Alcohol Abuse in Pregnancy Could Soon Be a Crime

Widely reported at the minute is this speculation about the fact that drinking might soon become a crime for pregnant women in the UK. This is following an unprecedented court hearing to decide on the right of a child whose mother drank "grossly excessive quantities of alcohol" during pregnancy to receive compensation.

The local authority in the north-west of England, which cannot be named for legal reasons, is seeking to show that the mother of a six-year-old girl who was born with foetal alcohol syndrome committed a crime (under the Offences Against the Persons Act 1861 by drinking during her pregnancy). if the court agrees with the council, "it would set a precedent that could be used in criminal prosecutions of mothers whose babies are born with foetal alcohol spectrum disorder". The British Pregnancy Advisory Service and legal charity Birthrights have applied to address the court on the case. They believe the ruling could undermine women's freedom to make decisions for themselves while pregnant. The organizations are also afraid that it might deter women who need support from seeking help during pregnancy and put health professionals under pressure to report women suspected of drinking to the police.

An earlier tribunal hearing of the same test case ruled that the child was the victim of a crime. Judge Howard Levenson found that there had been "administration of a poison or other destructive or noxious thing, so as thereby to inflict grievous bodily harm". However, the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority appealed against this decision and was backed by the upper tribunal of the administrative appeals chamber. It ruled that a crime could not have been committed because the girl was unborn at the time and therefore "not a person". The court of appeal will hear the case later this year.

Foetal alcohol syndrome is a complex condition which includes retarded growth, facial abnormalities and intellectual impairment. Children who display certain psychological aspects of the syndrome – including learning difficulties and an inability to connect emotionally with their peers – but do not have the physical manifestations, are said to suffer from foetal alcohol spectrum disorder.Other factors, including nutritional status, genetic makeup of mother and foetus, age and general health, are believed to play a role in the syndrome. The number of cases of foetal alcohol syndrome has tripled since records were first kept 16 years ago. with 252 diagnoses of the syndrome in England in 2012-13. Experts say that the figures suggest an improved ability to diagnose the condition and a failure to deal with alcohol abuse.

The Department of Health advises that alcohol is to be avoided in pregnancy, while the independent National Institute for Health and Care Excellence advises women to avoid alcohol in the first three months of pregnancy because of the risk of a miscarriage.

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Alcohol Licence for 'Furniture Shop' Previously Selling Alcohol Legally Without Held Up

The controversial Farnham ‘furniture shop’ "Innsatiable" that serves alcohol has had its application for a licence stalled by an objector.

Innsatiable opened in July 2012 and since then has operated without a licence for the bulk of the time, this is due to a loophole which permits alcohol to be given away in exchange for the paid-for beer mats.

Image of Mr Atkins standing outside Innsatiable from www.getsurrey.co.uk

It was only on June 10, that a magistrate ordered Simon Atkins, the owner, to close, on the basis that licensing rules had been broken after an undercover operation by Surrey Police, in May. Mr Atkins vowed to continue operating without a licence, however last month applied for one from Waverley Borough Council, saying he had ‘nothing more to prove’.

Mr Atkins expected the application to be approved after the 28-day period, but the matter will be discussed at a meeting of the council’s licensing committee on August 11 after a member of the public objected on the grounds of noise and disorder. Mr Atkins said that "The person who objected is someone I’ve previously had a disagreement with, He’s got an axe to grind.” Despite the police figures appearing to back Mr Atkins’ argument, he has had little sympathy from more traditional publicans in the town. A Waverley borough councillor, said: “I think Waverley did the very best it could to bring him on board as a licensed landlord, but he kept trying to work his way round the legislation and now he has suffered the appropriate fate. The law isn’t that onerous. If he had stuck within it in the past I’m sure he would have a licence by now.”

The licence application is for closing times of 12.30am on Friday and Saturday nights and 11.30pm, Monday to Thursday. Mr Atkins believes in order to be successful he needs to open until 1.30am at least twice a week, but has been told Surrey Police would not support those hours. Mr Atkins has been told he has got to be “seen to toe the line first,”. He added “The people who run Farnham want to keep it a little market town. Camberley and Guildford are roaring ahead, but we're being kept back.”

