Podcast appearances and mentions of sheila gilheany

The Vintners Federation of Ireland is calling on the government to introduce a 40% tax rebate in excise on pints of draught beer sold in pubs.The association said the move would be helpful for rural pubs who are struggling with increasing costs.Pat Crotty, Chief Executive of the Vintners Federation of Ireland and Sheila Gilheany, Chief Executive of Alcohol Action Ireland, spoke to Matt about this on Tuesday's The Last Word.Hit the ‘Play' button on this page to hear the chat.

Dr Sheila Gilheany, CEO Alcohol Action Ireland, chats to JP about serving 0.0 drinks to kids Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There are calls for ad bans to be extended to non-alcoholic drinks following the advertising of Guinness 0.0 during the Six Nations rugby games.Leading alcohol-safety campaigners say this form of advertising needs to be looked at, as while the 0.0 drink contains no alcohol, it clearly displays the Guinness brand name…What do you think?Andrea is joined by Dr. Sheila Gilheany is the CEO of Alcohol Action Ireland, as well as listeners, to discuss.

Would you support the idea of health warning labels on alcohol bottles, like those on cigarettes?From May next year, Ireland will be the first country in the world to make cancer warnings on alcohol bottles mandatory.Joining Andrea to discuss is Cathal McHugh, Chair of the National Off-Licence Association, Cathal O'Donoghue from Rascals Brewery, Dean McGuinness, Managing Director of Premier International Beers, Shane Boyce, from wine distributor Liberty Wines and Dr Sheila Gilheany, CEO of Alcohol Action Ireland.

In this episode of the HSE Talking Health and Wellbeing Podcast, the discussion features insights from Dr. Breeda Neville, Public Health Specialist and Dr. Sheila Gilheany, CEO of Alcohol Action Ireland. The conversation centred around the significant public health issues associated with alcohol use, particularly its links to cancer. We discuss the new alcohol labelling laws which aim to provide consumers with clear and unbiased information about the products they consume. The call to action from Dr. Neville encourages listeners to consider the immediate benefits of reducing alcohol consumption, such as improved physical and mental health, better sleep, and enhanced relationships.  Both Sheila and Breeda agreed that healthcare professionals can play a crucial role in raising awareness and they encouraged health care staff to engage patients in conversations about their alcohol use. Sheila also outlines the challenges posed by the alcohol industry where the marketing used can in some cases obscure the serious health risks associated with alcohol consumption.    Listen and share wherever you get your Podcasts or watch on the HSE Health and Wellbeing YouTube channel.   Ask About Alcohol - www.askaboutalcohol.ie NCCP - https://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/5/cancer/ Alcohol Action Ireland: Home - Alcohol Action Ireland HSE Drug and Alcohol Helpline Drugs and Alcohol Helpline - HSE.ie   Produced by GKMedia.ie

Dr. Sheila Gilheany, Alcohol Action Ireland CEO, discusses the introduction of the watershed ban on alcohol advertising.

From today, there will be a broadcasting ban for tv and radio on the advertising of alcohol. Dr Sheila Gilheany, Ceo of Alcohol Action Ireland joins as her organsiation welcomes the measure. Dr Sheila what exactly this measure means, and the positive impact it hopes to have.

Experts warn that normalising alcohol as a coping mechanism exploits vulnerable women, increasing health risks and reinforcing unrealistic expectations of motherhood. CEO of Alcohol Action Ireland, Dr Sheila Gilheany.

According to a new report new trends have emerged in alcohol consumption in Ireland. Tony Foley, Senior Lecturer at the School of Business in DCU and the reports author & Dr Sheila Gilheany, CEO of Alcohol Action Ireland discuss.

The new portal which links Dublin to New York is being used in creative ways. Dr. Sheila Gilheany thinks Michael Flatley should not have openly publicised his new whiskey on The Late Late Show. Gráinne has noticed buses aren't always stopping to pick up or drop off passengers. Amy was surprised by how much she enjoyed Fossett's Circus.

68 is the number of people who have died on Irish roads this year, which is an increase of a third compared with the same period last year. While speed remains the primary factor in these incidents, alcohol, and drug consumption are also major contributors to the kind of numbers we are now seeing. Joining Anton to discuss the issue is Dr. Chris Luke Columnist with the Irish Medical Times and Retired consultant in emergency medicine & Dr. Sheila Gilheany, CEO of Alcohol Action Ireland.

One person dying every day due to alcohol-related liver disease that's according to the latest alcohol overview from the Health Research Board We get reaction from Dr. Sheila Gilheany, CEO at Alcohol Action Ireland.

One person dying every day due to alcohol-related liver disease that's according to the latest alcohol overview from the Health Research Board We get reaction from Dr. Sheila Gilheany, CEO at Alcohol Action Ireland.

Fine Gael TD Michael Ring has called on the party's new leader Simon Harris to "ditch plans for the late night sale of alcohol" and move Fine Gael away from “left wing” policies. For reaction DJ Sunil Sharpe of the Give Us The Night campaign & Sheila Gilheany, CEO Alcohol Action Ireland.

