol, either sold illegally or obtained from adults.

“It makes life a misery for people as parks, playgrounds and other public spaces become no-go areas after dark.

“I find it incredible that only 14 under-age drinkers have appeared before the magistrates.

“People in our area need reassuring that the problem is being tackled through effective community policing and proper enforcement of the laws – a slap on the wrist or the issuing of ever more fixed penalty notices is not enough - which is why we need more police officers on the beat in our towns and villages.”

Crewe Guardian

Drunk children worry Salvos

Children as young as 12 getting drunk is part of an alcohol problem in the Macleay Valley that is more severe than other regions.

Captain Mark Williamson from the Salvation Army spoke to The Argus about the effects of alcohol in the Macleay following the Salvos’ launch of a campaign to highlight alcohol abuse.

He said problems caused by alcohol were often hidden, but he said in Kempsey they were on display.

“You can walk down the street in Kempsey and find people under the influence, even in the middle of the day,” Captain Williamson said.

He said the fact the problem was visible in the street meant it was a lot worse than in other places.

“Often it’s a problem that affects those at the lower end of the socio-economic (scale) more, but not exclusively,” he said.

Underage drinking was a big problem locally, Captain Williamson said, noting that attitudes formed by young people often stayed with them into later life.

“For children to be consuming alcohol has a devastating effect on bodies that are still growing and developing,” he said.

“I could take you around to certain places (in Kempsey), at certain times of the day, and show you intoxicated children.”

He said the children were as young as 12, perhaps younger.

“It’s illegal, and it’s illegal to supply a child with alcohol, even if you’re in your own home,” he said.

“And there’s a good reason for that: While they’re still growing they’re not able to handle it.

“It has a devastating effect on their bodies.”

His comments follow new Roy Morgan research, released by The Salvation Army, which said 4.3 million people say alcohol has had a negative impact on them or their family.

Two million people say they or their family have experienced children being embarrassed or scared as a result of alcohol consumption in the family, and more than 8.4 million people now want alcohol advertising reduced.

Captain Williamson said many people would be surprised by the statistics because alcohol was socially acceptable.

While the new research showed about 12 per cent of children were scared by an adult consuming alcohol, Captain Williamson said he expected the figure would be much higher in Kempsey.

The Salvation Army launched an alcohol awareness campaign on Monday, urging people to consider whether their alcohol habits were damaging others.

The Salvation Army is also calling for a reduction in the amount of alcohol advertising, and said the campaign was not an anti-alcohol initiative but a crusade against alcohol abuse.

Macleay Argus

Inspectors to crackdown on toxic home-brew

Despite knowing that drinking alcohol is bad for health, many Vietnamese men still drink a lot. Vietnamese people drink 26.1 glasses of wine per week on average.

Two inspection teams have been established to carry out checks on alcoholic beverage manufacturing and trading activities across the nation this month, said Tran Quang Trung, chief inspector of the Ministry of Health (MoH).

The ministry’s inspectors have asked departments of health in provinces and cities nationwide to conduct inspections in co-operation with preventive healthcare centres.

The decision was made after the municipal Department of Health reported that the number of incidents of poisoning from alcohol had recently increased. There were 29 cases, including 10 deaths, reported recently across a period of three weeks.

Trung said the inspection teams, including representatives from the Viet Nam Department of Food Safety and Hygiene, the National Institute of Nutrition and the MoH on Wednesday began checking alcohol producers and traders in Ha Noi and the northern provinces. Checks would soon begin in other provinces.

The inspection teams would punish violations and propose strong measures on management of alcohol production and trade to the Government.

Previously, health authorities and relevant agencies inspected the quality of alcoholic drinks in HCM City.

According to Le Van Lieu, deputy chief of HCM City’s Market Management Department, four city-level teams and 24 provincial level teams were mobilised to implement the inspection work.

The latest inspection results revealed that alcoholic products from Sai Gon Food Company (SAFOCO) in Thu Duc District and Kha Doanh Limited Company in Tan Phu District contained toxic substances over permitted levels. Some home-distilled liquor samples from household businesses in District 7 and Nha Be District revealed high amount of methanol.