The proprietor plans to take his unlicensed model to London in the autumn, opening a ‘pop-up’ bar in Soho until Christmas, by which time he aims to have secured the investment needed for a permanent venue operating on his original beer mat model.

Source www.getsurrey.co.uk

Drunk History "Genius" TV or Just Plain Wrong?

Browsing the internet for interesting stories ive come across this Tv show "Drunk History" (aired on SBS2 - Australian TV). 

Basically it is a TV program that features extremely drunk people narrating American historical events. It has mixed reviews. many in the entertainment industry as a success, even "utter genius" , several alcohol awareness advocates say the show sends the wrong message.

They use well-known actors dressed in full period costume and the actors re-enacts a moment in history based on the narration of a highly inebriated person.

Mike Daube, professor of health policy at Curtin University and director of the McCusker Centre for Action on Alcohol and Youth, said after watching a few segments of the show he decided he could live without watching the rest.

"It’s embarrassingly tacky stuff that sends out all the wrong signals, especially to any children or young people that might be watching. Of course there are times when drunken behaviour can look funny, and I'm not saying it should be banned or censored, I just think it's very poor judgement from SBS to be running this kind of program."

A spokesperson for SBS said while Drunk History shows drinking, the show's objective is not to "promote drinking".

"SBS takes its responsibility to viewers very seriously, complying with all broadcast codes and practices in putting it to air."

The series, from executive producers Will Ferrell and Adam McKay, premiered last year and began its second season on July 1.

What do you think? 

Do you like it / dislike it? 
do you think it would take off in the UK?  
Comment Below 

Source: http://www.smh.com.au

Chelmsford 'Alcohol Tax' Given The Go Ahead

A booze tax on bars, pubs and clubs in Chelmsford city centre has been given the go-ahead at acouncil meeting last week, and could be enforced as soon as November 1 this year. The tax menas that venues serving alcohol past 1am could be forced to pay as much as £1,493 annually towards the cost of policing.

District commander for Chelmsford and Maldon Alan Cook stressed the scheme would benefit the entire city. He is however prepating himself for legal challenges from disgruntled local businesses (the businesses will have the option of varying their licence conditions before November). "I am very pleased it was successful. As I have said before it seems a relatively modest amount for businesses to pay, I don't think this is about driving people away from the city centre, it's about making this a better environment for everyone to enjoy and to ultimately benefit everyone across the board."

Any venues that are open between 1am and 6am and serving alcohol will have to pay between £299 and nearly £1,500 - the exact ammount will be dependent on their opening hours and size. 41 of the premises, will pay a total of £768 a year, as advised when the government amended late night levy legislation in 2011. Venues such as Cinemas, theatres, and venues just open on New Year's Eve and those that also offer overnight accommodation will be exempt from the tax.

The scheme that will cost between £4,000 and £5,000 to implement, is estimate dto raise £77,762, This money will be used to fund late-night initiatives such as training for Street Pastors and funding body cameras for door staff, all initiatives designed to keep the city centre even safer.

The Manager of The Cave strip club in Viaduct Road, Joe Ferrari, said: "The late-night levy is just another tax. "I understand why it's being introduced because the police are under a lot of pressure, but I hope they spend the money on what they initially said they would, and then it will be money well spent. If it all gets swallowed into the general police budget it will be a disgrace."

Brett Sanders the Landlord of The Golden Fleece has been outspoken throughout the scheme's consultation process, claiming the city centre's economy will be destroyed by the levy. "I don't agree with the late-night levy at all and I am very disappointed with the way the council has gone about it," he said. "We've had no information about the meetings that have and will take place. The numbers they've provided us with don't add up and the survey provided by the council doesn't allow people to say no. I have no idea why they're doing this; it's of no benefit to anyone."

Marketing director of Chicago Leisure Jae Hopkins, the company behind Chicago's nightclub in Moulsham Street which is set to feel the full force of the levy, said: "We feel the imposition of a late-night levy in Chelmsford will negatively affect the town's nighttime economy. There's a great deal of competition from both London and other Essex towns, and putting an additional charge in will make it harder for Chelmsford's bars and clubs to offer great value – both in terms of entertainment and drinks."

