Alcohol Help

Brain mechanism could be key, and an existing drug might help, scientists say

U.S. scientists say they’ve learned new details about molecular mechanisms associated with alcohol addiction and relapse. The findings could lead to new treatments for alcoholism.

The University of California, San Francisco researchers gave lab rats free access to alcohol or sugar for nearly two months, followed by a few weeks of abstinence. The rats who had consumed alcohol, but not those that had consumed sugar, showed increased electrical activity in a part of the brain called the nucleus accumbens (NAcb) core, which plays a role in motivation and goal-directed behaviors.

This increased activity in the NAcb core after abstinence resulted from the inhibition of small-conductance calcium-activated potassium channels (SK).

Futher tests showed that drug-induced activation of SK channels resulted in greater inhibition of NAcb activity in the alcohol-abstinent rats and significantly reduced their desire for alcohol. This type of effect did not occur with sugar-abstinent rats.

The results indicate that decreased SK currents and increased activity in the NAcb core play a critical role in alcoholics’ relapse after quitting drinking, said the researchers.

The study appears in the March issue of the journal Neuron.

"Our findings are particularly exciting because the FDA-approved drug chlorzoxazone, which has been used for more than 30 years as a muscle relaxant, can activate SK channels," senior author Dr. Antonello Bonci said in a UCSF news release. "Although SK channels are not the only target of this drug and it can present a variety of clinical side effects, it provides an unexpected and very exciting opportunity to design human clinical trials to examine whether chlorzoxazone, or other SK activators, reduce excessive or pathological alcohol drinking."

Office of Minority Health

Teenagers in Bradford are producing an animated film to highlight the risks of alcohol misuse to other young people with funds from the Government’s Positive Activities for Young People (PAYP).

Hundreds of teenagers from Bradford West took part in consultation events organised by the council’s Integrated Youth Support service to let them have a say about issues that affect them and to influence decision-making in their community.

Young people identified alcohol misuse as key areas of concern and decided the production of a short film using animation would be the best way to get their message across.

In total, 76 young people have been involved in scriptwriting, directing, producing and editing the film which has been funded by PAYP through the council’s Bradford Integrated Youth Support hopes a DVD of the film which, will be completed by the end of April, will be circulated to schools in the district to educate other young people about the dangers of alcohol and drugs.

PAYP is part of the Government’s Aiming High for Young People strategy which aims to ensure there are safe places to go and interesting things to do for young people, at times when they and communities say they most want and need them.

Zwelani Moyo, youth worker for Bradford West said:

"This project is giving young people the opportunity to express themselves through story telling, model making and animation. Many have given up a lot of time to produce a film that will deliver powerful messages to others about the dangers of alcohol and substance misuse.

"Thanks to projects like this young people are being given safe places to go and positive things to do especially on Friday and Saturday evenings. We hope the project will give other young people the inspiration to get involved in similar activities."

Bradford West teenager Zunaid Vanu, (16), said:

"We’re having lots of fun working on this film. Most of us haven’t done anything like this before so it has been a real challenge to pull it together. Working with clay models and then downloading the stills onto computer software is really time-consuming but the end result makes it all worthwhile. You get a real buzz when you see that all our hard work will help to create a film that will benefit others."

Since the project began young people have attended regular film-making sessions at Toller Youth Cafe, Mayfield Centre and Junior University.

More than £7million has been made available to Bradford between 2008 and 2011 to raise participation by young people in positive activities, particularly those in deprived areas through the Government’s investment in Aiming High for Young People, a ten year strategy for positive activities. This year PAYP funding in Bradford totals £288,000.

Department for Children, Schools and Families

Britons exceeded their recommended daily drinking guidelines by over 50% during the month of December, according to research released today by alcohol awareness charity Drinkaware.

The data, compiled from what is thought to be the largest interactive assessment of the nation’s drinking habits, was conducted by the charity over the festive season.

Via completion of a unit calculator, the study asked UK adults how much they had drunk in the previous 24 hours. With daily recommended guidelines of 2-3 units for women and 3-4 units for men, Drinkaware found that both men (5.4 units per day) and women (4.1) exceeded their guidelines** every day throughout the month, with December 10th, the most popular day in the festive season for drinking alcohol.

