Commenting on a new report by the University of Manchester that finds a direct link between alcohol sponsorship in the sports industry and hazardous drinking among sportspeople, Professor Ian Gilmore, President of the Royal College of Physicians and chair of the UK Alcohol Health Alliance said:
"This study, undertaken in a country with a similar sports and drinking culture to our own, gives the stark messages that hazardous drinking, common in sport, is seen more when the individual or club is sponsored by the drinks industry. Providing discounted or free alcoholic drinks was the worst offender. Alcohol producers and retailers have worked long and hard to align themselves to the positive and healthy image of sport, and we now have evidence that this is not only proving effective but also potentially damaging to those that participate. Some countries like France have already banned alcohol-related sports sponsorship and it is time we had that debate in the UK"
Royal College of Physicians
вторник, 17 мая 2011 г.
DrugScope Responds To Advisory Council's Review Of Ecstasy, UK
DrugScope, the leading independent centre of expertise on drugs and drug policy, has today welcomed publication of the findings from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) review of ecstasy [1] [2].
Based on a review of the social and health harms of ecstasy, the ACMD recommends that the government reclassify the drug from Class A to Class B. The Council also advised that the government revise and widen access to public health messages and guidance on the drug's harms, particularly for young people.
Other key recommendations include:
- Parents, carers, teachers and those working in the criminal justice system should be informed about the risks of ecstasy and how these compare with those of other drugs.
- More research is required into the effects of ecstasy upon the brain.
- More research should be conducted regarding the nature and extent of ecstasy use among young people.
Responding to today's report, DrugScope Chief Executive Martin Barnes said:
"DrugScope welcomes the ACMD's report on ecstasy and we support all its recommendations. It is appropriate that drugs controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act are subject to regular review, in order to ensure that decisions on drugs policy are informed by the latest and best evidence.
"DrugScope supports the ACMD's recommendation that ecstasy be reclassified to Class B. The advice is based on a thorough, objective and independent review of the latest evidence. Previous reviews of drug policy, not least a Home Affairs Select Committee report in 2002, have questioned the classification of ecstasy as a Class A drug. [3]
"The challenge is to ensure that any debate over ecstasy's classification is not perceived - or indeed misrepresented - as indicating that the drug is in any way 'safe'. It is precisely because ecstasy is a harmful drug that it is controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act but evidence shows that its social and health harms are more consistent with drugs controlled under Class B, such as amphetamines.
"Today's report highlights the considerable health risks posed by ecstasy, particularly when used in combination with other drugs. We support the ACMD's call for credible and accurate public health information about ecstasy and its harms. Access to 'Safer Clubbing' guidance is essential - as ecstasy-related deaths are commonly linked to dehydration, overheating and excessive water consumption in clubbing environments, as well as to the direct toxic effects of the drug itself.
"It would be regrettable if we reached a situation where, for political reasons, drugs can only be placed within, or moved up, the classification system, but cannot be moved down regardless of the evidence. It is crucial that decisions on the penalties for the use and supply of controlled drugs should be based on the best available information, otherwise the drug laws themselves lose credibility, especially among young people."
About DrugScope
DrugScope is the national membership organisation for the drugs field and the leading independent centre of expertise on drugs and drug policy. Our aim is to inform policy and reduce drug-related harms - to individuals, families and communities.
For more information visit drugscope
[1] About the ACMD
The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs is an independent expert body that advises government on drug related issues in the UK. It was established under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, its current chair is Professor David Nutt. The council's membership includes a range of experts in the social and health harms of drugs.
Although the ACMD was set up to advise the government on classification, ministers are not obliged to follow its recommendations and any decision on ecstasy's legal status will ultimately be made by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith.
More information on the ACMD can be found here.
[2] Information on ecstasy
Ecstasy is an illegally manufactured drug that usually comes in tablet or capsule form and is normally taken orally. The chemical name of pure ecstasy is 3,4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine or MDMA for short.
More information on ecstasy and its effects can be found here.
[3] Home Affairs Select Committee report on drug policy
In 2002, a Home Affairs Select Committee published a report entitled 'The Government's Drugs Policy: Is it working ?'. One of the report's key recommendations was that ecstasy should be downgraded from Class A to Class B.
The press notice for the report can be viewed here.
The full report can be viewed here.
DrugScope
Based on a review of the social and health harms of ecstasy, the ACMD recommends that the government reclassify the drug from Class A to Class B. The Council also advised that the government revise and widen access to public health messages and guidance on the drug's harms, particularly for young people.