All these products were confiscated and sealed.

Le Truong Giang, vice director of the Department of Health, said municipal health authorities drafted a regulation requiring alcohol manufacturers to test their products every three months and send the result to the department.

Toxic wine

According to research carried out by the ministry’s Health Strategy and Policy Institute, Vietnamese people drink 26.1 shorts of liquor per week on average. But most of this alcohol is home-made, which is especially risky.

Statistics from the ministry’s Department of Food Safety and Hygiene and show that more than 250 million litres of home-made wine with high toxic levels is consumed annually.

Public awareness on the issue is low.

Hanoian Nguyen Viet Chien, said he won’t stop drinking alcohol, even though he is aware of the risks.

"I’m a little bit worried when I hear this news, but I have been drinking this type of traditional liquor for three years, and all kinds of these liquor are good quality," said Chien.

Chien’s wife said she was worried about her husband’s health, but confessed that she was powerless to do anything about it.

"He’s always dead drunk and falls asleep as soon as he comes home. I’m scared as I can’t distinguish between poisonous alcohol and the safe kind," she said.

Le Truong Giang, the vice director of HCM City’s Department of Health, warned that a person who drinks liquor with high methanol content can die within six to 30 hours. A small amount of this drink can lead to respiratory diseases, blindness and temporary paralysis and impact mental health negatively.

However, people are confused about the difference between being drunk and getting alcohol poisoning.

Tran Quang Trung, chief inspector of the MoH, recommended that people should only drink alcoholic products sold in proper packaging with labels and clear certificates of origin.

"People should avoid home-made alcohol," said Trung.

Currently, there are three patients still receiving treatment in HCM City. Two have recovered. The third is still in a critical condition. His drinking companion died on the way to hospital.

Viet Nam News

Struggling With Alcohol? Better Quit Smoking, Too

Overcoming alcoholism is tough enough. That's one reason many alcoholics who smoke continue to light up even while they're in recovery from alcohol dependency.

But new research suggests that tackling both addictions simultaneously may offer the best chance of success.

Recovering alcoholics often admit they're using nicotine as a drug, said Dr. Michael M. Miller, president of the American Society of Addiction Medicine.

"They can tell you, 'I don't want to quit [smoking], because it changes the way I feel. I use it to deal with stress,' " added Miller, who's also director of NewStart, a chemical dependency rehabilitation program at Meriter Hospital in Madison, Wis.

A study of alcoholics in treatment for their alcohol problems used brain scans to examine how performance on cognitive tests changes with abstinence from alcohol. Twenty-five alcoholics stopped drinking for six to nine months, but the 12 who smoked continued to smoke.

"We found that the smoking alcoholics over six to nine months of abstinence did not recover certain types of brain function as the non-smoking alcoholics did," said study author Dieter J. Meyerhoff, a professor of radiology at the University of California, San Francisco. Decision-making skills, thinking speed, 3-D visualization and short-term memory were affected, calling into question the prospects of long-term sobriety, he noted.

And while smoking and non-smoking alcoholics improved on several other cognitive tests, such as learning and remembering words, smokers' brain function, in general, took longer to recover.

The findings were published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.

Studies indicate that 60 percent to 75 percent of people in alcohol-treatment programs smoke cigarettes, and 40 percent to 50 percent are "heavy" smokers, consuming more than a pack a day.

Yet treatment for tobacco dependence is not routinely included in alcohol treatment programs, Boston University researchers reported recently in the journal Alcohol Research & Health, published by the U.S. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

"I would say that over half of chemical dependency treatment agencies now talk about nicotine, encourage patients to stop [smoking] and provide them assistance to stop, such as with nicotine-replacement therapy or prescriptions for Zyban or Champix," Miller said. "So that's a tremendous advance."

Oftentimes, though, smoking is excused. "What you don't see," Miller said, "is building nicotine into the treatment plan and considering tobacco use to be a relapse of addiction."

