Alcohol

Analysis and Comment (32)

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‘Light’ wines are potentially big business if they can be successfully marketed to the diet-conscious consumer. Steve Petric

‘Light’ wine: good for your waistline or just producers' bottom line?

By Julie McIntyre, University of Newcastle; John Germov, University of Newcastle, and Lauren Williams, University of Canberra

Dieters can now have their wine and drink it, guilt-free and minus the hangover. That’s the promise of so-called “light” or low-alcohol, low-calorie wines. But these wines are not considerably lighter…
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ANZAC Day once was a day to commemorate the sacrifices made by Australian soliders in war – but is it now being hijacked by companies with a profit motive? Australian War Memorial

Should we be consuming more than just patriotism on national days?

By Andrew Hughes

Australian brands are increasingly looking to exploit national holidays like ANZAC Day. Given soft retail conditions, such efforts are understandable. But is it welcome? Sure, there is no law against…
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A smart card system could help consumers keep track of their alcohol consumption – and help them drink less. Flickr/Mr Kael

Tap and go: smart cards could change the culture of booze

By Dan O'Keeffe, Kwansei Gakuin University

We all know that too much booze is bad for our health. Alcohol has been linked to 60 different medical conditions and almost 3,500 deaths a year in Australia, mostly from long-term alcohol abuse, accidents…
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Booze won’t kill your brain cells but it can still harm your brain. Image from shutterstock.com

Monday’s medical myth: alcohol kills brain cells

By Nick Dorsch

Do you ever wake up with a raging hangover and picture the row of brain cells that you suspect have have started to decay? Or wonder whether that final glass of wine was too much for those tiny cells…
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Efforts to reduce young people’s reliance on alcohol face a huge obstacle in the form of alcohol advertising. Lala Roe

Advertising’s role in how young people interact with alcohol

By Simone Pettigrew, University of Western Australia

The most recent guidelines on appropriate alcohol consumption from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) are a hard sell to a hard-drinking public. And this is despite growing concerns…
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In decisions about alcohol policy, the effects on others, and not just on the drinker, need to be taken into account. Gaby Av

My drinking, your problem: alcohol hurts non-drinkers too

By Robin Room, University of Melbourne

Drinking a lot of alcohol is bad for the drinker’s health, both in the short and in the long run. But drinking often affects others adversely, too. This is well recognised for drink driving, and once the…
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The increasing liberalisation of alcohol normalises drinking and consumption becomes enmeshed in the daily fabric of life. Image from shutterstock.com

Social acceptance of alcohol allows us to ignore its harms

By Steve Allsop, Curtin University

Most of us forget that alcohol is a drug so when asked to name drug-related problems, we tend to think of illegal drugs such as cannabis or heroin. But most of us drink, and drinking is an accompaniment…
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Wine became popular in Australia in the 1960s, which led to the invention of the wine cask. Flickr/Johnsyweb

A brief history of alcohol consumption in Australia

By Rob Moodie, University of Melbourne

Although most Australians would probably say we’ve always been a heavy-drinking nation, the consumption of alcohol has followed a roller coaster curve since European invasion. Alcohol consumption in Australia…
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A sign outside an Aboriginal community near Darwin, noting the ban on consuming alcohol in the area. AAP/Xavier La Canna

New singers, old songs: alcohol bans in Aboriginal communities

By Peter d'Abbs, Menzies School of Health Research

The newly elected conservative governments in Queensland and the Northern Territory have opened the way to relaxing laws restricting access to alcohol in Aboriginal communities. In Queensland, a number…
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The aim of drink-driving reform is not to reduce drinking, but to disconnect drinking from driving. Flickr/M a r k

Why it’s time to lower Australia’s blood alcohol driving limit

By Soames Job

Around one quarter of deaths on Australia’s roads involve drink-driving. Over a decade, this amounts to over 3,500 deaths, as well as many thousands of serious injuries. While the most common death in…
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High profile campaigns that don’t reduce consumption or profits are favoured by industry. Alexandre Chang

Who should be educating us about alcohol-related violence?

By Peter Miller, Deakin University

In a series of recent papers, our research team has documented the impact of community interventions at reducing alcohol-related harm in the Geelong region in Victoria. What we found was that despite the…
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The Advertising Standards Bureau has ruled that comments and photos on the Facebook pages of VB and Smirnoff have breached the industry’s code of ethics. louisa_catlover

Ruling on alcohol brands' Facebook sites will shake up social media marketing

By Nicholas Carah and Sven Brodmerkel

Recently, the advertising regulator has made what have been called “landmark decisions” relating to the use of Facebook by two prominent alcohol brands. Two weeks ago, the Advertising Standards Bureau…
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The expense of defending defamation actions deters many public health researchers from speaking out. Emilio Kuffer

Protect researchers from the perils of public health advocacy

By Wayne Hall

Public health advocates who criticise industries for promoting harmful forms of consumption – the alcohol, food, pharmaceutical, tobacco and gambling industries – increasingly find themselves facing legal…
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Friends of the teenager who has been accused of killing Thomas Kelly leave court last week. AAP/Paul Miller

Blame it on the booze: mass drinking drives Sydney’s violence

By Stephen Tomsen, University of Western Sydney

The recent unprovoked killing of a young reveller named Thomas Kelly by a male stranger in Sydney’s Kings Cross has set off extensive community and political debate about the violence that is associated…
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Coke has apparently shared the Olympic ideals since 1928. Michael Francis McCarthy

Olympics sponsorship: supporting sport or funding fat?