Other key recommendations include:
- Parents, carers, teachers and those working in the criminal justice system should be informed about the risks of ecstasy and how these compare with those of other drugs.
- More research is required into the effects of ecstasy upon the brain.
- More research should be conducted regarding the nature and extent of ecstasy use among young people.
Responding to today's report, DrugScope Chief Executive Martin Barnes said:
"DrugScope welcomes the ACMD's report on ecstasy and we support all its recommendations. It is appropriate that drugs controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act are subject to regular review, in order to ensure that decisions on drugs policy are informed by the latest and best evidence.
"DrugScope supports the ACMD's recommendation that ecstasy be reclassified to Class B. The advice is based on a thorough, objective and independent review of the latest evidence. Previous reviews of drug policy, not least a Home Affairs Select Committee report in 2002, have questioned the classification of ecstasy as a Class A drug. [3]
"The challenge is to ensure that any debate over ecstasy's classification is not perceived - or indeed misrepresented - as indicating that the drug is in any way 'safe'. It is precisely because ecstasy is a harmful drug that it is controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act but evidence shows that its social and health harms are more consistent with drugs controlled under Class B, such as amphetamines.
"Today's report highlights the considerable health risks posed by ecstasy, particularly when used in combination with other drugs. We support the ACMD's call for credible and accurate public health information about ecstasy and its harms. Access to 'Safer Clubbing' guidance is essential - as ecstasy-related deaths are commonly linked to dehydration, overheating and excessive water consumption in clubbing environments, as well as to the direct toxic effects of the drug itself.
"It would be regrettable if we reached a situation where, for political reasons, drugs can only be placed within, or moved up, the classification system, but cannot be moved down regardless of the evidence. It is crucial that decisions on the penalties for the use and supply of controlled drugs should be based on the best available information, otherwise the drug laws themselves lose credibility, especially among young people."
About DrugScope
DrugScope is the national membership organisation for the drugs field and the leading independent centre of expertise on drugs and drug policy. Our aim is to inform policy and reduce drug-related harms - to individuals, families and communities.
For more information visit drugscope
[1] About the ACMD
The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs is an independent expert body that advises government on drug related issues in the UK. It was established under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, its current chair is Professor David Nutt. The council's membership includes a range of experts in the social and health harms of drugs.
Although the ACMD was set up to advise the government on classification, ministers are not obliged to follow its recommendations and any decision on ecstasy's legal status will ultimately be made by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith.
More information on the ACMD can be found here.
[2] Information on ecstasy
Ecstasy is an illegally manufactured drug that usually comes in tablet or capsule form and is normally taken orally. The chemical name of pure ecstasy is 3,4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine or MDMA for short.
More information on ecstasy and its effects can be found here.
[3] Home Affairs Select Committee report on drug policy
In 2002, a Home Affairs Select Committee published a report entitled 'The Government's Drugs Policy: Is it working ?'. One of the report's key recommendations was that ecstasy should be downgraded from Class A to Class B.
The press notice for the report can be viewed here.
The full report can be viewed here.
DrugScope
понедельник, 16 мая 2011 г.
Cannabis Ingredient Can Help Cancer Patients Regain Their Appetites And Sense Of Taste
The active ingredient in cannabis can improve the appetites and sense of taste in cancer patients, according to a new study published online in the cancer journal, Annals of Oncology [1] today.
Loss of appetite is common among cancer patients [2], either because the cancer itself or its treatment affects the sense of taste and smell, leading to decreased enjoyment of food. This, in turn, can lead to weight loss, anorexia, a worse quality of life and decreased survival; therefore, finding effective ways of helping patients to maintain a good diet and consume enough calories is an important aspect of their treatment.
Researchers in Canada ran a small pilot study from May 2006 to December 2008 in 21 adult patients with any advanced cancer (except brain cancer) who had been eating less as a result of their illness for two weeks or more. All were either being treated with chemotherapy or had been in the past. The patients were randomly assigned to receive medication from a pharmacist in a double-blind manner, which meant that neither the patients nor the doctors knew which treatment they were receiving. Eleven patients received oral capsules containing delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) - the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis - and eight patients were assigned to the control group to receive placebo capsules. The active capsules contained 2.5mg of THC and the patients took them once a day for the first three days, twice a day thereafter, and they had the option to increase their dose up to a maximum of 20mg a day if they wished; however, most followed the dosing protocol, with three patients in both groups increasing their dose to three times a day. The treatment ran for 18 days.