Drinkaware’s ‘What’s Britain Drinking this Christmas?’ campaign generated record levels of interest from consumers, including:

• A monthly record for traffic to the Drinkaware website of 204,858
• 30,407 entries into the Drinkaware alcohol unit calculator
• 4,087 members of the public completing the unit calculator via experiential activity (averaging one every 35 seconds)
• 152 pieces of media coverage in consumer media across the month

The campaign, which enabled members of the public to complete the unit calculator either via the website or through interactive displays in four British cities, including London’s Covent Garden, found that those in London had the highest average daily alcohol consumption, with the units consumed on a daily basis averaging at 6.8 per person. In second place was the North East (5.45), followed by Wales (5.15) and Yorkshire/East Anglia (4.95). The area that stuck closest to the unit guidelines was the South East with an average daily consumption of 4.4 units per person, with East Midlands (4.6) and the West Midlands (4.75), not far behind. In research conducted prior to the study, nearly half (47%) of those surveyed predicted they would drink more than the recommended daily unit guidelines, while one in six (16%) said that December is the one month of the year they can drink and not feel guilty. **

Chris Sorek, Chief Executive of Drinkaware, says: “There are certain times of the year when people drink more than they should and the festive season is one of those times. Over Christmas and New Year we wanted to find out how much people were drinking and remind consumers that the long term effects of drinking to excess can last for much longer than Christmas.

“It’s great that so many people up and down the country got involved with our nationwide study. Record levels of website traffic and 30,000 unit calculator completions are fantastic results for this campaign and we know through PR that we reached millions of people with our message. Given the time of year and knowing that people use December as an excuse to drink without feeling guilty, we were really pleased that so many people were receptive to finding out about units. Calories proved to be a great way of getting people to think about how much they were drinking.”

Drinkaware

Drinkaware and the Guardian hold question time event for parents

Around 40 parents of 10 to 17 year olds gathered together to discuss young people and their use of alcohol at a ‘question time’ event hosted by alcohol awareness charity Drinkaware and the Guardian. Held at the newspaper’s offices in London on Thursday 4th March, the event entitled Young people & alcohol misuse: Are parents to blame? gave parents an opportunity to debate their role in helping to reduce alcohol related harm among young people.

The audience of parents and representatives from parenting organisations put questions to a panel of experts including: Children’s Minister Dawn Primarolo; former Olympic athlete and gold medal winner Linford Christie; Gill Steward, Cornwall Council Director for Communities; and Avis Johns from Drinkaware. The event was chaired by David Brindle, Public Services Editor for the Guardian and discussion topics included whether parents should introduce their children to alcohol at a young age, minimum pricing and who should be responsible for tackling underage drinking were some of the issues discussed.

Chris Sorek, Chief Executive of Drinkaware, says: “This event is a perfect follow-up to our partnership with the Guardian in 2009 which examined issues surrounding young people and alcohol with professionals and young people themselves. Parents play a crucial role in shaping their children’s attitudes towards alcohol, so it is essential that we give them an opportunity to voice their opinions and concerns.

“It can be really difficult for parents to know how to broach the topic of alcohol with their children, but with the right support and advice, it can hopefully seem less daunting. By listening to parents, Drinkaware hopes it can better understand their needs and support them in their role which can in turn help to prevent alcohol related harm among young people.”

Former Olympic athlete and gold medallist, Linford Christie, says: “As a parent of three children aged 6-12, I am very aware of how important it is to talk to young people about alcohol. Children pick up lots of things from their parents so we have a key role in making sure our kids know that misusing alcohol can cause all sorts of problems.

“Lots of young people drink because they’re bored or think they have nothing else to do. Getting involved in sport and other leisure activities* can really help young people have something to focus on and keep them healthy at the same time.”

The question time event is due to be reported in the Family section of the Guardian on 20th March.

Drinkaware

St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington and Stoke-on-Trent alcohol projects win HubCAPP awards.

Alcohol Concern is pleased to announce St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, Alcohol Health Work project as the winner of the inaugural ‘HubCAPP Project of the Year’ 2009 award and ‘Stoke-on-Trent’s Commissioning capacity in alcohol treatment’ as the winner of the inaugural ‘HubCAPP Most Useful Project of the Year’ 2009 award.

The Hub of Commissioned Alcohol Projects and Policies (HubCAPP) is an online resource of local alcohol initiatives throughout England. The Hub has a particular focus on capturing the policies, decisions and strategic history that enabled projects to come into existence. The HubCAPP Awards were launched in November 2009 and asked members of the public and professionals in the field to select the ‘Project of the Year’ and the ‘Most Useful Project of the Year’.