The concern had been that addressing both dependencies concurrently would pose "too great a difficulty for the patient" and impede recovery from alcoholism, the Boston researchers noted. But studies now suggest that quitting smoking does not derail alcohol treatment -- and may even improve the likelihood of longer-term sobriety, they said.

In fact, Miller said studies show that people in recovery for other addictions who delay smoking cessation can later relapse to their chemical dependency because of the stress of quitting smoking six to 18 months later.

"So stopping everything at once -- getting all the psychological stress out of the way at once -- is the best way to go, and also getting all the physical withdrawal syndromes out of the way at once is the best way to go," he concluded.

Meyerhoff agreed that tackling smoking as part of an alcohol treatment program is a smart tactic.

"The alcoholics have shown that they are willing to change one behavior, namely excessive drinking," he said. "If they are in that mindset, it is a great opportunity for treatment specialists to also convince them of the negative effects of continued chronic smoking."

U.S.News & World Report

Call for blanket ban on street booze

The Chairman of Derry’s District Policing Partnership today called for a blanket ban on alcohol in public areas of the city centre to clean up the city’s image.

SDLP councillor Shaun Gallagher said that the first impressions of many visitors to the city was of people on-street drinking.

His comments follow a letter from his party colleague, Derry City Councillor Pat Ramsey, to the City Solicitor’s office calling for the city centre, parks and other areas across Derry to be designated alcohol-free with immediate effect.

Mr Ramsey said that more needed to be done to counter the “sexy” image of alcohol he claimed was being pedalled by drinks companies.

PSNI Area Commander Chris Yates has also expressed concern about alcohol misuse in the city — and issued a warning recently that underage and on-street drinking during Halloween next Friday will result in prosecutions.

Calling for tougher enforcement of by-laws and a widening of the drinking ban, Mr Ramsey said new legislation from Westminster giving police stronger powers will strengthen the law in Northern Ireland as regards on-street drinking bans.

He said: “I have written to Department for Social Development Minister, Margaret Ritchie, asking her to ensure that the legislation comes into force in Northern Ireland as soon as possible.

“People across our communities are saying that alcohol misuse across society is getting out of control and it is the main cause of anti-social behaviour, violence, public order problems, and marital breakdown and suicide, causing terrible problems for health service staff.”

Mr Ramsey said that Derry needed to “lead a cultural change” across Ireland.

“There must be a new, clear message sent out, which counters the very successful marketing campaigns of alcohol companies which says that alcohol is sexy, cool and fun. The reality is all too clear on the streets, homes, A&E units and mortuaries in Derry every weekend,” he said.

“Parents contact me frequently expressing fears for their children when they go into town, about whether they are able to get alcohol and about their safety. I will do everything I can to ensure that they are.”

Meanwhile Mr Gallagher said that a blanket ban in city centre areas may now be necessary, although he conceded it would not happen by Halloween.

He said: “I am very aware of the impact this is having on visitors. They step off the bus at the Guildhall and the first thing they see is on-street drinking.

“This is not Derry’s image. I know of no other city hall in the world where this would be tolerated. Unfortunately Derry is lumbered with it.”

Belfast Telegraph

Professor researches young adult alcohol dependency

Johnson’s study to evaluate effectiveness of anti-nausea medication in reducing alcohol craving, binge-drinking tendencies in 300 young adults ages 18 to 25

University researchers are preparing to launch a study that has the potential to influence the way alcohol dependence in young adults is treated.

Bankole Johnson, chair of the department of psychiatry and neurobehavioral sciences, will lead a clinical test of the effectiveness of ondansetron, traditionally used as an anti-nausea medication, in treating alcohol abuse in adults ages 18 to 25.

“Ondansetron ... contains a chemical that reduces [the] craving for alcohol and binge drinking,” Johnson said.

The clinical study will involve eight weeks of treatment with the drug, Johnson said, including two sessions of psychosocial intervention and follow-up monitoring. Three hundred people who are currently binge drinking will take part in the study, he said, most likely including a number of University students.