Source & Photo credit  www.essexchronicle.co.uk

Alcohol Under A Microscope - Literally!

So browsing the internet we came across a company called Bevshots who are using alcohol to do something amazing: They’re crystalizing your favourite alcohollic beverage be it beer, wine, cocktails, and liquor and then putting the results under a microscope, The light refracts through the drink’s crystals and well........  see for yourselves....... Beautiful I think you will agree.

Scotch

Tequila

Red Wine

Pina Colada

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Man that Gets Drunk Eating Bread

Food that man eats turns in to alcohol. He gets hammered on eating bread

What if your body produced its own alcohol, that would be great wouldnt it? Dont be silly some of you are thinking how rediculous an idea is that! Well believe it or not that's what happens when you're a victim of "auto-brewery syndrome" also known as "gut fermentation syndrome".

gut fermentation syndrome in which an excess of yeast trapped in the small intestine creates alcohol that is absorbed directly into the bloodstream. Sadly, the syndrome isn't a 24/7 party, as it causes its suffers to be constantly hungover.

Matthew Hogg who is 34 has had the syndrome for almost 20 years. Every time he eats sugar or carbohydrates, his body converts them into ethanol (pure alcohol), and he ends up either tipsy or hungover (as an example a slice of pizza to him is like doing several shots). Imagine if you ate a hamburger which makes you drunk and then the next day you are nursing a hangover. It makes it extremely hard to hold down a relationship, job or even drive a car.

Matthew was always tired and disoriented as a teenager before he was diagnosed. Once a straight A student and Athlete, he found himself exhausted after few jogs and lost focus during exams. $80,000 is all it took for Hog to be diagnosed with the auto-brewery disorder by a Mexican doctor. He now follows a strict diet to manage his condition.

His chronic fatigue affects him in many ways and it becomes hard to sometimes hold a full time job. He runs the Environmental Illness Resource website that’s about disorders like his for income. He lives with his girlfriend Mandy who is a teacher.

“Stubborn disbelief” from those around him is one of the difficult things Hogg has to deal with. "I'm constantly reading messages from visitors to my website who suffer from the condition, saying their doctor, boss, co-workers, and even friends, family and partners, just don't understand, People think we're just making this condition up."

www.vice.com
Picture Source: www.people.com

Booze Bracelets Which Measure Alcohol in Sweat to be Introduced in UK

Courts will have the power to issue alcohol-monitoring ankle tags otherwise known as "booze bracelets", the sort worn by Lindsay Lohan. The new law will also mean that the courts can give people a limit that they are allowed to drink or that they could ban people from drinking completely. The Leg tag measures every half hour the amount of alcohol in the wearers sweat, it then sends the results electronically to a monitoring system.

The Alcohol Abstinence and Monitoring scheme is to be piloted in South London next month and could then be rolled out across England and Wales. In order to impose the tag on the accused Judges must be satisfied that booze was a contributing factor to an offense but that the person is not an alcoholic in need of specialised treatment.The tags will be available to judges passing community or suspended sentences and can be sanctioned for up to four months.

Makers of the US tag SCRAM (Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitoring) say that while exercise is not a problem, spray tans and fragrances that contain alcohol can set off the sensor.

Emily Robinson, of Alcohol Concern, said: “About half of all crime is alcohol related so it’s encouraging to see pilots like this.”

Drinking Banning Orders, from 2009, could stop someone from going to pubs, clubs or off-licences and drinking in public but not order them off alcohol completely. This should be much more effective

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The Gadget That Lets You Inhale Alcohol

The vapshot machine boasts that it can transform any alcohol into a vapour, which the user then inhales with a straw. 'It hits you instantly and kick starts your buzz!' the creators of the Vapshot mini machine boast.