From patient answers to questionnaires conducted before, during and at the end of the trial, the researchers found that the majority (73%) of THC-treated patients reported an increased overall appreciation of food compared with patients receiving placebo (30%) and more often stated that study medication "made food taste better" (55%) compared with placebo (10%).
The majority of THC-treated patients (64%) had increased appetite, three patients (27%) showed no change, and one patient's data was incomplete. No THC-treated patients showed a decrease in appetite. By contrast, the majority of patients receiving placebo had either decreased appetite (50%) or showed no change (20%).
Although there was no difference in the total number of calories consumed by both groups, the THC-treated patients tended to increase the proportion of protein that they ate, and 55% reported that savoury foods tasted better, whereas no patients in the placebo group reported an increased liking for these foods. (Cancer patients often find that meat smells and tastes unpleasant and, therefore, they eat less of it).
In addition, THC-treated patients reported better quality of sleep and relaxation than in the placebo group.
Dr Wendy Wismer (PhD), associate professor at the University of Alberta (Edmonton, Canada), who led the study, said: "This is the first randomised controlled trial to show that THC makes food taste better and improves appetites for patients with advanced cancer, as well as helping them to sleep and to relax better. Our findings are important, as there is no accepted treatment for chemosensory alterations experienced by cancer patients. We are excited about the possibilities that THC could be used to improve patients' enjoyment of food.
"Decreased appetite and chemosensory alterations can be caused by both cancer and its treatment; untreated tumours cause loss of appetite, and by itself, chemotherapy also causes loss of appetite. In any individual patient, some part of both of these effects is usually present.
"It's very important to address these problems as both appetite loss and alterations to taste and smell lead to involuntary weight loss and reduce an individual's ability to tolerate treatment and to stay healthy in general. Additionally, the social enjoyment of eating is greatly reduced and quality of life is affected. For a long time everyone has thought that nothing could be done about this. Indeed, cancer patients are often told to 'cope' with chemosensory problems by eating bland, cold and odourless food. This may well have the result of reducing food intake and food enjoyment."
The researchers say that larger, phase II trials should test their findings further, but, in the meantime Dr Wismer thinks that doctors could consider THC treatment for cancer patients. "It could be investigated for any stage of cancer where taste and smell dysfunction and appetite loss has been indicated by the patient," she said. In addition, treatment would not necessarily have to be limited to the 18 days of the study. "Long term therapy with cannabinoids is possible, however, in each case this would be up to the patient's physician to determine."
Although the study was unable to show that THC treatment could increase total calorie intake, Dr Wismer said this was unsurprising. "In the healthy adult population, we know from personal experience that we usually eat more of something if it tastes better. However, in this advanced cancer population, there is a real struggle with appetite; normal appetitive pathways do not seem to be functioning. We know from our earlier work that individuals with advanced cancer have diminished appetite and have to make a big conscious effort to eat; they are motivated to eat simply to survive. So, although THC did not significantly increase total calorie intake, the fact that it improved appetite and protein intake is important."
Notes:
[1] "Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol may palliate altered chemosensory perception in cancer patients: results of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot trial". Annals of Oncology. doi:10.1093/annonc/mdq727
[2] The prevalence of alterations in taste and smell is difficult to determine, but Dr Wismer and her colleagues found that in one study 86% of patients reported chemosensory alterations.
[3] This work was supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Alberta Cancer Board, Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research, and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.
Source: ESMO
Loss of appetite is common among cancer patients [2], either because the cancer itself or its treatment affects the sense of taste and smell, leading to decreased enjoyment of food. This, in turn, can lead to weight loss, anorexia, a worse quality of life and decreased survival; therefore, finding effective ways of helping patients to maintain a good diet and consume enough calories is an important aspect of their treatment.
Researchers in Canada ran a small pilot study from May 2006 to December 2008 in 21 adult patients with any advanced cancer (except brain cancer) who had been eating less as a result of their illness for two weeks or more. All were either being treated with chemotherapy or had been in the past. The patients were randomly assigned to receive medication from a pharmacist in a double-blind manner, which meant that neither the patients nor the doctors knew which treatment they were receiving. Eleven patients received oral capsules containing delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) - the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis - and eight patients were assigned to the control group to receive placebo capsules. The active capsules contained 2.5mg of THC and the patients took them once a day for the first three days, twice a day thereafter, and they had the option to increase their dose up to a maximum of 20mg a day if they wished; however, most followed the dosing protocol, with three patients in both groups increasing their dose to three times a day. The treatment ran for 18 days.