The study — which will take about four years to complete, according to Johnson — is being funded by a $3.2-million grant from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Raye Litten, associate director of the division of treatment and recovery research at NIAAA, said the institute is particularly interested in Johnson’s study because of the young age of the population Johnson will be testing.

Litten said the average age of people who participate in NIAAA clinical trials is about 40, despite the fact that the average age of the onset of alcohol dependence is 20 to 21. According to Litten, high risk drinking behavior — which he defines as drinking more then five drinks in one night for men and drinking more then three drinks for women — can lead to longer term effects in this younger age group including dependency.

“If he finds this [drug] is effective, you could treat people as they develop [dependence] at an earlier age, rather than let it progress,” Litten said, adding that currently, most people take at least eight years to seek treatment for alcohol abuse.

“This could prevent long-term effects much better than letting [abuse] go on for years and years,” he said.

An earlier study conducted by Johnson concluded that ondansetron is not very effective in treating later-onset alcohol abuse, Litten said, but also found the drug is more effective for cases of early onset alcohol abuse, making it an “ideal drug to test on this population.”

The study also will focus on the effect of genetics on treatment response, Johnson said.

“If a person has a certain genetic profile, he or she may respond better to the drug ... and have fewer side effects,” Litten said, expanding upon the genetic aspect of the study. “It would be nice, before you give someone a drug, to know if they have a chance to respond to it.”

If his hypothesis is confirmed, Johnson said doctors could be able to offer medication targeted toward binge-drinking students for the first time.

Cavalier Daily

Why binge drinking is bad for your bones

Studies in recent years have demonstrated that binge drinking can decrease bone mass and bone strength, increasing the risk of osteoporosis.

Now a Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine study has found a possible mechanism: Alcohol disturbs genes necessary for maintaining healthy bones.

The findings could help in the development of new drugs to minimize bone loss in alcohol abusers. Such drugs also might help people who don't abuse alcohol but are at risk for osteoporosis.

"Of course, the best way to prevent alcohol-induced bone loss is to not drink or to drink moderately," said bone biologist John Callaci, PhD. "But when prevention doesn't work, we need other strategies to limit the damage."

Callaci is co-author of the study, published recently in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. He is an assistant professor in Stritch's Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation.

Callaci's co-authors are Frederick Wezeman, PhD, professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation and Ryan Himes, a research assistant in the Burn and Shock Trauma Institute.

The National Osteoporosis Foundation says that many people who abuse alcohol do not get enough calcium. Alcohol also can affect the body's calcium supply. And drinking too much can increase the risk of falls and broken bones. The foundation advises drinking no more than two drinks per day.

Loyola's Alcohol Research Program was among the first centers to demonstrate that rats given an amount of alcohol equivalent to binge drinking show significant decreases in bone mineral density and bone strength. (In humans, binge drinking is defined as a woman having at least four drinks or a man having at least five drinks in two hours.) But surprisingly little was known about the mechanisms responsible for these effects.

In the new study, researchers injected rats with an amount of alcohol equivalent to binge drinking for three days or to chronic alcohol abuse for four weeks. Control groups received injections of saline.

Researchers focused on genes responsible for bone health. They found that alcohol
affected the amounts of RNA associated with these genes. (RNA serves as the template for making proteins, the building blocks of bones and other tissue.) With some genes, alcohol increased the amount of RNA. With other genes, alcohol decreased the RNA. Changing the amounts of RNA disrupted two molecular pathways responsible for normal bone metabolism and maintenance of bone mass. These pathways are called the Wnt signaling pathway and the Intergrin signaling pathway.

"We found that the expressions of certain genes important for maintaining bone integrity are disturbed by alcohol exposure," Callaci said.

Loyola scientists and doctors are conducting extensive research on the effects of alcohol. Researchers are, for example, studying how alcohol causes memory loss and impairs the immune system.

Loyola University

Dangers of drinking and driving displayed during Alcohol Awareness Week

Students were educated this week on a subject they face every day: alcohol.

Alcohol Awareness Week, sponsored by SGA, Office of Greek Life, Freshman Year Experience, Student Counseling Services and Auburn University Parents Association, was Monday through Wednesday this week.

