On this month’s podcast we spoke to Will Prochaska, Leader of the Coalition to End Gambling Ads and former Chief Executive of the charity Gambling with Lives. We discussed: * What the gambling world looks like. * The harms associated with gambling. * Why New Labour’s liberalisation of gambling was "one of the worst things we did as a government" ac…

On this month's podcast we spoke to Dr Aveek Bhattacharya about the decisions taken on alcohol duty in Labour's first Budget in 14 years. We discussed the positives and negatives of the decisions, whether Labour could and should have been more radical, how duty should be structured to cover the cost of alcohol harm, and whether public health groups…

False equivalence and ‘empty rhetoric’ 🎵 podcast feature 🎵 The Institute of Alcohol Studies (IAS) was established in 1983 by the United Kingdom Temperance Alliance, UKTA, previously the United Kingdom Alliance. The UKTA changed its name to the Alliance House Foundation (AHF) in 2003, from which IAS receives most of its funding. IAS has always been …

In this month's podcast we spoke to Alfie Slade, Government Affairs Lead at the Obesity Health Alliance (OHA), about a new report called Killer Tactics. The report was developed by the OHA alongside the Alcohol Health Alliance and Action on Smoking and Health, and calls for MPs to reject corporate hospitality from these unhealthy product industries…

On this month's podcast we spoke to Lisa Erlandsen, the Policy and Advocacy Manager at the Alcohol Health Alliance. We discussed reasons to be cautiously optimistic with the new government regarding public health, what could prevent progress from being made, why the alcohol industry needs to be removed from health policy-making, and what the AHA wi…

In our podcast this month we spoke to liver doctor Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, who is also chair of the Alcohol Health Alliance and current president of the BMA, as well as Suzanne Wood, Head of Population Health at the BMA. We discussed the BMA's recent consensus statement calling on the government to reduce the drink driving limit, what else would…

On this month's podcast we spoke to IAS's Chief Executive, Dr Katherine Severi, about our new research that found that alcohol harm costs society £27.4 billion a year. We discussed the cost to various elements of society, why it is important to understand the cost, why reducing harm and supporting the hospitality industry are not mutually exclusive…

In this month's podcast we spoke to Dr Katherine Severi about the rise in alcohol deaths, and Dr Nason Maani, about his latest research paper that looked at correspondence between Public Health England (PHE), The Portman Group, and Drinkaware, in the run up to and launching of the Drink Free Days campaign, which ran in 2018-2019. The paper, which w…

In this month’s podcast we spoke to John Holmes, Professor of Alcohol Policy at the University of Sheffield, about no and low alcohol products. We discussed the project the Sheffield Alcohol Research Group is running on the topic, why these products are gaining attention, who consumes them, the concerns among public health groups, and what the mark…

In February's podcast we spoke to Dr James Morris, Research Fellow at London South Bank University, about how the model of ‘alcoholism’ evolved and led to beliefs about alcohol problems being heavily focused on the severe end of the spectrum. Dr Morris discusses how Alcoholics Anonymous, despite helping a great many people in their recovery, reinfo…

In our first podcast of 2024, we spoke to Nicola Merrin, Alcohol Focus Scotland's (AFS) Policy & Research Manager, about the Scottish Government's consideration of reintroducing a Public Health Supplement (or levy). We discussed what the previous levy raised and why it was implemented, AFS's support for a new levy, and why it's so important to intr…

In this month's podcast, we spoke to Dr Aalaa Jawad about a new report by the AHA, OHA and ASH that found that alcohol, tobacco, and junk food industries make £53 billion a year from harmful consumption. We also spoke to Susan Taylor of Balance North East, about their hard-hitting new campaign, which aims to raise awareness in the region of alcohol…

In this month's podcast we spoke to a number of the attendees at the 7th Global Alcohol Policy Conference in Cape Town, including Prof David Jernigan of Boston University, Prof Charles Parry of the SAMRC, Alison Douglas and Nicola Merrin of Alcohol Focus Scotland, Chris Smith of Open Philanthropy, and Juan Tello of the World Health Organization. We…