The Vapshot machine works by injecting a fine mist of spirits into the serving container under pressure. When served, the patron twists open the cap whereby it will 'pop' similar to uncorking a bottle of champagne and then a portion of the spirits will instantly vaporize, which can be consumed through a straw. The remaining drink still in liquid form can be enjoyed as if it was served in a traditional manner. There is flexibility in that users can create a vapor only shot, a shot of liquor with a vapor shot, or even a full mix drink with a vapor shot

Health experts have warned the machine , and 'inhaled' alcohols in general, are far riskier than just drinking traditional drinks. This is because taking on alcohol in this manner bypasses the digestive system as the alcohol is ingested directly to the bloodstream through the lungs, this could potentially cause dangerous levels of intoxication - especially if abused

'It is ill advised for experimentation among those under 21,' said Dr. Thomas Greenfield, Center Director at the National Alcohol Research Center in Emeryville, California. There could be inexperienced people at parties under peer pressure who may find themselves using this method of alcohol consumption. It might not be possible to self-regulate their consumption and teenagers just like adults can be drunk drivers too.'

The makers of the new gadget proclaim: 'What if there was a brand new way to enjoy your favorite alcoholic beverages that’ll get the party started faster and won’t slow you down? Something new, trendy and sciency…yeah, we just made up that word.' The company also seem to be revelling in the bad press that the inhaled alcohol machine has attracted. 'You’ve probably heard about it all over the news and now you can enjoy vaporized alcohol anytime at home or at one of your awesome parties. They do however address the safety concerns on its site, saying 'Because Vapshot is served in a regulated per serving size, it is possible to quantify the levels of intoxication and levels of acceptable ethyl alcohol in the lungs, which are both significantly lower than consumption of a traditional liquid shot or mixed drink.' They do also state that the effects can be felt more quickly because the method of delivery through the lungs is more efficient than the usual way of consuming alcohol where when you take a drink, it has to go into your mouth, down your throat, into your stomach, then intestines and finally into your bloodstream to your lungs and brain meaning that it takes a long time and a whole lot more alcohol to have the same effect.

Vapshot is the only laboratory tested product for vaporizing alcohol. Using information published by OSHA, one of the most respected agencies for safety, Vapshot is well within the acceptable levels for inhaling alcohol.

Whatever way you consume alcohol, stay safe, use a breathalyser before you drive to check that you are within the legal limits, dont loose your license www.alcohol-breathalysers.co.uk

British Pubs to Serve Lower-Alcohol Wine

The British government has agreed with pubs and bars across the country to stock and promote house wines below 12.5 percent alcohol. The aim is to curb binge drinking and alcohol abuse in the U, the effects of which are estimated to cost British taxpayers £21 billion a year

This week, industry representatives agreed on a range of measures to assist with this cause including asking bar owners and retailers to:

• Take super-sized cans off their shelves
• Take high alcohol cans off their shelves
• Stock lower-alcohol wines as their house wine
• Display and promote alcohol in shops and supermarkets “responsibly.”

The measures are part of the government’s Public Health Responsibility Deal which aims to remove one billion alcohol unit from the market, and implement responsible labelling system wide.

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Total Alcohol Ban For New & Professional Drivers if Scotland Becomes Independent

If Scotland becomes independent then new and professional drivers could face tougher drink-drive rules than other motorists on the roads.

New drink-drive laws that are set to be introduced later this year will see the current limit of 80mg of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood slashed to 50mg, the equivalent of one pint of normal-strength beer or a small glass of wine. Combined with this if there is a Yes vote, Scotland may follow the example of other European countries and reduce the limit more for young and newly qualified motorists or taxi and HGV drivers. They may follow the example of Ireland who 3 years ago introduced a limit of 20mg per 100ml of blood for learner drivers and cab drivers. Such a low limit means that even one drink would put them over the limit. RAC’s Simon Williams said: “We question whether a more stringent limit for professional drivers is needed because the law should either deem it safe to drive with up to 50mg of alcohol in the blood or not, regardless of whether you are a professional or private driver, or experienced or inexperienced.” Many other agencies such as The Road Haulage Association said: “More stringent drink-driving regulations is something we support.”

Last night, the Scottish Government said: “Independence will allow all decisions on drink-driving policy to be taken in Scotland. This could include setting a lower blood/alcohol limit for young or newly qualified drivers or for those driving in a professional capacity – for example, taxi and HGV drivers.”

Approximately one in eight deaths on Scotland's roads involves drink driving. Even though currently one drink would not put you over the limit it would make you three times more likely to be involved in a fatal accident.