“SGA wanted to do an Alcohol Awareness Week sometime this semester, especially with the two alcohol-related deaths,” said Clay Parker, SGA senator-at-large.

Panhellenic President Meredith Gaston said she thinks alcohol awareness is an important issue for students.

“A lot of people drink and drive; it’s just for some people, the outcome is worse,” said Gaston, a senior in biomedical sciences. “Everybody knows that friend that will never get a cab.”

Gaston said alcohol awareness is something the University needs to address.

“I’m hoping that maybe with a little more insight into the subject and awareness on the part of the University to target students, maybe it will help them think twice about whether they get behind the wheel of a car and drive home,” Gaston said.

Parker, a junior in biomedical sciences, said the event is in conjunction with National Alcohol Awareness Week.

Parker said the University has not had anything like this in the past 10 years, and he hopes to make it an annual event.

Gaston said she has not seen a concerted effort like this on campus about alcohol education.

“It’s organizations that have been affected by it, and now we’re finally all coming together to take a stand to say something about it,” Gaston said.

A wrecked vehicle was on display Monday near the stadium parking deck. At the event, information on alcohol education and prevention was handed out, and State Farm and Alfa representatives distributed tips on safe driving.

Parker said passing out the fliers was a huge success ,and a lot of the State Farm and Alfa representatives were enthusiastic about educating students and making Alcohol Awareness Week an annual event on campus.

A DUI/DWI simulator was also on campus by the stadium parking deck Tuesday, which uses goggles, a computer screen and sensors on a parked vehicle to show students what it is like to drive under the influence.

When students enter the vehicle, they are able to choose how many drinks they’ve had over a certain period of time, weight, age and gender on a computer screen to calculate their blood alcohol content. Jake Dewberry was one of the first students to test the simulator.

“It was really cool to see how technology has gotten so good because it was pretty real,” Dewberry said.

He said it was a neat experience to be able to tell the difference in driving drunk and being sober by removing the goggles.

Gaston said she thinks students will be affected most by the luminaries scheduled for Wednesday.

“You hear statistics all the time, and that’s just what they are,” Gaston said. “They’re just numbers, but when you put a visual something with that, I think it really hits harder than it would normally.”

Parker said 1,500 luminaries are expected to be lit at Toomer’s Corner and Samford Lawn. He said each candle represents one person who is likely to die in October in alcohol-related incidents across the country.

Gaston said alcohol awareness affects a variety of students.

“I think it’s not necessarily a gender or ethnicity or organizational thing, but I definitely think it’s the age group we’re at,” Gaston said. “The idea of college and independence and doing things on your own, I think affects people more so than it would in the real world.”

Auburn Plainsman

Mum's 8 litres of cider a day habit

Mum's 8 litres of cider a day habit

A Young mother who habitually drinks eight litres of cider and a half bottle of vodka a day was found at the wheel of a car when nearly five times the drink-drive limit.

She was arrested after her car mounted a pavement in Swansea city centre at almost two in the morning.

Police had been alerted by onlookers alarmed by her erratic driving.

A breath test produced a reading of 166 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath — one of the highest seen by magistrates.

That figure is nine points short of five times the drink-drive limit.

"Your actions were a danger not only to yourself but to members of the public," said magistrates chairman John Carlisle.

It was clear to him and his two colleagues that she had "a very serious alcohol problem".

He said of the breath test reading: "The level of alcohol was the highest that any of us on this bench have seen in our experience.

"For that reason, we are going to impose a custodial sentence."

He went on to make it clear that the 16 weeks sentence would be suspended for 12 months.

Kelly Griffiths, of Gwynfor Road, Cockett, appeared before the court to admit drink-driving and using a car without a licence or insurance on October 14.

The court heard from prosecutor Helen Edwards how two witnesses alerted police after seeing the 27-year-old mother-of-one climbing into her car in Oxford Street at 1.45 that morning.

She was said to have had no proper control of the car, which was seen to cross a central white line and strike a kerb before halting a short distance away.