From patient answers to questionnaires conducted before, during and at the end of the trial, the researchers found that the majority (73%) of THC-treated patients reported an increased overall appreciation of food compared with patients receiving placebo (30%) and more often stated that study medication "made food taste better" (55%) compared with placebo (10%).
The majority of THC-treated patients (64%) had increased appetite, three patients (27%) showed no change, and one patient's data was incomplete. No THC-treated patients showed a decrease in appetite. By contrast, the majority of patients receiving placebo had either decreased appetite (50%) or showed no change (20%).
Although there was no difference in the total number of calories consumed by both groups, the THC-treated patients tended to increase the proportion of protein that they ate, and 55% reported that savoury foods tasted better, whereas no patients in the placebo group reported an increased liking for these foods. (Cancer patients often find that meat smells and tastes unpleasant and, therefore, they eat less of it).
In addition, THC-treated patients reported better quality of sleep and relaxation than in the placebo group.
Dr Wendy Wismer (PhD), associate professor at the University of Alberta (Edmonton, Canada), who led the study, said: "This is the first randomised controlled trial to show that THC makes food taste better and improves appetites for patients with advanced cancer, as well as helping them to sleep and to relax better. Our findings are important, as there is no accepted treatment for chemosensory alterations experienced by cancer patients. We are excited about the possibilities that THC could be used to improve patients' enjoyment of food.
"Decreased appetite and chemosensory alterations can be caused by both cancer and its treatment; untreated tumours cause loss of appetite, and by itself, chemotherapy also causes loss of appetite. In any individual patient, some part of both of these effects is usually present.
"It's very important to address these problems as both appetite loss and alterations to taste and smell lead to involuntary weight loss and reduce an individual's ability to tolerate treatment and to stay healthy in general. Additionally, the social enjoyment of eating is greatly reduced and quality of life is affected. For a long time everyone has thought that nothing could be done about this. Indeed, cancer patients are often told to 'cope' with chemosensory problems by eating bland, cold and odourless food. This may well have the result of reducing food intake and food enjoyment."
The researchers say that larger, phase II trials should test their findings further, but, in the meantime Dr Wismer thinks that doctors could consider THC treatment for cancer patients. "It could be investigated for any stage of cancer where taste and smell dysfunction and appetite loss has been indicated by the patient," she said. In addition, treatment would not necessarily have to be limited to the 18 days of the study. "Long term therapy with cannabinoids is possible, however, in each case this would be up to the patient's physician to determine."
Although the study was unable to show that THC treatment could increase total calorie intake, Dr Wismer said this was unsurprising. "In the healthy adult population, we know from personal experience that we usually eat more of something if it tastes better. However, in this advanced cancer population, there is a real struggle with appetite; normal appetitive pathways do not seem to be functioning. We know from our earlier work that individuals with advanced cancer have diminished appetite and have to make a big conscious effort to eat; they are motivated to eat simply to survive. So, although THC did not significantly increase total calorie intake, the fact that it improved appetite and protein intake is important."
Notes:
[1] "Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol may palliate altered chemosensory perception in cancer patients: results of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot trial". Annals of Oncology. doi:10.1093/annonc/mdq727
[2] The prevalence of alterations in taste and smell is difficult to determine, but Dr Wismer and her colleagues found that in one study 86% of patients reported chemosensory alterations.
[3] This work was supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Alberta Cancer Board, Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research, and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.
Source: ESMO
Minorities More Likely To Receive Alcohol Counseling
A study has found that African-American and Hispanic adults have twice the odds of reporting receiving counseling about alcohol use from a physician, compared with white adults. What causes this disparity in counseling is not known, but this may be a rare instance of minority populations receiving better and more appropriate health care than the majority.
However, the finding may also mean that physicians are more likely to assume that African-Americans and Hispanics have alcohol issues. "Yet blacks are less likely to be binge drinkers than whites," said study author Kenneth Mukamal, M.D., an associate professor at Harvard Medical School and an internist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.
The study evaluated data from an extensive national telephone survey performed in 1999. More than 15,000 people took part in the survey. Participants were asked about their alcohol use, among other topics, and about what preventive counseling services they received.
Compared with non-Hispanic whites, the odds of being counseled about alcohol use were 1.83 for non-Hispanic blacks and 2.17 for Hispanics roughly twofold higher.