In this month's podcast we spoke to economist Nicholas Woolley about a new report by Frontier Economics, which found that 184,000 preventable cancers diagnosed in 2023 will cost the UK economy £78 billion. We also spoke to Robert Stebbings of Adfam, about their new report: State of the Family Support Sector. This is a public episode. If you would l…

In this month's podcast we spoke to Lucy Bryant of IAS and Dr Carly Lightowlers of the University of Liverpool, about their new study that found that off-trade alcohol availability is a crucial driver of alcohol-related violence. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visi…

In our latest podcast we spoke to Anu Rumm of the Alcohol Health Alliance, about new polling data which suggests there is significant public support for political action on reducing alcohol harm. We also spoke to Ailar Hashemzadeh of Alcohol Change UK about Alcohol Awareness Week 2023. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this wit…

In our latest podcast, we spoke to Professor John Holmes, Director of the Sheffield Alcohol Research Group, about Public Health Scotland's new report which concludes that minimum unit pricing has been effective in reducing health harms and should continue. Also on our podcast, IAS's head of research Dr Sadie Boniface explains the findings of a new …

Hello and welcome to the Alcohol Alert, brought to you by The Institute of Alcohol Studies. On the podcast this month, we are joined by our chief executive, Dr Katherine Severi, to discuss her proudest moments of the last three years, our new strategy, why we are focusing on inequalities, and what she’s most looking forward to. Dr Courtney McNamara…

Hello and welcome to the Alcohol Alert, brought to you by The Institute of Alcohol Studies. Joining our podcast this week is Susan Taylor, Head of Alcohol Policy for Fresh and Balance in the northeast. We discussed the burden of alcohol-related harm in the northeast of England, and how the region still experiences disproportionate harm compared to …

Hello and welcome to the Alcohol Alert, brought to you by The Institute of Alcohol Studies. On this month’s podcast, we spoke to Dr Peter Rice, an addiction psychiatrist and IAS's chair, about changes to alcohol duty made in the Spring Budget. Before that, we hear from Dr Sadie Boniface about a recent study that found minimum unit pricing reduced a…

Hello and welcome to the Alcohol Alert, brought to you by The Institute of Alcohol Studies. On this month’s podcast, we spoke to Nicola Merrin, Policy and Research Manager at Alcohol Focus Scotland. We discussed the proposals within Scotland’s alcohol marketing consultation, how Nicola Sturgeon’s resignation could affect the proposals, and tactics …

Hello and welcome to the Alcohol Alert, brought to you by The Institute of Alcohol Studies. In this month's podcast: What are the commercial determinants of health? The phrase ‘commercial determinants of health’ is being increasingly used in the public health sphere. But what does it mean, how does it relate to the alcohol industry, and what should…

Hello and welcome to the Alcohol Alert, brought to you by The Institute of Alcohol Studies. In this podcast: People, planet, or profit: Alcohol’s impact on a sustainable future. We’re pleased to announce the launch of our new report: People, planet, or profit: Alcohol’s impact on a sustainable future. On our podcast this month we discussed the most…

Hello and welcome to the Alcohol Alert, brought to you by The Institute of Alcohol Studies. In this podcast: How alcohol companies use gendered norms to sell more product In our podcast this month we spoke to Dr Amanda Atkinson of Liverpool John Moores University about gendered alcohol marketing. Among other things, we discussed: * The gendered tac…

How far can we trust the latest Global Burden of Disease study? 🎵 Podcast feature 🎵 In the summer, the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) group published a study that looked at alcohol consumption and harm, and suggested older people may benefit from drinking, while people under 40 should not drink. This conclusion was lambasted by a number of alcohol …

Why the alcohol industry can’t afford to let us kick our drinking problem 🎵 Podcast feature 🎵 James Wilt, PhD candidate and author of ‘Drinking Up the Revolution’, writes that we aren’t talking enough about the influence of the alcohol industry on Britain’s unhealthy drinking habits and how alcohol’s ubiquity is largely due to “its commodification …

