Teen Problem Drinking Not a Phase, Study Shows 

A new study led by a researcher at Indiana University suggests that drinking problems in teens is not "just a phase," but strongly predicts they will be alcohol dependent in their twenties, CNN Health reported Feb. 15.

Researchers assessed the drinking problems of 597 Finnish twins at age 18 by giving them the Rutgers Alcohol Problem Index (RAPI), a self-administered questionnaire. They followed up with in-person interviews when the twins reached age 25.

They found that 52 percent of the study participants showed problem drinking at 18 based on their RAPI scores. Those scores held at age 25, when nearly half of the participants were assessed as dependent on alcohol (46.2 percent) or met criteria for alcohol abuse (1.5 percent).

"The key finding was that the more drinking-related problems experienced by an adolescent at age 18, the greater the likelihood that adolescent would be diagnosed with alcoholism seven years later, at age 25," said Richard R. Rose of Indiana University, who led the study. "The analysis of co-twins ruled out factors such as parental drinking and household atmosphere as the source of the association, because twins jointly experience these."

The researchers recommended early screening for alcohol problems as an important part of reducing alcohol dependence.

The full study, "Rutgers Alcohol Problem Index Scores at Age 18 Predict Alcohol Dependence Diagnoses 7 Years Later," was published online Feb. 11, in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.

This article summarizes an external report or press release on research published in a scientific journal. When available, links to the sources are provided above.

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Action needed to reduce health impact of harmful alcohol use 

The newly published Global status report on alcohol and health analyses available evidence on alcohol consumption and provides data in over 100 individual country profiles.

11 February 2011 | Geneva - Wider implementation of policies is needed to save lives and reduce the health impact of harmful alcohol drinking, says a new report launched today by WHO. Harmful use of alcohol results in the death of 2.5 million people annually, causes illness and injury to many more, and increasingly affects younger generations and drinkers in developing countries.

Harmful use of alcohol is defined as excessive use to the point that it causes damage to health and often includes adverse social consequences.

Global alcohol report

The Global status report on alcohol and health analysis available evidence on alcohol consumption, consequences and policy interventions at global, regional and national levels.

"Many countries recognize the serious public health problems caused by the harmful use of alcohol and have taken steps to prevent the health and social burdens and treat those in need of care. But clearly much more needs to be done to reduce the loss of life and suffering associated with harmful alcohol use," says Dr Ala Alwan, WHO Assistant Director-General for Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health.

Health implications

Harmful use of alcohol has many implications on public health.

• Nearly 4% of all deaths are related to alcohol. Most alcohol-related deaths are caused by alcohol result from injuries, cancer, cardiovascular diseases and liver cirrhosis.
• Globally, 6.2% of all male deaths are related to alcohol, compared to 1.1% of female deaths. One-in-five men in the Russian Federation and neighboring countries die due to alcohol-related causes.
• Globally, 320 000 young people aged 15-29 years die annually, from alcohol-related causes, resulting in 9% of all deaths in that age group.

Too few countries use effective policy options to prevent death, disease and injury from alcohol use. From 1999, when WHO first began to report on alcohol policies, at least 34 countries have adopted some type of formal policies to reduce harmful use of alcohol. Restrictions on alcohol marketing and on drink-driving have increased, but there are no clear trends on most preventive measures. Many countries have weak alcohol policies and prevention programs.

Effective strategies

The Global Strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol, endorsed by WHO's Member States in May 2010, promotes a range of proven effective measures for reducing alcohol-related harm. These include taxation on alcohol to reduce harmful drinking; reducing availability through allowing fewer outlets to sell alcohol, raising age limits for those buying and using effective drink-driving measures.

The Global Strategy also promotes the screening and brief interventions in healthcare settings to change hazardous patterns of drinking, and treatment of alcohol use disorders; regulating or banning marketing of alcoholic beverages; and conducting information and educational campaigns in support of effective policy measures.