Alcohol misuse has a significant impact on society; it puts a huge strain on NHS resources and costs the NHS in England £2.7 billion per annum. The HubCAPP awards, therefore, are a fitting way to celebrate the positive contributions these people make and recognise the value of their work. The awards are particularly prestigious as they have been voted on by people working in the field.

St Mary’s won the award for their innovative and longstanding work using Alcohol Nurse Specialists to quickly screen and tackle those presenting with an alcohol problem. Stoke won their award for a comprehensive, thorough and needs led review of specialist alcohol treatment and a comprehensive implementation plan to meet demand on overstretched services.

Alcohol Concern Chief Executive Don Shenker said:

“It’s fantastic that so many have taken the time to vote, voting was very close and hotly contested. It’s good to see people in the field responding to this HubCAPP initiative and we are pleased that the work of St Mary’s and Stoke has been recognised in this way. Tackling the harms caused to society by alcohol misuse is one of the country’s most important health priorities. This work is at the vanguard, helping to reduce alcohol-related hospital admissions which have nearly reached 1,000,000 per year. ”

Professor Robin Touquet, Consultant in A&E Medicine, St Mary’s Hospital said:

“We are delighted that St Mary’s work has been recognised. This highlights the investment happening country wide with the roll out of Alcohol Nurse Specialists, many duplicating the St Mary’s model, and incorporating the Paddington Alcohol Test.”

Suzie Kelly, Programme Lead: Alcohol, Stoke-on-Trent said:

“We are extremely pleased that Stoke-on-Trent has been recognised in this manner. This award is a testament to the partnership work between commissioners, service users and service providers locally and we are delighted to have been acknowledged by our peers.”

More about St Mary’s:

Alcohol Health Work at Imperial College Healthcare Trust, St. Mary’s Hospital, has been extensively researched since 1988. St Mary’s developed the Paddington Alcohol Test (PAT) which is a quick clinical tool to screen patients presenting with the top 10 reasons associated with alcohol misuse and asks about their levels of alcohol consumption. Doctors and nurses can then use the PAT to highlight the relationship between attendance at A&E and drinking to the patient, known as the ‘teachable moment’ and/or refer people onto an appointment with the Alcohol Nurse Specialist. The Alcohol Nurse Specialist works sees patients from across the wards as well as A&E and has developed alcohol withdrawal management protocols for the hospital. For every two patients accepting such an appointment, there is one less re-attendance over the next year. A study showed that 65% of patients detected and subsequently counselled by an Alcohol Nurse Specialist reduced their alcohol intake at six-month follow up.

St Mary’s has been undertaking this work for a long time, has published its findings extensively and helped to replicate the system in other hospitals across England.

More about Stoke:

In 2009 NHS Stoke-on-Trent used local and national to identify gaps in their provision of alcohol treatment. This was systematic examination of the services being provided and the services required. Analysis indicated that Stoke-on-Trent had the 3rd highest rate of alcohol-related hospital admissions in England and high levels of alcohol-related mortality. There was limited treatment capacity with the treatment options only serving 8.7% of the higher risk population. National guidance recommends that at least 15% of the population should be receiving structured treatment. An Alcohol Delivery plan has been developed and four new services had been designed.

Stoke-on-Trent is one of 20 ‘Early Implementer’ Primary Care Trusts (PCTs). These PCT are spearheads for the Department of Health and have been supported with additional funding since 2008 to allow them to lead the way in implementing the high impact changes for alcohol. Early Implementer funding allowed Stoke-on-Trent to develop and expand their service provision.

Stoke-on-Trent’s process has been comprehensive and inclusive. It was clear from the analysis that alcohol-related hospital admissions would continue to grow without increased intervention and therefore the Stoke Safer City Partnership has made the commitment to increase investment and service provision into the treatment system.

Alcohol Concern

The government released its response to the Health Select Committee’s report on alcohol misuse.