Police found Griffiths at the wheel of the car which had come to rest positioned diagonally in the roadway and partially on the pavement.

Her solicitor, Andrew Evans, said: "She accepts she has a problem with alcohol and she realises she needs to address that problem.

"She is, on a voluntary basis, in contact with agencies able to help her."

Ahead of sentencing, the magistrates ordered a report into her background.

In giving that report, court probation officer Tina Kovacs disclosed that Griffiths had admitted to drinking eight litres of cider and a half bottle of vodka each day.

In imposing a suspended prison term, the magistrates made Griffiths subject to supervision for a year during which time she will have to follow whatever course is deemed appropriate in addressing her alcohol problem.

The justices directed that she should observe an 8pm to 8am curfew, with electronic tagging, for the next three months.

She was banned from driving for three years and ordered to pay £60 towards prosecution costs.

This is Swansea

Man found by son after fatal binge-drink session

A man was found dead by his son after a heavy binge-drinking session the day before had caused him slip into a coma and die, an inquest was told.
Kevin Hall was found dead at his home in Hector Close, Waterloovile.

The electronics engineer, who had divorced from his wife, was on leave from work after injuring his legs in a fall at the workplace.

The inquest was told how Mr Hall was immobile after the accident and was housebound at the time he died.

He had a history of heavy drinking, a contributing factor to his divorce, and ultimately, his death.

On the morning of August 8, 2007, Mr Hall, 46, had greeted his sons Daniel and Matthew and mentioned that he felt better than he had been in the previous days.

They both went out to work before 8.30am but when Daniel returned from work at around 3pm, he found his father's body in the kitchen.

A post-mortem examination concluded that Mr Hall had died from alcoholic cardiomyopathy, where one severe drinking binge can cause the body to malfunction, rather than the effects of long-term abuse.

Mr Hall's father, James Hall, had been at his son's house the day before he died. He said: 'He had six bottles of tonic water in his fridge and was drinking loads of it. He said he was thirsty but tonic water would not help that. We found a lot of empty vodka bottles when we cleaned the house out.'

Coroner David Horsley recorded a verdict of accidental death at the hearing in Portsmouth Guildhall.

The Portsmouth News

Underage drinking problem must be tackled

The problem of under-age drinking in Forres could be tackled in the future with a raft of new proposals being drafted in by the Scottish Government.

Operations carried out by Grampian Police at various locations around the town in the past have uncovered vast hauls of booze, usually being consumed in the open air, from under age drinkers.

Speaking to the "Forres Gazette" during July following an operation to target the teeny tipplers in the Forres area, Sergeant Colin Taylor, Moray Community Safety Unit, said under-age drinking was a real issue that police were committed to tackling and called on the public to supply information so they can act with knowledge when carrying out the operations.

He said the July initiative netted three bottles of spirits, two bottles of Buckfast, a bottle of cider, 10 tins of cider, 11 tins of lager, 18 bottles of beer, and three plastic bottles containing juice mixed with various spirits. More than 50 youths were spoken to and some had their details noted and will be put in touch with Moray Drug and Alcohol Team.

He said the problem was widespread and it was usually police officers and partner services who were called to pick up the pieces or tackle the problems caused by drunk youngsters, going on the rampage which causes disruption and nuisance to local neighbourhoods and communities.

"Despite numerous articles in the media relating to alcohol misuse by youngsters, underage drinking and its resulting bad behaviour, continues to be a regular problem, he said.

However, last week, Public Health Minister Shona Robison revealed that the government had published responses to its consultation on tackling Scotland's alcohol misuse problem, which could have repercussions around Moray and the rest of the country.

Key proposals in the strategy include setting a minimum price for a unit of alcohol, raising the off-sales purchase age to 21, an end to irresponsible promotions and a social responsibility fee for some retailers.

A total of 530 responses were received, comprising 260 from individuals, 215 from organisations and 55 from MSPs and other sources.

Ms Robison said the government would take into account all of the views expressed, before developing legislation to address the issue.