Hello and welcome to the Alcohol Alert, brought to you by The Institute of Alcohol Studies. In this edition: * Shift in England’s drinking during COVID-19 could lead to 150,000 more cases of disease by 2035 🎵 Podcast feature 🎵 * The global burden of poor analysis * Minimum pricing has never been promoted as a panacea * Pubs: “lost forever” or conso…

Hello and welcome to the Alcohol Alert, brought to you by The Institute of Alcohol Studies. In this edition: * International experts call for ban on all alcohol promotion 🎵 Podcast feature 🎵 * ‘No clear evidence’ MUP reduces harmful drinking * Vast difference in alcohol-related deaths remains between richest and poorest in Scotland * Contents Unkno…

Hello and welcome to the Alcohol Alert, brought to you by The Institute of Alcohol Studies. In this edition: * Alcohol packaging as a health communications tool 🎵 Podcast feature 🎵 * WHO marketing report exposes loophole; Assembly agrees to action plan; and industry donations to the WHO Foundation * Is it enough to reduce youth exposure to alcohol …

Hello and welcome to the Alcohol Alert, brought to you by The Institute of Alcohol Studies. In this edition: * Will the Health Disparities White Paper help where previous strategies have failed? 🎵 Podcast feature 🎵 * Ban on drinking during football matches may be overturned after nearly 40 years * ‘Sobriety tags’ to be rolled-out further, following…

Hello and welcome to the Alcohol Alert, brought to you by The Institute of Alcohol Studies. In this edition: * IAS Blogs * IAS Small Grants Scheme now open for applications * WHO Europe looks to strengthen implementation of alcohol Action Plan * Government’s “dismal record” in meeting 2012 Alcohol Strategy initiatives * NICE says pregnant women sho…

Hello and welcome to the Alcohol Alert, brought to you by The Institute of Alcohol Studies. In this edition: * Sugar content in wine bottles ranges from 0 to 15 teaspoons of sugar 🎵 Podcast feature 🎵 * House of Lords debates alcohol labelling and advertising 🎵 Podcast feature 🎵 * European Parliament ‘waters down’ alcohol labelling recommendations *…

Hello and welcome to the Alcohol Alert, brought to you by The Institute of Alcohol Studies. In this edition: * Marketing and Consumption of No and Low Alcohol Drinks – event recording * New way of calculating alcohol attributable deaths and hospital admissions 🎵 Podcast feature 🎵 * Ireland introduces minimum unit pricing * World Heart Federation st…

Hello and welcome to the Alcohol Alert, brought to you by The Institute of Alcohol Studies. In this edition: * ‘No Escape: How Alcohol Advertising Preys on Children and Vulnerable People’ * ‘Sobriety ankle tags’ rolled out after successful pilot * Cross party group of MPs demands better approach to reduce alcohol harm * Disagreement over alcohol du…

Hello and welcome to the Alcohol Alert, brought to you by The Institute of Alcohol Studies. In this edition: * Upcoming events * This month’s IAS blogs * Big change for alcohol duty but will public health win or lose?🎵 Podcast feature 🎵 * Alcohol industry funded websites spread misinformation on cardiovascular risk * How has minimum unit pricing in…

Hello and welcome to the Alcohol Alert, brought to you by The Institute of Alcohol Studies. In this edition: * Study finds alcohol ads appeared every 12 seconds in England vs. Scotland 2020 Six Nations match and responsible drinking messages were barely visible 🎵 Podcast feature 🎵 * The Scottish Government launches its 2021-2022 Programme for Gover…

Hello and welcome to the Alcohol Alert, brought to you by The Institute of Alcohol Studies. In this edition: * Upcoming events * This month’s IAS blogs * Scotland sees the highest number of alcohol deaths since 2008 🎵 Podcast feature 🎵 * England and Wales saw a record number of 11,000 deaths from alcohol and drugs in 2020, with many suggesting that…