The study appears in the March issue of the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.
When Mukamal analyzed survey results for diet counseling, he found no substantial difference in the odds of receiving such counseling based on race or ethnicity, suggesting that the disparity in counseling about alcohol use did not extend to other preventive health counseling issues.
According to Mukamal, a difference in who gets alcohol counseling can lead to false excess reporting of alcohol abuse among blacks and Hispanics and may mean that problems with alcohol use are being missed among whites. "This will lead to perpetuation of stereotypes," he said.
"Everyone visiting the doctor should have this conversation, especially those with chronic conditions, regardless of their race or ethnicity," said Luisa N. Borrell, Ph.D., assistant professor of epidemiology with Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. "In contrast, it is interesting that the study also reports that there was no racial or ethnic difference in receiving diet counseling when the prevalence of overweight or obesity is higher among minorities."
It would be naive to disregard the possibility of racial bias or stereotype toward blacks and Hispanics in medical settings and assume that the difference in who gets counseling about alcohol use is coincidental, Borrell said.
Doctors should be asking about alcohol use, but should be asking about it across the board, Mukamal said.
Health Behavior News Service
Center for the Advancement of Health 2000 Florida Ave. NW, Ste 210
Washington, DC 20009
United States
hbns
However, the finding may also mean that physicians are more likely to assume that African-Americans and Hispanics have alcohol issues. "Yet blacks are less likely to be binge drinkers than whites," said study author Kenneth Mukamal, M.D., an associate professor at Harvard Medical School and an internist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.
The study evaluated data from an extensive national telephone survey performed in 1999. More than 15,000 people took part in the survey. Participants were asked about their alcohol use, among other topics, and about what preventive counseling services they received.
Compared with non-Hispanic whites, the odds of being counseled about alcohol use were 1.83 for non-Hispanic blacks and 2.17 for Hispanics roughly twofold higher.
The study appears in the March issue of the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.
When Mukamal analyzed survey results for diet counseling, he found no substantial difference in the odds of receiving such counseling based on race or ethnicity, suggesting that the disparity in counseling about alcohol use did not extend to other preventive health counseling issues.
According to Mukamal, a difference in who gets alcohol counseling can lead to false excess reporting of alcohol abuse among blacks and Hispanics and may mean that problems with alcohol use are being missed among whites. "This will lead to perpetuation of stereotypes," he said.
"Everyone visiting the doctor should have this conversation, especially those with chronic conditions, regardless of their race or ethnicity," said Luisa N. Borrell, Ph.D., assistant professor of epidemiology with Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. "In contrast, it is interesting that the study also reports that there was no racial or ethnic difference in receiving diet counseling when the prevalence of overweight or obesity is higher among minorities."
It would be naive to disregard the possibility of racial bias or stereotype toward blacks and Hispanics in medical settings and assume that the difference in who gets counseling about alcohol use is coincidental, Borrell said.
Doctors should be asking about alcohol use, but should be asking about it across the board, Mukamal said.
Health Behavior News Service
Center for the Advancement of Health 2000 Florida Ave. NW, Ste 210
Washington, DC 20009
United States
hbns
воскресенье, 15 мая 2011 г.
Alcohol Killing Our Kids - Australian Medical Association
As Schoolies Week and alcohol combine to produce tragic headlines about death and injury to young people and reports of antisocial behaviour by drunken teenagers, the AMA is calling for stronger policies to curb dangerous excess alcohol consumption.
AMA President, Dr Rosanna Capolingua, said today that irresponsible alcohol consumption causes harm across all age groups in the community, but the senseless loss of young lives through alcohol abuse must be stopped as a priority.
"Alcohol abuse by young people, highlighted by the culture of binge drinking, is harming the health of thousands of Australians every year," Dr Capolingua said.
Alcohol is second only to tobacco as a preventable cause of drug-related death and hospitalisations in Australia.
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) reports that alcohol abuse costs Australia $15.3 billion a year through alcohol-related crime and violence, treatment costs, loss of productivity, and premature death.
According to the NHMRC, alcohol accounts for 13 per cent of all deaths among 14-17 year old Australians. The NHMRC estimates that one Australian teenager dies and more than 60 are hospitalised each week from alcohol-related causes.
"The binge drinking culture is alive and well in Australia and urgent action is needed to re-educate Australians about safe levels of alcohol consumption," Dr Capolingua said.