Consumption

Worldwide consumption in 2005 was equal to 6.13 liters of pure alcohol consumed per person aged 15 years or older, according to the report. Analysis from 2001-2005 showed countries in the WHO Americas, European, Eastern Mediterranean and Western Pacific regions had relatively stable consumption levels during that time; but marked increases were seen in Africa and South-East Asia during the five-year period.

Despite widespread consumption, most people do not drink. Almost half of all men and two-thirds of women did not consume alcohol in 2005, according to the latest information made available in the report. Abstention rates are low in high-income, high consumption countries, and higher in North African and South Asian countries. But those who do drink in countries with high abstention rates consume alcohol at high levels.

Reducing harmful use of alcohol worldwide

Today's report launch coincides with the end of a four-day meeting of officials from over 100 countries working with WHO to reduce harmful use of alcohol worldwide. This first such meeting, hosted by WHO in Geneva, was held to initiate implementation of the Global Strategy to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol. The strategy aims to raise awareness on the problems of harmful alcohol use and help countries to better prevent and reduce such harm.

Notes for the editor

• Harmful alcohol use is one of four common risk factors, along with tobacco use, poor diet and physical inactivity, for the four main groups of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) - cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic lung diseases and diabetes.
• To respond to the health and socioeconomic impacts of noncommunicable diseases , the United Nations General Assembly is holding a High-level Meeting on the Prevention and Control of NCDs on 19-20 September, 2011, in New York.
• In the lead-up the UN meeting, the Russian Federation and WHO are organizing the First Global Ministerial Conference on Healthy Lifestyles and NCDs Control in Moscow on 28-29 April.

For more information, please contact:

Paul Garwood
Communications officer
WHO
Telephone: +41 79 475 55 46
E-mail: garwoodp@who.int

Wisconsin Epidemiological Profile on Alcohol and Other Drug Use 

Introduction

This report summarizes current data on the consequences and use of alcohol and other drugs in Wisconsin. The Executive Summary is followed by a narrative with charts and tables detailing key trends for Wisconsin in the consequences of alcohol and other drug use and in patterns of consumption. The Appendices provide information on indicator definitions, data sources, and sample sizes.

Data in this report primarily reflect trends at a statewide level. Where available, information by county has also been included.

In the sections on the consequences of alcohol and other drug use, this report includes data on both arrests and reported offenses. Both kinds of data have advantages and disadvantages. Reported offenses are not influenced by the laws and enforcement practices

of a particular locality. Nevertheless, arrests provide a measure of the socioeconomic toll of these crimes. Data on reported offenses are only available for "index" crimes: burglary, theft, arson, motor vehicle theft, homicide, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. 

Arrest data are available for a wider range of crimes.

How effective is the "Above the Influence" Campaign? 

Louisville, Kentucky - Today, Gil Kerlikowske, Director of National Drug Control Policy, released the following statement regarding the publication of an independent, scientific analysis of the Office of National Drug Control Policy's (ONDCP) "Above the Influence" (ATI) National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign:

"This study confirms that the National Youth Anti-Drug Media campaign is effective, relevant to youth, and a vital tool in supporting drug prevention efforts of communities across the country.  With youth drug use on the rise, it is imperative that a campaign like Above the Influence - one that is effectively reaching and resonating with youth in communities - receive the funding it needs to keep our young people safe, healthy, and drug-free.  Drug use negatively affects almost every aspect of our society.  If we are to meet President Obama's challenge of out-competing and out-educating the rest of the world, we simply cannot afford to let up on vital education programs, like the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign, which effectively protect our next generation of young people from slipping into a lifetime of drug addiction, poor school performance, negative social behaviors, or worse." 

The study, published in January's issue of the peer-reviewed journal Prevention Science, shows that youth across 20 communities in the U.S. who are exposed to the "Above the Influence" campaign are less likely to use marijuana, compared to those not exposed to the campaign.  This finding is consistent with the Campaign's own year-round Youth Ad Tracking Survey results, which has demonstrated over the same time period that teens who said they were exposed to the campaign hold stronger anti-drug beliefs than those teens who were not exposed.  Stronger anti-drug beliefs are known to predict lower actual drug use behaviors.