By Mike Daube, Curtin University

What does the Olympics stand for: is it the inspiration for a healthier, sportier community? Or is it just another way to sell junk food and booze to an ever-fatter, ever-drunker population of couch potatoes…
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Emerging evidence suggests early parental supply of alcohol is associated with increased risks. AdamCohn

How to set teens up for a healthy relationship with alcohol

By Steve Allsop, Curtin University

Young Australians are exposed to a range of risks from alcohol, both from drinking themselves and other people’s use. According to the most recent National Drug Strategy Household Survey: A third of…
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The combination of energy drinks and alcohol is a potent mix. ryawesome/Flickr

Energy drink binge leaves teens with more than a hangover

By Caleb Ferguson, University of Technology, Sydney and Patricia Davidson, University of Technology, Sydney

Manufacturers of energy drinks are coming under pressure from governments and regulatory bodies following concerns about the health impacts of their products on teenagers and other at-risk groups. Typically…
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The risk of cancer from air pollution is a fraction of the hazard posed by smoking. EPA/Alex Hofford

Unproven cancer risks diverting focus from real cause: lifestyle

By Justin Norrie, The Conversation

The fixation on potentially cancer-causing chemicals in the air, food and consumer products is diverting attention from the real risks, according to a review of global evidence by an Australian cancer…
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You can mix “the grape and the grain” and avoid a hangover if you drink in moderation. Erwyn van der Meer

Monday’s medical myth: mixing drinks causes hangovers

By Michael Tam

As a general practitioner, I hear a lot of colourful advice from my patients about what they believe constitutes “safe” drinking and how to avoid a nasty hangover. Some of the more pithy sayings – “beer…
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Few antibiotics preclude drinking alcohol but it’s a bad idea to get drunk when you have an infection. DeusXFlorida

Monday’s medical myth: you can’t mix antibiotics with alcohol

By Michael Vagg, Barwon Health

Staying off alcohol when taking antibiotics has been hallowed advice from GPs, pharmacists and well-meaning relatives for decades. It’s difficult to work out exactly where the advice orginated, but Karl…
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The real cost of the alcohol price war is the damage heavy drinking does to public health and the social fabric. Rick Audet

Health the casualty of Coles and Woolies alcohol price war

By Michael Livingston

In recent days, Woolworths and Coles have put out a flurry of media releases, each staking a claim to being the cheapest place to buy alcohol this summer. Coles have “declared war” on liquor prices and…
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Focussing on ‘harmful’ alcohol use means attention is diverted from reducing alcohol intake across the population. Visit Greenwich

Last drinks: regulating alcohol to prevent non-communicable diseases

By Paula O'Brien, University of Melbourne

Non-communicable diseases – Paula O'Brien looks at the what The Lancet NCD Action Group and the NCD Alliance name as one of the priority interventions for mitigating the impact of NCDs: reduction in hazardous…
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Alcohol is currently exempt from the labelling requirements that all other products we eat and drink have to follow. Klearchos Kapoutsis

Cheers to health warning labels for alcoholic drinks

By Robin Room, University of Melbourne

Despite known risks of drinking, health and safety warning labels have been noticeably absent from alcoholic beverages in Australia. But that might be about to change, with the Government today seeking…
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Lack of discussion of alcohol’s harm to others contributes to how little it is regulated. AAP

Breaking the booze cycle: why we need higher alcohol taxes

By Courtney Breen

A coalition of representatives from leading national health bodies are briefing parliamentarians today, calling for alcohol pricing to be placed on the agenda of the upcoming Federal Tax Forum in October…
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Women should be allowed to have fun, without the media judging them. AAP/Jack Tran

The wilding of women: why the media should ease up on girls

By Lauren Rosewarne, University of Melbourne

Wilding, a word seldom used outside of sociology, describes compounded acts of immorality. Of teenagers, apparently, running amok. In packs usually, with rage and ribaldry in their eyes. I was thinking…
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More data on the effects of alcohol and energy drinks is needed to inform policy. loop oh/Flickr

Alcohol and energy drinks: too early to make bleary-eyed policy calls

By Amy Pennay, Monash University

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) has called for a ban on the sale of pre-packaged alcoholic energy drinks based on recent research, echoing a similar call for bottle shops to stop selling pre-packaged…
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A full English breakfast just doesn’t cut it. Iban

Monday’s medical myth: you can cure a hangover

By Dan Lubman, Monash University

Piping hot cups of coffee. A fat laden fried breakfast. Going for a run. Or maybe just going back to bed. There are plenty of claims about how you can cure a hangover. So, what’s the reality? If you’ve…
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The Cancer Council’s alcohol abstinence message isn’t helpful. flickr/MrTinDC

Ignore the scaremongers – a drink (or two) is alright

By Jake Najman

The marketing of public health messages can bear some disturbing similarities to the way the tobacco, alcohol and food industries go about promoting their products. Recent suggestions by the Cancer Council…

Research and News (8)

Research Briefs (28)

Binge drinking might be in your genes

Futurity

A particular gene is responsible for how likely a person is to binge drink. A variation of the RASGRF-2 gene gives people…

Alocohol linked to feeling immature

University of Missouri

People who drink heavily into their 30s feel immature for their age, research has found. The researchers from the University…

Buzz kills

University of California, San Diego

No amount of alcohol seems to be safe for driving, according to a University of California, San Diego study. The study found…

Falling off the wagon again and again

University of Sussex

Alcoholics may find it difficult to quit drinking because detoxification from alcohol damages the areas of the brain that…

Participants (140)