"The most frightening thing is that binge drinking has hit epidemic proportions among our young people.
"There is a disturbing acceptance, or even celebration, of excess drinking in Australia. Many people view it as a national pastime to be proud of.
"Young people are placing increasing social importance on how drunk they are when they go out, and young women in particular make a point of 'keeping up' with their male friends.
"We have to seriously question a society where young adults start their evening by getting drunk at home so they can enjoy their night out more.
"The drunken public behaviour of role models and celebrities, such as sporting heroes, is just helping to glamorise binge drinking in the eyes of Australians.
"People simply aren't aware of the tragic consequences of binge drinking.
"Many people just think about their hangover the next morning, and don't consider the long-term effects like brain damage or heart disease, let alone the immediate danger they may put themselves in while they are intoxicated."
A study by Alcohol Related Brain Injury Australian Services indicates that two million Australians, or one in eight adults, are at risk of permanent brain damage from alcohol.
At the same time, patterns of alcohol consumption have changed to reflect new products, with a doubling since 2001 in the proportion of teenagers consuming pre-mixed spirits.
Dr Capolingua said while initiatives such as the new NHMRC alcohol guidelines were helping to raise awareness of safe drinking, many public education campaigns were not effective in encouraging people to moderate their drinking.
"Alcohol education campaigns often focus on the number of standard drinks and this doesn't always make sense to people," Dr Capolingua said.
"People often think of the amount of alcohol they've consumed in terms of how many glasses they've had, how long they have been drinking, or how drunk they feel. It can be difficult in a social situation to judge what a standard drink is.
"This inconsistency in the way we refer to safe drinking levels makes it difficult to raise public awareness about alcohol-related harm.
"The harmful effects of alcohol abuse, including binge drinking, impact not just on the drinker, but on friends and family, the workplace, the wider community, and the health system.
"We need national public awareness campaigns that clearly and simply show the dangers of alcohol abuse, and which use language that people can easily understand."
The AMA is committed to achieving a reduction in the incidence of hazardous and harmful levels of alcohol consumption and is calling for:
- a partnership between the Government, industry, and community representatives to mobilise public opinion to recognise that hazardous alcohol consumption is socially unacceptable,
- increased taxes that directly reflect the total volume of alcohol in products to encourage a shift to consumption of products containing less alcohol,
standard alcohol drink labelling that includes information on the health and social risk associated with excess consumption and which is displayed in a prominent position on - all alcohol containers and is easily understood by the consumer,
- all advertisements for alcoholic beverages to encourage no more than the NHMRC-recommended levels of alcohol consumption, and to raise awareness about hazardous levels of consumption,
- stricter controls to curb the marketing of products like 'alcopops' (sweetened ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages) to teenagers, and
- effective, wide-reaching public education campaigns highlighting the risks associated with binge drinking and based on appropriate consultation and engagement with the key target audience groups.
Australian Medical Association
AMA President, Dr Rosanna Capolingua, said today that irresponsible alcohol consumption causes harm across all age groups in the community, but the senseless loss of young lives through alcohol abuse must be stopped as a priority.
"Alcohol abuse by young people, highlighted by the culture of binge drinking, is harming the health of thousands of Australians every year," Dr Capolingua said.
Alcohol is second only to tobacco as a preventable cause of drug-related death and hospitalisations in Australia.
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) reports that alcohol abuse costs Australia $15.3 billion a year through alcohol-related crime and violence, treatment costs, loss of productivity, and premature death.
According to the NHMRC, alcohol accounts for 13 per cent of all deaths among 14-17 year old Australians. The NHMRC estimates that one Australian teenager dies and more than 60 are hospitalised each week from alcohol-related causes.
"The binge drinking culture is alive and well in Australia and urgent action is needed to re-educate Australians about safe levels of alcohol consumption," Dr Capolingua said.
"The most frightening thing is that binge drinking has hit epidemic proportions among our young people.
"There is a disturbing acceptance, or even celebration, of excess drinking in Australia. Many people view it as a national pastime to be proud of.
"Young people are placing increasing social importance on how drunk they are when they go out, and young women in particular make a point of 'keeping up' with their male friends.
"We have to seriously question a society where young adults start their evening by getting drunk at home so they can enjoy their night out more.
"The drunken public behaviour of role models and celebrities, such as sporting heroes, is just helping to glamorise binge drinking in the eyes of Australians.
"People simply aren't aware of the tragic consequences of binge drinking.
