Study finds alcohol ads appeared every 12 seconds in Six Nations rugby match
A new study highlights the prevalence of alcohol advertising in the Guinness Six Nations Rugby Championship and the subsequent risk to children, with adverts appearing hundreds of times throughout matches.
Researchers found 961 references in the Scotland vs England match and 754 in the Ireland vs Wales match, every 12 and 15 seconds respectively.
The report, which was funded by the Institute of Alcohol Studies (IAS), Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP) and Alcohol Action Ireland (AAI), recommends that stricter alcohol marketing regulations are introduced to ensure fewer children are exposed to direct alcohol advertising during events of this scale.
SHAAP are now taking the Six Nations report forward with politicians from all parties in the Scottish parliament and hope to influence the Scottish government’s forthcoming consultation on alcohol marketing, to restrict or ban alcohol sponsorship in sport.
Children exposed to alcohol in womb need dedicated support, says charity
Thousands of children and young people living with a condition caused by exposure to alcohol while in the womb are in need of dedicated and joined-up support.
The charity Adoption UK is calling for each government in the UK to fund a foetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) hub in their nation.
FASD could affect up to 5% of the population, but it is estimated that one-third of adopted children have the condition – alcohol use being one of the main reasons why children are taken into care.
The call comes as the Department of Health and Social Care announced its first FASD Health Needs Assessment for England. The document summarises the current state of research and policy and identifies the need for better training and awareness for health professionals.
Why is alcohol harm so high in North East England?
The North East has the highest rate of alcohol related deaths in England.
In a blog for the AHA, Sue Taylor, Head of Alcohol Policy at Balance the North East Alcohol Office, explores why alcohol harm is so high in the North East and considers what can be done to tackle the health inequalities.
Humankind launches Recovery Steps Cumbria
Humankind has launched a free and confidential service offering a range of support and interventions for people whose lives are affected by alcohol and drug use and other addictions in Cumbria.
Recovery Steps Cumbria is run by Humankind in partnership with The Well Communities and is funded by Cumbria County Council. It will offer a range of services including clinical, health and wellbeing support, access to work and skills opportunities, and connections to housing.
People will be able to access services from a range of sites across the county including Carlisle, Workington, Whitehaven and Barrow-in-Furness, as well as satellite offices in Penrith and Kendal. In addition, services will be delivered through community venues and in partnership with GPs and pharmacists. Support will be provided by trained professionals, including staff and volunteers who have lived experience of recovery.
Alcohol Action Ireland launches ‘End the silence’ campaign
Alcohol Action Ireland, the national independent advocate for reducing alcohol harm, is launching its inaugural ‘End the Silence’ series of events and activities from 18—26 October, which aims to raise awareness of the 600,000 people (200,00 children and 400,000 adults) in Ireland affected by parental alcohol use.
The daily experience of living with problem drinking in the home can cause great trauma for children which can lead to serious issues for those same children in adulthood.
Scottish parliament’s health committee work plan
SHAAP has outlined key areas for consideration for the Scottish Parliament’s Health and Sport Committee as it considers its future workplan. These are:
- Public health as a key part of the recovery from COVID-19 and preparedness for future health emergencies and pandemics.
- The role of stigma in preventing and/or reducing access to health and care services and in widening already existing health inequalities in Scotland.
- Connection and communication between acute, primary and community health and care settings alongside scrutiny of the proposed National Care Service.
SHAAP will be reinforcing these messages with the Committee in the coming months.
Lay Committee member vacancies at the Royal College of Anaesthetists
There are several opportunities for people to join the Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA) influential Lay Committee to represent the patient and public voice throughout the work of the College.
The role offers you the opportunity to influence the College’s work focusing on improving patients’ care and their experience of anaesthesia, intensive care and pain medicine.
Events
Film screening and discussion with film maker: ‘Peel’
Alcohol Action Ireland
21 October
Learning and reflection: Where the light enters: hope and healing through trauma informed education
Alcohol Action Ireland and Maynooth University
26 October
Training course: How the PRIDDY toolkit can help
Humankind
1 November, 1 December
Celebration Research Seminar for Dr Eric Carlin
Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems and Scottish Alcohol Research Network
15 November
MCA Symposium – Alcohol and health: interventions and recovery
Medical Council on Alcohol
17 November
Alcohol: Sharing the Truth
Share Shrewsbury
18 & 19 November
Alcohol Evidence in Policy and Practice workshop
SPECTRUM
28 November – 1 December
Meet the Members
Every month, we speak to a member of the AHA to find out more about what they do and how their organisation is working to end alcohol harm.
Today we meet Kate Oldridge-Turner, head of policy and public affairs at World Cancer Research Fund International (WCRF). Kate has worked for WCRF for two years.
How does your organisation help to reduce alcohol harm?
WCRF has a cancer prevention recommendation to ‘Limit Alcohol consumption’ which was formulated from an analysis of research related to alcohol and cancer through our Continuous Update Project.
Our website has information about the types of cancers that alcohol consumption it is linked to, such as breast, colorectum and stomach. Our scientific work forms the basis of our health information and policy work.
We try and ensure everyone has the opportunity to follow our cancer prevention recommendations through our policy influencing work, to create an environment where the healthy choice is the easiest choice.
From the policy perspective, we are interested in fiscal measures such as MUP, alcohol labelling and marketing restrictions – not from just the UK, but around the world – and where we can draw on experiences in diet-related policies in similar areas.
What inspires you most in your job?
Whilst policy work can be a slow burn, the wins can be big and can enact a huge change. We’ve seen it in areas such as tobacco control and how smoking has become much less culturally and socially pervasive. Thanks to policy work, obesity is now significantly higher up the political agenda. I think we may be seeing the same thing in alcohol as awareness of health and alcohol harm increases.
What change do you think would make the biggest difference in reducing alcohol harm?
I am no believer in silver bullets – I think it will be a combination of measures from a range of angles that will be the most effective. However, as a proponent of restrictions on marketing and sports sponsorship, we also have a unique moment to capitalise on and shift the narrative by trying to ensure that alcohol is included alongside junk food in government plans for alcohol advertising restrictions. We must be swift to act!