Alcohol harm paradox: lower socioeconomic people drink the same or less than others but have more alcohol-related problems. Some people think that more drinking in a population leads to more alcohol-related problems. But that’s very a simplistic belief. World-wide research shows that countries with higher drinking rates generally have fewer drinking problems. That’s in comparison …
A fairly new approach to reducing alcohol abuse is social norms marketing. Some prefer to call it social norms clarification. It’s effective, but not without its detractors. Here we look at criticisms of social norms marketing. But first, here’s a quick look at social norms clarification. Social Norms Marketing Social norms clarification is based on …
Drinking alcohol and traumatic injury deaths. Does alcohol improve survival? Evidence strongly suggests that alcohol reduces death from traumatic injury. The reason may be that alcohol reduces damaging inflamation. Most research finds that a positive blood alcohol concentration (BAC) helps patients survive traumatic injury. And this is true for both traumatic brain injury patients and …
Hosting office parties can be a mine field of potential problems. These can be social, professional, or legal. Therefoere, it’s wise to plan office parties very carefully. Here are few tips to help avoid problems and have a successful office party. Tips Be very clear. Be clear about the workplace substance abuse policy. It should address …
Beverage alcohol nutrition labels are needed. They should include not only calories but also other information. That includes fats, cholesterol, and sodium or salt. The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) proposes nutrition labels on alcoholic beverages. Its proposal is a good one but doesn’t go far enough. It only calls for labeling the …
What is moderate drinking? It depends on whom you ask. The U.S. government defines moderte drinking as consuming no more than two standard drinks a day for men and one for women. And even that has changed. Until recently, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism’s definition permitted men to drink up to four …
Food poisoning and alcohol are connected. “Alcohol with a meal can lower the risk of food poisoning” reported the New York Times.1 The evidence is that drinking alcoholic beverages with meals can either prevent food poisoning or reduce its effects. Food poisoning appears to be much more common than most people realize. That’s because they …
The policy of the Center for Science in the Public Interest or CSPI on drinking and smoking is strange. The CSPI attacks drinking in moderation but completely ignores the great dangers of smoking. Scientific medical research clearly shows that light to moderate drinking is associated with better health and longevity than abstaining. Drinking in moderation …
Scott Hampton, Psy.D., explains the connection between alcohol drinking and sexual assault. Dr. Hampton is Director of Ending the Violence, a sexual violence prevention program. Drinking and Sexual Assault Alcohol drinking and sexual assault often happen together. According to some research, 30 percent of all sexual assaults occur when the perpetrator is under the influence …
Should grocers sell liquor (spirits)? French grocery stores sell beer, wine and spirits, which is a logical place to purchase these products. Wine, beer and spirits are all foods. Both custom and food law in the Western World recognize them as foods. So it’s natural to sell them along with other foods, both in grocery …