"Many people just think about their hangover the next morning, and don't consider the long-term effects like brain damage or heart disease, let alone the immediate danger they may put themselves in while they are intoxicated."
A study by Alcohol Related Brain Injury Australian Services indicates that two million Australians, or one in eight adults, are at risk of permanent brain damage from alcohol.
At the same time, patterns of alcohol consumption have changed to reflect new products, with a doubling since 2001 in the proportion of teenagers consuming pre-mixed spirits.
Dr Capolingua said while initiatives such as the new NHMRC alcohol guidelines were helping to raise awareness of safe drinking, many public education campaigns were not effective in encouraging people to moderate their drinking.
"Alcohol education campaigns often focus on the number of standard drinks and this doesn't always make sense to people," Dr Capolingua said.
"People often think of the amount of alcohol they've consumed in terms of how many glasses they've had, how long they have been drinking, or how drunk they feel. It can be difficult in a social situation to judge what a standard drink is.
"This inconsistency in the way we refer to safe drinking levels makes it difficult to raise public awareness about alcohol-related harm.
"The harmful effects of alcohol abuse, including binge drinking, impact not just on the drinker, but on friends and family, the workplace, the wider community, and the health system.
"We need national public awareness campaigns that clearly and simply show the dangers of alcohol abuse, and which use language that people can easily understand."
The AMA is committed to achieving a reduction in the incidence of hazardous and harmful levels of alcohol consumption and is calling for:
- a partnership between the Government, industry, and community representatives to mobilise public opinion to recognise that hazardous alcohol consumption is socially unacceptable,
- increased taxes that directly reflect the total volume of alcohol in products to encourage a shift to consumption of products containing less alcohol,
standard alcohol drink labelling that includes information on the health and social risk associated with excess consumption and which is displayed in a prominent position on - all alcohol containers and is easily understood by the consumer,
- all advertisements for alcoholic beverages to encourage no more than the NHMRC-recommended levels of alcohol consumption, and to raise awareness about hazardous levels of consumption,
- stricter controls to curb the marketing of products like 'alcopops' (sweetened ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages) to teenagers, and
- effective, wide-reaching public education campaigns highlighting the risks associated with binge drinking and based on appropriate consultation and engagement with the key target audience groups.
Australian Medical Association
Study provides clues to alcohol's cancer connection
For the first time scientists have demonstrated a model that may explain how alcohol stimulates tumor growth. Their
study, published in the January 15, 2005 issue of CANCER (interscience.wiley/cancer-newsroom), says alcohol fuels the production of a growth factor
that stimulates blood vessel development in tumors, and that chronic ethanol increased tumor size and levels of the
angiogenic factor and levels of the angiogenic factor and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in an experimental model.
For almost a hundred years mounting epidemiological evidence has linked alcohol use to an increased risk of cancers of the
stomach, esophagus, liver, breast, and colon. Researchers have never developed an adequate model to explain how ethanol or a
metabolite of ethanol may cause cancer. Hypotheses abound, and include such diverse theories as acetaldehyde carcinogenicity,
dietary imbalances, and impaired nutrient metabolism and detoxification due to alcohol consumption, activation of
precancerous enzymes, and suppression of the immune system.
Recent data in a cellular model has demonstrated that ethanol increases cellular production of VEGF, an important signaling
protein in blood vessel growth, particularly in tumors. Jian-Wei Gu. M.D. from the University of Mississippi Medical Center
and colleagues further investigated the possible mechanism between ethanol-induced blood vessel growth and VEGF using a chick
embryo model. The investigators exposed chick embryos inoculated with fibrosarcoma cells to saline or physiologically
relevant levels of ethanol for nine days.
The investigators found that compared to the saline control group, the embryos exposed to ethanol experienced increases in
tumor size, tumor blood vessel density, cancer cell infiltration of blood vessels, and VEGF levels. Tumor volume and
intratumoral vascular volume more than doubled. There was also a significant dose-related increase in VEGF mRNA and protein
expression in tumors and cultured cells. Embryos exposed to ethanol had more than eight times the level of cancer cell
invasion of blood vessels compared to the control group.
The authors say their findings "support the hypothesis that the induction of angiogenesis and VEGF expression by ethanol
represent an important mechanism of cancer progression associated with alcoholic beverage consumption."