"We believe that raising the off-sales purchase age would cut the level of uncontrolled open-air and home drinking which we know can result in anti-social behaviour," she said. "Meanwhile, our proposal for a minimum price for a unit of alcohol will target the high-strength products currently sold for "pocket money prices" that cause the most damage in our communities and to our health as a nation. I believe we have a real opportunity here to bring about a long-term cultural shift to rebalance Scotland's relationship with alcohol."

She said burying our heads in the sand is not an option and Scotland must take action now to reverse the heavy toll excessive alcohol consumption is taking on our nation's health and wellbeing.

Grampian Police say that alcohol misuse is definitely a significant problem in the area, which can spiral, leading to addictions and more anti-social behaviour.

Sergeant Taylor said that there are a variety of things that officers on patrol can do if they see evidence of underage drinking, which ranges from confiscating the alcohol and speaking to the kids to speaking to the parents and putting them in touch with alcohol services.

He said taking this sort of action was usually quite positive, and most parents would even express relief that it was drink and not drugs, and vow to do something about the problem at that point before it gets out of hand.

He said officers could also refer parent and youngsters to the appropriate partner service such as the local drug and alcohol team and as part of their ongoing work, target schools especially in the run-up to holidays to warn youngsters about the hidden consequences of drinking.

There are several areas in the Forres area, which are known to the police as drinking dens, which are targeted at random intervals; this includes local woods and parks, and other secluded or quiet areas.

The Operation Avon is intelligence led and police are keen to put tackling underage drinking on their list of priorities, but they rely on information from the public to seek out the trouble makers and want to receive information about other drinking haunts.

Local premises in the town are also visited regularly and at least one in Forres was reported to the Procurator Fiscal this year for selling to under age drinkers.

Police are also eager to crack down on individuals who are supplying to under agers and called on off-sale staff to be consistent and check the ages of youngsters.

He reminded people that bye-laws in Forres make it illegal to drink in public places. There is a fixed penalty fine of £30 which can also be issued for those adults caught breaking the law.

Meantime anyone with any information relating to any of these issues can call the Grampian Police non emergency number 0845 600 5700 or phone the confidential Crimestoppers freefone 0800 555111.

Forres Gazette

Underage Drinking Sparks Concern Among Parents

A teenager dies in the woods after attending an underage drinking party.

Four teens are rushed to the hospital, police say after taking a friend's prescription medicine.

Now parents are left wondering, what can they do to make sure their child isn't the next?

"It should be an eye opener for parents and for the entire community," said David DeIuliis, of Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

The four juniors at Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical High School in Fitchburg were lucky because they were not seriously injured by the drugs.

But for 17-year-old Taylor Meyer of Plainville, a post football game party Friday night turned fatal. Right now police don't know if she had been drinking. They are awaiting autopsy results, but she was at a party in the woods where kids were drinking, and she wandered away. Police found her body Monday morning. They believe she died of hypothermia.

MADD says kids and alcohol can lead to serious, even fatal consequences.

"Obviously the worst case scenario: a fatality, drunken driving, falls, drownings, sexual assaults, violence." DeIuliis said. "Alcohol is a contributor to the leading causes of death among young people."

DeIuliis says parents should use the incidents to talk with their children about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. He also says it's a good reminder to parents to "pester" their children about where they're going, with whom, and what they're doing.

"I'm sure your teenagers aren't going to like you now for doing it, but long term it could be one of those things that saves their lives."

Sadly, students in one high school are now learning that very painful life lesson.

wbz tv

Young admit to drink abuse

More than three-quarters of young people in the Loddon-Mallee region who responded to an online survey into alcohol consumption have admitted to a recent binge-drinking session.

The shock finding is one of the key highlights of the survey conducted during the past three months, with more than 2000 young people answering the State Opposition questionnaire.

Opposition spokeswoman for drug abuse Mary Wooldridge said a clear message needed to be sent that drunken and abusive behaviour was not acceptable.

“In addition, the attitudes and actions of parents clearly influence their child’s approach to alcohol consumption,’’ she said.

“We need new ideas about how to help parents support their teenage children to encourage responsible decisions about alcohol consumption.’’