Could Police Tell if You've Been Drinking Simply by Firing a Laser at Your Car?

I have to admit when I first came across this piece of information I was skeptical. However it does seem to be being widely reported and so thought you all needed to know.  Police officers may soon have a powerful new tool to prevent drink drivers taking to the roads. A laser-based device has been developed in Poland that detects alcohol vapour inside a car as it passes by. This could catch drink drivers before they behave erratically

The system works by detecting tiny changes in the laser beam as it passes through vapour, Scientists tested the device by aiming its laser at a car passing by at a distance of up to 66ft (20m). The car's interior had been filled with alcohol vapour, simulating the exhalations of a drinker inside the vehicle, it is capable of detecting alcohol at concentrations as low as 0.1 per cent. Researchers admitted that the device would possibly also identify cars where the driver was sober but the passengers were not, or if there had been alcohol spilled in the car.

The laser system that was created by the Military University of Technology in Warsaw, is set up on the side of the road to monitor each car that passes by. If it detects alcohol vapours in the car, a message and a photo of the car, including its number plate, is sent to a police officer waiting down the road. That police officer will then stop the car and check for signs of alcohol using conventional tests. Even though the system may also stop cars where passengers were over the limit and not the driver it will still decrease the number of cars that have to be checked by police and, at the same time, will increase efficacy of stopping drunken drivers.’

‘We are already familiar with laser instruments used by the police for speed-limit enforcement,' said Marco Gianinetto of the Polytechnic University of Milan researcher commenting on the Polish research.‘Now these researchers have demonstrated how a laser device could be effectively used for detecting drunken drivers, and thereby helping to reduce the number of accidents caused by drivers under the influence of alcohol.

‘From the practical point of view, there seem to be some countermeasures, such as driving with windows open, solar screens on the side windows, etc., that can be applied by drivers to deceive the system,’ the authors wrote in their conclusion. However, such situations are very easily detected by the system, which sends this information to the policeman indicating that the car should be checked.’

Scotland Moves To Slash Drink-Drive Limit

Under proposals due to reach the Scottish Parliament in the next few weeks drinking a pint or a single glass of wine could soon put you over the legal driving limit.

At the moment it would take more than 80mg of alcohol in the bloodstream per 100ml to make you a drunk driver, under the new proposals the Scottish Government wants to reduce that to 50mg. The move would bring Scotland into line with Germany, France and Spain. However it would create a situation where crossing the Scottish border after consuming one drink could lead to a drink-driving conviction, when you would have been driving legally in England.

The proposals have been welcomed by many families of those injured or killed by drunk drivers. Stacey Muldoon, a 23-year-old mother from Lanarkshire, was killed in 2008. Her sister, Leigh Payne, believes lowering the limit will prevent many other deaths. "We're coming into line with most of Europe and some of America. I think that people will now realise that it's not acceptable to have a drink . Physically ordering a drink and drinking it with your dinner you cannot do with 50mg."

Thirty people are killed on Scottish roads each year as a result of alcohol, 150 are injured and almost 7,500 people are convicted of drink-driving. The Scottish Government says lowering the limit is a priority. Yet it has been two years since it first consulted on the issue and, as a devolved matter, it does not require legislative action by Westminster. The Scottish Government said it hopes to introduce a bill affecting the change some time in August.
A spokesperson said: "We are working with Police Scotland and the UK Government to prepare for a lower limit, including obtaining the necessary type approvals for the devices used by the police to test drivers.
"As a lower limit cannot be brought in until the necessary approvals are obtained through the UK Government, we have made clear to the UK Government that we view introducing a lower limit in Scotland as a key priority which we want to introduce as soon as possible."

Company in US Launches New Powdered Alcohol

Palcohol, who are a US-based company are due to launch their new powdered alcohol range later this year, Their powdered range currently consists off both vodka & rum varieties.

