Steady Rise in Deaths from Heavy Drinking

A steady rise in long-term heavy drinking has led to a doubling of alcohol-related deaths among men over the past decade, according to official figures.
The study of “preventable mortality” found that the rate of alcohol-related deaths had risen sharply among women too, with two thirds more dying of diseases such as cirrhosis over the period.
The rise in alcohol-related deaths is in stark contrast to sharp falls in the rest of the top five “preventable causes of mortality”.

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Drinking Alcohol May Help Protect Agaist Dementia?

Alcohol drinking in moderation may slow progression to dementia in people with mild cognitive impairment, suggests an Italian study published in the May 22 issue of Neurology, a journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
Howvever, the study per se did not establish any causal relationship between drinking alcohol and cognitive impairment, meaning that drinking wine or other alcoholic beverages does not necessarily provide any protection against dementia in a particular person.

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Study: College Breeds Alcoholism

College can be a blast, but it can also create alcoholics. Genetics is known to play a role in the risk of alcoholism. A new study, detailed in the June issue of the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, suggests that college attendance is conducive to and exacerbates the innate predisposition of some young adults to become heavy alcohol users. "If your genetic makeup predisposes you toward drinking, it may be even more enhanced by attending college," said lead scientist David Timberlake, an epidemiologist at the University of California at Irvine.

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Navy Dr. Who Developed 1st Military Treatment for Alcoholism Dies

Inside a rusted Quonset hut at the Long Beach Naval Station, Dr. Joseph J. Zuska operated a clandestine program, treating sailors for an illness that in the eyes of the Navy did not exist. It was the mid-1960s, a time when alcoholism and its accompanying behavior were treated as violations of Navy policy, punishable by time in the brig. Yet the atmosphere on base and at sea encouraged heavy drinking. The abiding image of the drunk sailor was a reality for many. After a conversation with a retired Navy commander who was also a recovering alcoholic, Zuska began treating the illness as a medical problem. His underground program, the first in the history of the armed forces, eventually earned national acclaim, providing a model for other branches of the military and private industry.

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India's First Condom Bar Opens

After the advent of theme restaurants, theme bars are next in line with a unique 'Condom Bar' opening its door for curious visitors in Chandigarh.
An initiative of Chandigarh Industrial Tourism Corporation (CITCO) and AIDS Control Society of Chandigarh, the bar is aimed at propagating the message of 'Safe Sex' while creating awareness about HIV/AIDS.

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Appetite-Regulation Peptide Leptin's Influence on Alcohol Craving Confirmed

A new study published in 'Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research' has confirmed that appetite-regulating peptides leptin and ghrelin influence alcohol cravings for some alcoholics. Craving, a powerful urge to drink, is an important contributor to the development and maintenance of alcoholism.Professor Otto Lesch of the University of Vienna has divided patients of alcohol dependence into four groups- Type 1 that refers to people with heavy alcohol withdrawals who tend to use alcohol to weaken withdrawal symptoms, Type 2 patients use alcohol as self-medication because of its anxiolytic effects, Type 3 which is an affective disorder as origin for alcohol abuse, and Type 4 patients pre-morbid cerebral defects, behavioural disorders and a high social burden.

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Drinking 4 or More Cups of Coffee A Day May Help Prevent Gout

Coffee is a habit for more than 50 percent of Americans, who drink, on average, 2 cups per day. This widely consumed beverage is regularly investigated and debated for its impact on health conditions from breast cancer to heart disease. Among its complex effects on the body, coffee or its components have been linked to lower insulin and uric acid levels on a short-term basis or cross-sectionally. These and other mechanisms suggest that coffee consumption may affect the risk of gout, the most prevalent inflammatory arthritis in adult males.

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MU Study Finds Binge Drinking Among College Students Impaires Decision-Making Ability

People addicted to alcohol and young adults who are heavy drinkers, but not considered alcoholics, have something in common: they possess poor decision-making skills, according to psychologists at the University of Missouri-Columbia. The findings are based on research examining binge drinking and heavy alcohol use among college students.

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Cardinals Ban Alcohol in Clubhouse

But La Russa unimpressed since 'guys don't stay in the clubhouse to drink'
The St. Louis Cardinals banned alcohol from the clubhouse on Friday, five days after the alcohol-related fatal accident of pitcher Josh Hancock.

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Man Cited for DWI at McDonald's Drive-through

A man who was a little slow in picking up his fast food has been charged with drunk driving. Police said they found Terrance Forte, 32, asleep behind the wheel in the drive-through lane at a McDonald's restaurant.
Restaurant employees called police about 12:30 a.m. Saturday after waiting 15 minutes for Forte to drive from the first window to the second window in the drive-through.

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Man Busted for Drunk Driving in Wheelchair

A wheelchair-bound German stunned police when they pulled him over for using the road and found he was 10 times over the legal alcohol limit for drivers.
"He was right in the middle of the road," said a spokesman for police in the northeastern city of Schwerin Tuesday. "The officers couldn't quite believe it when they saw the results of the breath test. That's a life-threatening figure."