Hello and welcome to the Alcohol Alert, brought to you by The Institute of Alcohol Studies. In this edition: * Public Health England releases a report that shows the shocking death statistics from alcohol in 2020, particularly due to alcoholic liver disease * A Lancet study shows the huge number of cancer cases caused by alcohol across the world 🎵 …

Hello and welcome to the Alcohol Alert, brought to you by The Institute of Alcohol Studies. In this edition: * IAS seminar on Alcohol and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals * Extensive OECD publication details the investment case for alcohol control policies 🎵 Podcast feature 🎵 * New minimum unit pricing studies in Scotland bolster t…

Hello and welcome to the Alcohol Alert, brought to you by The Institute of Alcohol Studies. In the May 2021 edition: * The Office for National Statistics released a report that shows there was a 20% increase in alcohol-specific deaths from 2019 to 2020 🎵 Podcast feature 🎵 * A research study has shown that alcohol adverts are appealing to adolescent…

Hello and welcome to the Alcohol Alert, brought to you by The Institute of Alcohol Studies. In this edition: * Chancellor announces a blanket freeze on alcohol duties for a second consecutive year in the spring Budget 🎵 Podcast feature 🎵 * Irish data highlights ways in which the pandemic has slowed progress in tackling alcohol misuse * Research fin…

Hello and welcome to the Alcohol Alert, brought to you by The Institute of Alcohol Studies. In this edition: * Pubs pray for Easter resurrection – government roadmap out of lockdown urges hospitality to wait a little longer for salvation * Several studies uncover more evidence of the impact of home drinking during the COVID-19 pandemic * The Europe…

Hello and welcome to the Alcohol Alert, brought to you by The Institute of Alcohol Studies. In this edition: * The Westminster administration relies on its experiences of managing last year’s lockdowns to enforce a ban on takeaway alcohol in England * Researchers find that an app designed to help people drink less received a celebrity boost 🎵 Podca…

Hello and welcome to the Alcohol Alert, brought to you by The Institute of Alcohol Studies. In this edition: * Home drinking increasingly becomes the new normal during lockdown * Economics think tank study says a reformed duty system would improve MUP’s effectiveness * Alcohol Health Alliance UK pricing survey finds that alcohol is still being sold…

Hello and welcome to the Alcohol Alert, brought to you by The Institute of Alcohol Studies. In this edition: * COVID-19: Latest lockdown measures leave pubs in tiers * IAS second briefing on COVID-19 alcohol consumption warns of the hidden harm from the rise in increasing and higher risk drinking 🎵 Podcast feature 🎵 * ScotRail considers a blanket b…

Hello and welcome to the Alcohol Alert, brought to you by The Institute of Alcohol Studies. In this edition: * A round-up of how alcohol drinkers, producers and retailers have fared as the prospect of a second coronavirus wave looms * Think tank finds NoLo drinks have limited impact 🎵 Podcast feature 🎵 * SHAAP and IAS launch the Men and Alcohol rep…

Hello and welcome to the Alcohol Alert, brought to you by The Institute of Alcohol Studies. In this edition: * The UK Government weighs up the trade-off between keeping pubs open or reopening schools in light of potential new lockdown * New drink-driving data from the Department for Transport show no ‘significant improvement’ for another year, as r…

Hello and welcome to the Alcohol Alert, brought to you by The Institute of Alcohol Studies. In this edition: * Super Saturday night’s alright for drinking – UK Government declares pubs open for business again while research uncovers worrying levels of home drinking since March * Local spending cuts a potential driver of alcohol-related hospital adm…

This is the first of Alcohol Alert newsletter articles on a new platform, Substack. If you like it, please do click on the button below to subscribe. Thank you. Britain’s relationship with alcohol in lockdown On the 23rd of March, the nation went into lockdown in response to an extraordinary event, a global pandemic of the COVID-19 virus. The emerg…

Alcohol Alert, February 2020: Ahead of the 2020 Budget, an analysis of alcohol duties from the Institute of Alcohol Studies has found that far from the protestations of critics, the poorest households in the UK would stand to benefit most from any increases, especially if subsequent revenue is invested in expanding and strengthening the provision o…