Commenting on the government’s response, Don Shenker, Alcohol Concern Chief Executive, said:

“The Government’s response to the Health Select Committee’s inquiry into alcohol misuse is too complacent. While the Secretary of State correctly recognises the huge and costly problems caused by excessive drinking, the Government’s response fails to acknowledge the actions needed to drive down these harms. The seriousness of our current predicament is stark: one person dying from an alcohol-related problem every hour, a fivefold increase in liver disease over the last thirty years and only 1 in 10 people who need alcohol treatment getting appropriate support. For the government to say its current plans are sufficient flies in the face of the evidence.

“Whilst change cannot happen overnight – it certainly won’t happen if the government does nothing. Action on pricing, advertising and irresponsible promotions are the first step to reversing a drinking culture which has bought us to a point where average levels of teenage drinking is the equivalent of twelve and a half shots of vodka a week. The drinks industry will be delighted that Government are not planning any further action to independently monitor or regulate their practice.

Health professionals, police officers and youth workers up and down the country will be very disappointed that another chance to take further action on reducing alcohol harms has gone missing, leaving them to clean up a mess the government is unwilling to tackle.”

Alcohol Concern

That’s the message going out to parents via a multi-agency campaign highlighting the importance of talking to your children about alcohol before they are introduced to it by someone else.

The You, your child and alcohol campaign is the result of a partnership with the Police Service of Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Office, Northern Ireland Policing Board, Public Health Agency (PHA) and Department of Health Social Services and Public Safety all of which are focused on tackling the issue of underage drinking. The campaign incorporates a mix of TV, outdoor and online advertising along with a booklet for parents and posters all highlighting the dangers of underage drinking.

Welcoming the re-launch of the campaign, Health Minister Michael McGimpsey, said: “Alcohol misuse is one of the biggest public health issues facing Northern Ireland. Our children and young people are particularly at risk, as they are far more vulnerable than adults to suffering physical, emotional and social harm from their own and from other people’s drinking. This campaign has, and will continue to support and empower parents to talk to their children about alcohol, and help both parents and young people to make healthy and informed decisions about alcohol.

“Some parents may feel that introducing their children to alcohol in a controlled environment will help them to develop a responsible attitude to alcohol. However, the evidence is clear – an alcohol free childhood is the healthiest and best option. Research has shown that the earlier a child starts drinking alcohol, the greater the risk of them having alcohol-related problems in later life. Children often copy what their parents do and how they act. It is important, therefore, for parents to think about their relationship with alcohol and what messages it could be sending to their child.

“Today is just one step in our ongoing efforts to address alcohol misuse, particularly young people’s drinking, this campaign is a key element of the Addressing Young People’s Drinking Action plan, which I launched in June 2009, and the campaign highlights what can be achieved by working in partnership.”

Dr Eddie Rooney, Chief Executive of the PHA, said: “This campaign is aimed at parents of 11-16 years olds and was broadcast last year for the first time. An evaluation of the initiative showed that four out of five parents remembered the campaign and half of those parents said they had talked to their child about alcohol as a direct result of seeing the campaign. It has been very successful in encouraging and empowering parents to tackle the sensitive issue of alcohol with their children.

“The publication supporting the campaign has also had a significant impact on parents with two out of three stating it helped them talk to their child and as a result over 300,000 copies have been reprinted to support parents with advice and guidance on how to broach the subject with their child and to encourage parents to think about how their relationship with alcohol can influence their children.

“The booklet has been such a success that the Welsh Assembly has asked to use the publication across Wales which is a real coup for Northern Ireland and the partners involved in this campaign can take pride in providing such a vital resource for parents.”

Pip Jaffa, Chief Executive, Parents Advice Centre said ‘Alcohol is a worry for parents and even in families where there are good relationships, parents can be oblivious to some of the behaviour of their children. Parents do need to talk with their children about the risks and consequences of drinking alcohol and make sure they know what their teenagers are up to. If a parent would like to discuss a concern they can contact the Parents Helpline Freephone number 0808 8010 722 or e-mail us at info@parentshelpline.org.uk’”

Assistant Chief Constable Will Kerr said: “We want parents to think about the serious consequences of underage drinking. For those young people who commit crime fuelled by alcohol there can be far reaching consequences that can impact dramatically on their future career and even restrict their opportunity to travel.

“Parents often underestimate how much influence they have on their children and hopefully this campaign will encourage them to talk about and establish boundaries around alcohol.”

Public Health Agency

A new ‘one stop shop’ drop-in service, providing information, support and education to those young people and their families, affected or concerned by alcohol misuse, has opened its doors in Banbridge.