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Hershey Sues Man Who Made Pot Candy

It was a big enough bummer for Kenneth Affolter when he was sentenced to more than five years in prison for making pot-laced treats and soft drinks. Now he faces the wrath of a candy giant.
The Hershey Co. has sued Affolter, 40, for giving his marijuana goodies names like Stoney Rancher, Rasta Reese's and Keef Kat. Each came in packaging similar to Hershey's Jolly Rancher, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and Kit Kat candies, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

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Crime of Stupidity Hatched From Treatment Center

Pair who hatched bomb treat get prison.
The idea seemed a long shot at best: One man would call police and accuse his friend of carrying a bomb in hopes the arresting officer would rough up the suspect enough to support a lawsuit.

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Scots Are Worst Boozers

SIX of the 10 worst places for people too ill to work because of boozing are in Scotland, a survey has revealed.
Inverclyde tops the UK list with more than one in 200 of its workers claiming incapacity benefits due to alcoholism.

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Bar Patrons Get Tow-Truck Taxis in Ill.

This new taxi service doesn't come cheap, but it may be a bargain compared to the price of a drunk-driving arrest.

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Bank Robber Stops for a Beer

Clearly, beer was more important than freedom. An accused bank robber only made a half-hearted getaway in Orange County.

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Positive Info About VIVITROL for the Treatment of Alcoholism

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Addiction Illuminates Concept of 'Free Will'

Whether humans possess free will or whether their actions are determined by something outside their conscious control is one of the most persistent problems in philosophy.
In a lecture May 9, Steven E. Hyman warned his audience that he would not attempt to resolve the issue of free will in an ultimate sense. He did, however, have some fascinating insights regarding a special instance of the free-will dilemma — namely, the neurochemical mechanisms that result in the loss of free will when a person becomes addicted to drugs.

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Passing On Afghanistan's Addiction

Afghanistan remains infamous as an exporter of opium. However, opium use within the country is just as rampant, with perhaps one million addicts in the country, according to the UN, of whom more than 600,000 are under the age of 15.

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Rehab Centers, Big Business in India

New Delhi: A number of de-addiction centres have sprung up across the country following a rise in the incidence of alcoholism. In the absence of a mechanism to monitor such centres, doctors caution against quacks out to make a fast buck.

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Nicotine Addiction as Potent as Cocaine, Heroin

Twelve years ago, Henry W. "Chuck" Richardson became a convicted felon after an illegal drug violation.
After 23 years of shooting up heroin, an addiction that started during the Vietnam war, he was finally able to break free from the drug while serving jail time and has now been "clean" 12 years—clean of heroin, that is, but not drug-free.
Like millions of former users of illegal substances, Richardson, a Marine machine gunner with two Purple Hearts and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, simply doesn't have the brawn to give up cigarettes. The drug he now craves is nicotine.

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Prison Crisis Looming

Of the 368 new inmates who checked into the crowded Northern Nevada Correctional Center in the past six weeks, 294 were methamphetamine addicts and half admitted they were high when they committed their crimes.

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Moderate Drinking May Lower Kidney Cancer Risk

Having a drink or two per day appears to modestly decrease the risk of developing kidney cell cancer, new research findings suggest, regardless of the type of alcoholic drink that is consumed.

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Marine Corps Allows Underage Drinking

The Marine Corps has changed its rules on drinking to allow Marines as young as 18 to drink on Camp Pendleton and other Marine bases on special occasions, a decision that has been cheered by some Marines but has upset anti-drinking groups.

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Couples Share Risk for Problem Drinking

People at risk for drinking problems are more likely to marry someone who's also at risk for alcohol dependence, according to a team of American and Australian researchers.

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Heavy Drinking May Trigger Irregular Heart Rhythm

Raising a glass too often could put heavy drinkers at risk for atrial fibrillation, a dangerous heart condition that can trip off a stroke or heart failure, British researchers warn.
Luckily, reducing alcohol consumption even a little bit makes a big difference, said the authors of a study slated for presentation Thursday at the annual meeting of the Heart Rhythm Society, in Denver.

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Midtown AA Accused of Sexual Exploitation

Officials of a prominent church in Northwest Washington said the church has barred an Alcoholics Anonymous group from meeting on its property pending the outcome of an investigation.
The group, called Midtown AA, has come under scrutiny for unusual practices in the past.
Many of the former members have described the group as a cult.
One woman, a former member of Midtown AA, claims she was pressured to have sex as a teenager with the leader of an Alcoholics Anonymous group called Midtown.

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'Cocaine' Energy Drink Re-emerges as 'Censored'

An energy drink that was barred by the US government from going on the market with the name "Cocaine" will re-emerge under the tongue-in-cheek moniker "Censored," its maker said Friday.
"We love the 'Censored' name because it has the same rebellious and fun spirit that our original name did," said Redux Beverages LLC founder Jamey Kirby.