The analysis also suggests the effects of this national-level campaign could be measurably increased through the use of in-school and community efforts mirroring the "Above the Influence" brand.  The independent scientific analysis entitled Assessing Media Campaigns Linking Marijuana Non-Use with Autonomy and Aspirations: "Be Under Your Own Influence" and ONDCP's "Above the Influence" was funded through a grant by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), a research component of the National Institutes of Health.

ONDCP has redesigned the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign to include a broader focus on substances most often abused by teens and a renewed emphasis on partnering with communities to reach at-risk youth populations in rural, suburban, and urban communities.

To read the news release from Ohio State University click here.

An abstract of the study can be found here. 

Walgreens Introduces It's Own Line of Beer - Just $2.99 per 6-Pack. 

Many alcohol policy advocates were worried when Walgreens applied for Class A alcohol licenses.  Now the drug store chain has introduced its own beer label,  Big Flats 1901, costing just $0.50 per can, approximately $2.99 for a six-pack.

The idea of the pharmacy chain selling cheap beer rankles competitors. Indianapolis craft beer aficionados can't hop to the taste of 50-cents-a-can beer and television comedian Stephen Colbert brewed up wise cracks about the cheap suds, "the perfect beer to drink after you've already finished the sixer of beer that cost more than a carnival goldfish."

Walgreen says it is just offering a good product at a low price.

"Big Flats 1901 offers consumers a premium beer at an affordable price," according to a news release from Winery Exchange, a Novato, Calif., company that supplies the new beer exclusively for Walgreens. It is brewed in a plant in upstate New York.

Clerks in Walgreens in Indianapolis and Fishers said Monday that Big Flats 1901 has been a good seller and is drawing repeat customers.

Local craft beer buffs consider it a novelty. "In a word, the taste is terrible, but at 50 cents a can, you can't expect a whole lot," quipped Gina Rakers, one of nine contributors to the local beer blog www.HoosierBeerGeek.blogspot.com.

Distribution of Big Flats began in mid-December but wasn't announced until recently by Winery Exchange.  "In just the first few weeks of sales, consumer feedback has been very positive, as beer drinkers across the U.S. are thrilled to have such a quality brew at a value price," said Kathleen Burns, senior marketing manager at Winery Exchange.

The same company brews other private label alcohol for chains such as Trader Joe's and discounter Costco Wholesale. Walgreens, the nation's largest pharmacy chain, sells Big Flats 1901 at about 4,600 of the 7,655 Walgreens locations nationwide. Rival CVS pharmacy also sells alcoholic beverages.

In Indiana, Walgreen touched off a controversy in the beverage retailing industry last year by applying for alcohol sales permits for many of its 200 stores in the state. In Indianapolis, Walgreen received permits for 18 locations but was denied or withdrew at several other sites where neighbors rallied opposition.

Walgreen also announced plans last week to pop the cork on a new table wine to be sold in its stores. Australian winemaker Daryl Groom created Colby Red, dedicated to a campaign to raise awareness about heart diseases. Colby Red is to be priced at $12.99 in Walgreens by mid-February.

Tax 'Alcopops' as Liquor, Not Beer, Nebraska Judge Rules 

"Alcopops" are brewed malt beverages with distilled spirits added for flavor, such as Bacardi Breezers, Mike's Hard Lemonade, and Smirnoff Ice. Under the new ruling by Lancaster County District Judge John Coburn, taxes on the drinks would jump from 31 cents a gallon to $3.75 a gallon, and they could not be sold at beer-only retail outlets like mini-markets.  

Coburn's ruling was based on a state law that required that beverages with distilled spirits must be taxed as hard liquor. The state liquor control commission decided in 2008 to classify alcopops as beer, just as the federal government does. 

In 2009, a mother and three state groups working to reduce underage drinking filed suit challenging the commission's ruling. One of the groups, Project Extra Mile, said that classifying the drinks as beer made them more accessible to teens by making them available at more stores and at lower prices than if they were classified as hard alcohol.  

Nebraska Attorney General Jon Bruning has decided to appeal the new ruling, the Lincoln Journal Star reported, Feb. 22.

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