The new service entitled: ‘Info-station’ has been funded by the Public Health Agency (PHA) and is managed by REACT (Reaching Everyone and Creating Trust). Four such pilot centres have been set up across Northern Ireland.

The centre is open each afternoon Monday to Saturday from 1-5pm and two evenings per week and is available to all young people living in the Banbridge, Dromore or hinterland areas.

Launching the new service today Craig Cook, Director of REACT explained, “This service and facility has been designed with the needs of young people being of primary importance. We have created an informal and confidential drop-in facility where young people can relax and have access to a wide range of information about health related issues, particularly alcohol and drug misuse. This will be a neutral, shared facility accessible to all of the community in Banbridge with a satellite centre currently being developed along the same theme in Dromore.

“The Info-station will employ two frontline members of staff who are very well trained and experienced in health and youth work. They will act as a focal point of contact for the young people and provide a referral ‘gateway’ to a wide range of health service providers from both the statutory and voluntary/community sectors.”

Craig continued: “As substance use and misuse is only one of the many issues that young people face, the service will also focus on addressing other issues such as, suicide and self-harm, mental health and wellbeing, sexual health, relationship issues and coping with school and employment.”

Attending the launch Leo Foy, Alcohol Coordinator with the PHA (Southern Office) said: “The Agency is the lead partner for a range of initiatives currently being delivered in local communities across Northern Ireland aimed at tackling the misuse of alcohol and drugs. These new centres have been established following identified needs in local communities and will provide young people with access to information in a relaxed and informal environment.

“An analysis of the Young People’s Behaviour and Attitudes Survey 2007 (YPBAS), carried out by Queen’s University, echoes the need for a more holistic approach in delivering services to young people. It clearly shows that young people face a range of pressures and engage in a range of risk taking behaviours,” he said.

The YPBAS is completed approximately every two to four years and has a sample size of approximately 5,000 pupils. In 2007, results highlighted that just over half of pupils surveyed (54%) have taken an alcoholic drink. Of those who have had an alcoholic drink, over three quarters (76%) were aged 13 or under when they had their first drink.

Leo added: “Whilst these results show a clear need for the provision of alcohol and drugs services to young people in Northern Ireland, the YPBAS also highlights the need for young people to be provided with a range of services addressing such issues as mental health and wellbeing, coping with school and sexual health. The new Info-station opened today will help to provide the much needed information and support required for the young people, on a confidential nature, living in this area.”

Public Health Agency

Brought together by the Supporting an Alcohol-Ad Free Environment – Massachusetts collaborative (SAFE-MA), youth and community supporters will protest against the MBTA’s use of T trains—which serve as "school buses" for 9,600 Bostonyouth—to promote alcohol use. By this action, they hope to gain additional support from The Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight, who will decide March 17th, 2010 whether to advance HB 1113: an act prohibiting alcohol advertising on Commonwealth property, introduced by Representative Martin J. Walsh (D – 13thSuffolk).

This is the first state level legislation of its kind in the United States. "The state is allowing alcohol companies to use the MBTA subway system to bombard citizens of the Commonwealth–and youth in particular–with alcohol advertising that is clearly trying to entice young people to drink, and to drink heavily," stated Mike Siegel, MD, of the Boston University School of Public Health. "Alcohol advertising that kids in the Commonwealth see on the T influences their decisions to start drinking. Thus, the state is allowing alcohol companies to use the MBTA subway system to recruit new underage drinkers."

In a 2005 public opinion poll, 82% of Boston youth (under 21) said they want the T to STOP exposing them to alcohol ads. Yet alcohol is widely advertised throughout the T public transportation system in and on buses and trains, in stations, and as train wraps.

A 2009 study published in the American Journal of Public Health concluded that alcohol ads were viewed an estimated 18,270 times by Boston Public School student transit passengers (grades 5 to 12) during an average weekday. These MBTA ads are equivalent to running 15 Super Bowl commercials in their power to expose vulnerable youth to inappropriate alcohol advertising.

A slew of studies over the past 10 years show that greater exposure to alcohol advertising contributes to an increase in drinking among underage youth. The more alcohol ads young people see, the more they drink and drink to excess. HB 1113 will ensure a complete ban on alcohol advertising on public property in Massachusetts, and thus effectively reduce youth drinking and related harmful behavior.

SAFE-MA