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Brain Chemical Protects Some Against Alcoholism

Researchers have long wondered why some people with a family history of alcoholism become alcoholics and others do not. Now a Brookhaven National Laboratory study has found a difference in brain chemistry that may protect some from developing alcohol abuse problems. Elevated levels of D2 receptors for dopamine may provide a protective effect for some at high risk to become alcoholics.

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OxyContin Maker, Execs Plead Guilty

The maker of the powerful painkiller OxyContin and three of its current and former executives pleaded guilty Thursday to misleading the public about the drug's risk of addiction, a federal prosecutor and the company said.

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Coffee Is Gateway to Addiction

Our early morning behavior is second nature to many of us. Get up, get a cup of coffee or four, and get on with the day. Deviate from the routine and our bodies find subtle and not-so-subtle ways to remind us.It only took four days to figure out my problem.Each morning a few weeks back, I took the fancy package of coffee out of the freezer and made a full pot. Each afternoon that week, I nursed a migraine and tried to stay awake. The house was a mess by the fourth day. I had no energy to clean it. And I can't say I was very pleasant, either. On Friday, my husband asked where I put the coffee because all he could find was decaf. One cup of Starbucks later, all was right with my world once again.

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Jump in Crashes Since Drinking Age Lowered

Massey University research indicates that alcohol-related crashes involving young drivers have increased since the legal drinking age was lowered.

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Scotland Starts National Drinking Season

NATIONAL Drinking Season kicked-off in spectacular fashion over the bank holiday weekend with more than 125,000 arrests and pandemonium across the country.

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Vienna Library Starts Erotica Hotline

VIENNA, Austria - This isn't the typical whispering you might expect to hear at a library. Vienna's City Hall has launched a "sex hotline" to raise money for the capital's main public library, officials said Tuesday.

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'Cocaine' Drink Pulled From Shelves

An energy drink called Cocaine has been pulled from stores nationwide amid concerns about its name, the company that produces it said Monday.
Clegg Ivey, a partner in Redux Beverages LLC of Las Vegas, said the company plans to sell the drink under a new name for now.

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Man Takes Driving Test Drunk, Fails

A German man failed his driving test after attempting the examination while three times over the legal alcohol limit, police said Tuesday.

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So. Korea County Cans Award for Drinking Workers

On second thought, maybe it was not a good idea to give an award for drinking to local government officials.
The South Korean county of Koesan has decided it will discontinue giving out its "Drinking Culture Prize" after being flooded with complaints that the award promotes drunkenness among municipal employees and encouraged binge drinking.

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Addiction Treatment Facility Burgled

A burglary at the Hina Mauka drug and alcohol rehabilitation and prevention center earlier this week has puzzled and bewildered members of its staff.

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Brewer Must Pay Alcoholic Beer Taster

SAO PAULO, Brazil - A Brazilian court has ordered local brewer Ambev to pay 100,000 reals (US$49,400; euro36,400) to an alcoholic beer taster who drank about a liter and a half (3.2 pints) of beer each day.
The unidentified employee alleged that the company did not provide the health measures needed to keep him from developing alcoholism, a labor court in the Rio Grande do Sul state said in a statement Friday.

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MADD Award Winner Charged With DUI

A Cincinnati police officer who received an award from Mothers Against Drunk Driving has been charged with drunken driving.

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Study Suggests Heavy Drinking Shrinks Brains

A new study indicates that the brains of people who drink large amounts of alcohol get smaller. Psychiatrist and substance abuse expert Dr. Robert Millman says that doesn't surprise him in the least. Millman, who's with New York Presbyterian Hospital / Weill Cornell Medical Center, says it makes complete sense, considering how much of a poison alcohol is. People recovering from alcoholism can take six months to a year to fully regain their cognitive abilities, such as memory and ability to do abstract thinking. So, it follows that alcohol has a physical impact on the brain.

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Book Review; The Joy of Drinking

Against Moderation
It’s odd the books people get asked to review. Take this one, a carefree history of our long love affair with drinking. I have no training as a historian, just some slight experience on both sides of bars. And perhaps an exaggerated reputation for disparaging today’s ubiquitous alcohol-free business lunches. Barbara Holland, though, might empathize. She reminds us that in 1787, two days before their work was done, the 55 delegates to the Constitutional Convention “adjourned to a tavern for some rest, and according to the bill they drank 54 bottles of Madeira, 60 bottles of claret, 8 of whiskey, 22 of port, 8 of hard cider and 7 bowls of punch so large that, it was said, ducks could swim around in them. Then they went back to work and finished founding the new Republic.” Note the 55 delegates and 54 bottles of Madeira. Which founder was slacking?

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Beer Maker, Scientist to Create Energy

Scientists and Australian beer maker Foster's are teaming up to generate clean energy from brewery waste water — by using sugar-consuming bacteria.
The experimental technology was unveiled Wednesday by scientists at Australia's University of Queensland, which was given a $115,000 state government grant to install a microbial fuel cell at a Foster's Group brewery near Brisbane, the capital of Queensland state.

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Alcoholics Anonymous Group Hijacked

A struggle inside AA
Recovering alcoholics say a Washinton, D.C., group has hijacked the 12-step program's name.

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