Other survey highlights include the call for more alcohol-free events for under 18s, free water in pubs and clubs, and more drug and alcohol counsellors.

The Salvation Army has added its weight to the fight against binge drinking, with the launch of its national 2008 Alcohol Awareness campaign to highlight the impact of alcohol abuse in the community.

Research it released reveals: More than two million people say they or their family have experienced children being embarrassed or scared as a result of alcohol consumption in the family.

More than 4.3 million people say alcohol has had a negative impact on them or their family.

More than 8.4 million people want alcohol advertising reduced and more than 3.6 million say alcohol advertising should be banned altogether.

More than 3.4 million people say they or their family have experienced verbal arguments or threats as a result of alcohol consumption within their family with close to two million people saying they or their family have experienced physical arguments or threats as a result of alcohol consumption within their family.

The Salvos have called for a reduction alcohol advertising and a review of advertising guidelines, as well as a Federal Government awareness campaign on the impact of alcohol in “everyday Australian families’’, and for all Australians to consider the impact of alcohol on their families and to review their drinking habits.

Major Brad Halse said the significant negative effects caused by alcohol abuse had to be reduced.

“Alcohol abuse is leading to verbal and physical arguments. This research shows more than one million people report financial difficulties as a result of alcohol consumption within the family,’’ he said.

The Australian Family Association national spokesman, John Morrissey, said the use and abuse of alcohol was deep-rooted in Australian culture at all levels of society.

‘‘For young people, drinking is ingrained as a rite of passage,’’ he said.

“Yet, for all of this, drinking is celebrated as if it were quintessentially Australian. It certainly makes alcohol a natural for advertising, which is now pervasive, associating drinking with legends of sport and history - just as was once done with tobacco.’’

The Advertiser

UTPA students learn about the dangers of drinking

University of Texas-Pan American freshmen Iliana Cantu and Baldomero Perez giggled while taking a survey about alcohol use.

The 18-year-olds said they don't really drink and prefer to focus on their studies.

"We're geeks," Perez joked.

But they said they have friends attending schools beyond the Rio Grande Valley where binge drinking and heavy partying are the norm.

On Tuesday, they and other students at UTPA learned what the consequences could be for students who do engage in such risky behavior.

Representatives from Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Planned Parenthood Association of Hidalgo County, Palmer Drug Abuse Program, Rio Grande Valley Coalition and other organizations were on campus handing out information and talking to students about the dangers of drinking too much, abusing drugs and having unprotected sex.

"It's all geared toward helping students make decisions," said Miguel Lopez, a licensed counselor and program coordinator of the UTPA Empowerment Zone. The empowerment zone serves as an umbrella organization for smaller programs, including drug and alcohol counseling.

The university put on the event in conjunction with National Collegiate Alcohol Awareness Week, which runs through Friday. On Thursday, the university's Bacchus and Gamma club plans to host another event with live music.

UTPA joins about 1,000 other campuses throughout the country in educating students about the risks involved in binge drinking, drug use and unprotected sex, according to The Bacchus Network, a nonprofit network involving universities and community organizations that promotes health and safety programs.

Students who stopped by the tables set up behind the student union filled out surveys about their drinking habits, answered true-or-false questions about sexual activity and received free gifts including ice cream scoops and key chains. Each table was filled with pamphlets, brochures and other informational items.

Overall, students said they were glad the university had people on hand to provide the information.

Seniors Rossy Lima, 22, and Perla Rubi, 20, said most people would take the advice of loved ones about the dangers of drinking and drug use rather than just reading something from a brochure. But they liked that the university and community groups were reaching out to students, especially those who might have a problem with alcohol and other drug abuse.

"They offer (ways) to quit or change," said Lima.

This year is an especially important one for colleges and universities to get the word out about binge drinking. More than 100 universities, led by Middlebury College in Vermont, have banded together under The Amethyst Initiative to persuade the federal government to reduce the drinking age from 21 to 18.

Student drinking isn't just a health issue but also a potential liability for colleges and universities. The Associated Press, for example, reported in December about