Article: "Ethanol Stimulates Tumor Progression and Expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in Chick
Embryos,"Jian-Wei Gu, Amelia Purser Bailey, Amanda Sartin, Ian Makey, Ann L. Brady, CANCER; Published Online: December 13,
2004 (DOI: 10.1002/cncr.20781); Print Issue Date: January 15, 2005.
John Wiley & Sons, Inc
study, published in the January 15, 2005 issue of CANCER (interscience.wiley/cancer-newsroom), says alcohol fuels the production of a growth factor
that stimulates blood vessel development in tumors, and that chronic ethanol increased tumor size and levels of the
angiogenic factor and levels of the angiogenic factor and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in an experimental model.
For almost a hundred years mounting epidemiological evidence has linked alcohol use to an increased risk of cancers of the
stomach, esophagus, liver, breast, and colon. Researchers have never developed an adequate model to explain how ethanol or a
metabolite of ethanol may cause cancer. Hypotheses abound, and include such diverse theories as acetaldehyde carcinogenicity,
dietary imbalances, and impaired nutrient metabolism and detoxification due to alcohol consumption, activation of
precancerous enzymes, and suppression of the immune system.
Recent data in a cellular model has demonstrated that ethanol increases cellular production of VEGF, an important signaling
protein in blood vessel growth, particularly in tumors. Jian-Wei Gu. M.D. from the University of Mississippi Medical Center
and colleagues further investigated the possible mechanism between ethanol-induced blood vessel growth and VEGF using a chick
embryo model. The investigators exposed chick embryos inoculated with fibrosarcoma cells to saline or physiologically
relevant levels of ethanol for nine days.
The investigators found that compared to the saline control group, the embryos exposed to ethanol experienced increases in
tumor size, tumor blood vessel density, cancer cell infiltration of blood vessels, and VEGF levels. Tumor volume and
intratumoral vascular volume more than doubled. There was also a significant dose-related increase in VEGF mRNA and protein
expression in tumors and cultured cells. Embryos exposed to ethanol had more than eight times the level of cancer cell
invasion of blood vessels compared to the control group.
The authors say their findings "support the hypothesis that the induction of angiogenesis and VEGF expression by ethanol
represent an important mechanism of cancer progression associated with alcoholic beverage consumption."
Article: "Ethanol Stimulates Tumor Progression and Expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in Chick
Embryos,"Jian-Wei Gu, Amelia Purser Bailey, Amanda Sartin, Ian Makey, Ann L. Brady, CANCER; Published Online: December 13,
2004 (DOI: 10.1002/cncr.20781); Print Issue Date: January 15, 2005.
John Wiley & Sons, Inc
вторник, 26 апреля 2011 г.
Job Applicants Beware: It's Getting Tougher To Trick Pre-Employment Drug Tests - Chemical And Engineering News Journal
Laboratories that perform pre-employment drug screening are fighting back - against hundreds of products now on the market that promise to mask evidence of illicit drug use, according to an article scheduled for the Sept. 8 issue of Chemical & Engineering News, ACS' weekly news magazine.
In the article, C&EN Senior Business Editor Melody Voith points out that job applicants now have access to an array of products purported to alter urine samples to hide evidence of marijuana, cocaine, and other illegal drugs. Some are supposed to dilute evidence of illicit drugs to levels undetectable by conventional tests. Others used adulterants advertised to inactivate or destroy chemical markers used to identify drugs.
Drug-testers are responding with more sensitive tests that can identify tell-tale chemical signs of diluted urine samples or quickly detect the presence of adulterants. The article also explains that testers may get a boost from proposed new drug testing guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. They would permit use of hair and saliva samples in drug screening of candidates for federal jobs. That screening could indentify illicit drugs more reliably than urine samples alone, the article notes.
"Catching a Cheater"
Click here to view article online.
American Chemical Society
In the article, C&EN Senior Business Editor Melody Voith points out that job applicants now have access to an array of products purported to alter urine samples to hide evidence of marijuana, cocaine, and other illegal drugs. Some are supposed to dilute evidence of illicit drugs to levels undetectable by conventional tests. Others used adulterants advertised to inactivate or destroy chemical markers used to identify drugs.
Drug-testers are responding with more sensitive tests that can identify tell-tale chemical signs of diluted urine samples or quickly detect the presence of adulterants. The article also explains that testers may get a boost from proposed new drug testing guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. They would permit use of hair and saliva samples in drug screening of candidates for federal jobs. That screening could indentify illicit drugs more reliably than urine samples alone, the article notes.
"Catching a Cheater"
Click here to view article online.
American Chemical Society
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