Their website recommends that you dilute the powders in water or flavoured mixers, However comments already left on the internet suggest that 95 per cent of users will insist on trying to snort it, or rub it in their gums to get it in to their bloodstreams quicker. Palcohol have responded saying that "it would be painful to snort due to the alcohol and that it would take 60 minutes to snort the equivalent of one shot of vodka, why would people do that when they can so a real shot in 2 seconds"

Palcohol say that it will be available ‘in the United States and abroad’. Naturally, there’s been lots of opposition against the product – with anti-alcohol campaigners suggesting it’ll make alcohol more available to minors as well as making drink-spiking more common. Palcohol say that "the powder does not dissolve instantly and would take over a minute of stirring to dissolve the equivalent of one shot of alcohol in to a drink, making these claims unfounded".

What do you think, would you try this product ? Please leave your comments below, they can be anonymous if you wish.

Sources: Palcohol

First "No Alcohol" Lager on Draught Set to Hit the UK

Spanish beer Estrella Galicia was launched in the UK in 2012 and is now rolling out its 0.0% ABV brew in kegs to UK pubs and bars from this month.

“We are delighted to have become the first-ever brand to bring a 0.0% lager product to the UK in keg format,” said brand manager Lindsay Castling. "This is an exciting time for Estrella Galicia 0.0%, with a whole programme of activity planned to support and really push the product here in the UK.”

The Marketing activity is to be based around the beer’s sponsorship of the MotoGP, including current world champion Marc Marquez and its own team in Moto3.

The beer, the flagship brand of the Corporación Hijos de Rivera, is brewed using the exact same recipe as the brand’s premium 4.7% lager, and then the alcohol is removed post brewing. They have had an "extremely positive response so far, especially on taste, as Estrella Galicia 0.0% really does hold its own when it comes to quality against our 4.7% lager. We’re looking forward to offering a great alternative to the run-of-the-mill sweeter-style soft drinks in the alcohol-free sector,” Castling said.

Three of the brewery’s beers are currently available: Estrella Galicia Alcohol Free, the main 4.7% ABV lager and a 1906 Reserva Especial.

Source: offlicencenews

EU Backs Future Role for Alcohol Interlocks

Two new EU reports support measures to boost the use of alcohol interlocks in passenger and goods vehicles in the EU. The study that was by TRT (an Italian consultancy) for the European Parliament (EP) even goes as far as recommending legislation.

It says proposals to ensure the statutory use of alcohol interlocks for convicted drink drivers should be put forward within the next five years and that they could make a “relatively important contribution" to the achievement of the EU’s target to halve road deaths by 2020”, by preventing aproximately 6500 deaths caused anually by drink driving in europe.

.Other studies have already shown that the use of alcohol interlocks are extemely effective in cutting repeat drink driving offences. One of these, a Finnish report that was published last year (based on four years of data) showed a re-offending rate of 6% when interlocks were used compared to the usual 30% rate in Finland.

The EP study paints a mixed picture of the use of the technology as a preventative measure in commercial vehicles, the study suggests that mandatory use might offer a near-break-even cost-benefit ratio when used on buses and lorries, although ut says that the same is not true for vans.

The other report by a Dutch research consortium for the European Commission (EC), however, says that compulsory installation in all new commercial vehicles does have a positive cost-benefit ratio, but warns of a wide sensitivity range in its analysis and lack of "stakeholder support".

The issue of cost is a major theme in both reports, though the EC study points out that innovation could be key to mass adoption of the technology especially if in future the devices would become less intrusive and costs came down due to economies of scale in production or technological development the option of making an alcohol interlock a compulsory device in all passenger cars could show a “robust net benefit to society”.

The EP report recommends legislation to harmonise Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) limits, reporting procedures and the definition of drink driving across the EU.

Antonio Avenoso, executive director of ETSC, said: “While we agree with many of the suggestions in these reports, both miss the big picture. The fact is that bold EU legislation would, in itself, drive innovation and cost reduction in the market for these devices. “If, for example, the EU made installation mandatory in all commercial vehicles and required their use for all drink driving offenders, then we would see a rush of innovation and new players entering the market to deliver reliable, unobtrusive devices at low cost. We know that alcohol interlock devices work because we have evidence from several EU countries that show reduced re-offending rates. We hope the new Commission and Parliament will take a bolder approach to the deadly, and completely avoidable, problem of drink driving.”