Dr. Sheila Gilheany, CEO at Alcohol Action Ireland // Ian Redmond, nightclub owner

Dr Sheila Gilheany, CEO of Alcohol Action Ireland and Patrick Costello, Green Party TD and member of the Oireachtas Justice Committee

Dr. Sheila Gilheany, CEO of Alcohol Action Ireland & Sunil Sharpe, Spokesperson for the Give Us the Night campaign.

The Justice Committee today will launch its report on the Government's plans to overhaul outdated licensing laws, which will change how long pubs and nightclubs open as well as how they apply for licences to operate. Speaking to Shane with some reaction was Sheila Gilheany, Alcohol Action Ireland CEO.

Claire Brock is joined by Ibrahim Alagha, Dr Jilan Wahba Abdalmajid, Shona Murray, Sunil Sharpe, Sheila Gilheany, Emmet Ryan, and Vincent McAviney Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Justice Committee today will launch its report on the Government's plans to overhaul outdated licensing laws, which will change how long pubs and nightclubs open as well as how they apply for licences to operate. Speaking to Shane with some reaction was Sheila Gilheany, Alcohol Action Ireland CEO.

Ireland has the 2nd highest excise duty on alcohol across the EU and UK. That's according to a report published today by Dublin City University Economist Anthony Foley. Should this be cut? To discuss this further Shane was joined on the show by Padraig Cribben, Chief Executive of the Vintners Federation of Ireland and Sheila Gilheany, Alcohol Action Ireland CEO.

Ireland has the 2nd highest excise duty on alcohol across the EU and UK. That's according to a report published today by Dublin City University Economist Anthony Foley. Should this be cut? To discuss this further Shane was joined on the show by Padraig Cribben, Chief Executive of the Vintners Federation of Ireland and Sheila Gilheany, Alcohol Action Ireland CEO.

Proposals to increase the price of alcohol are “out of touch with reality”, so says Drinks Ireland. To discuss Newstalk Breakfast spoke to Sheila Gilheany, Alcohol Action Ireland CEO.

Proposals to increase the price of alcohol are “out of touch with reality”, so says Drinks Ireland. To discuss Newstalk Breakfast spoke to Sheila Gilheany, Alcohol Action Ireland CEO.

Claire Brock speaks to Sheila Gilheany, Senator Garreth Ahearn, Louise Burne, Ruth Coppinger, Dr Aisling Loy, Enda McGrattan, Aoife Commins & Robbie Lawlor Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chief Executive of Alcohol Action Ireland, Sheila Gilheany & Director of Drinks Ireland, Cormac Healy.

Gardaí has said there will be a voluntary alcohol ban on all off-licenses in Dublin city centre until 4 pm on St Patrick's Day. The move does not apply to pubs. Dr Sheila Gilheany, CEO of Alcohol Action Ireland gave her reaction to this.

Gardaí has said there will be a voluntary alcohol ban on all off-licenses in Dublin city centre until 4 pm on St Patrick's Day. The move does not apply to pubs. Dr Sheila Gilheany, CEO of Alcohol Action Ireland gave her reaction to this.

Joining Gavan On the Record is Dr. Sheila Gilheany from Alcohol Action Ireland & Cormac Healy, Director of Drinks Ireland. Together they discuss some of the concerns surrounding The Sale of Alcohol Bill, extending licensing hours, and the potential impacts that could have from a public health standpoint.

It is 5 years since the Dáil lifted a ban on selling alcohol on Good Friday. For more on this and to discuss the future of licensing laws, Kieran was joined by Sheila Gilheany, CEO of Alcohol Action Ireland and Ian Redmond, Owner of Tramline on d'Olier Street...

Should wine come with a health warning? Italy's largest farmers' association have strongly voiced their concerns about Ireland's plans for what they're calling “alarmist” health warning labels on wine. Do you agree with the labelling? Would it affect your wine consumption? Andrea was joined on Lunchtime Live by Michelle Lawlor from The Nude Wine Company, Dr. Sheila Gilheany, CEO of Alcohol Action Ireland and listener Greg to discuss…

Should wine come with a health warning? Italy's largest farmers' association have strongly voiced their concerns about Ireland's plans for what they're calling “alarmist” health warning labels on wine. Do you agree with the labelling? Would it affect your wine consumption? Andrea was joined on Lunchtime Live by Michelle Lawlor from The Nude Wine Company, Dr. Sheila Gilheany, CEO of Alcohol Action Ireland and listener Greg to discuss…

Today marks the one-year anniversary of the introduction of minimum unit pricing for alcohol in Ireland. The measure aims to reduce the sale of very strong alcohol products at very low prices and is one part of many measures introduced through the Public Health Alcohol Act 2018 – but what needs to be done to ensure successful implementation? Speaking to Ciara this morning was Sheila Gilheany, CEO of Alcohol Action Ireland.

Today marks the one-year anniversary of the introduction of minimum unit pricing for alcohol in Ireland. The measure aims to reduce the sale of very strong alcohol products at very low prices and is one part of many measures introduced through the Public Health Alcohol Act 2018 – but what needs to be done to ensure successful implementation? Speaking to Ciara this morning was Sheila Gilheany, CEO of Alcohol Action Ireland.

Philip Ryan, Political Editor, Irish Independent, Sunil Sharpe DJ & Spokesperson, Give us the Night Campaign, Michael O' Donovan- Chairperson, Cork Vintners Association & Owner of Castle Inn in Cork City, Sheila Gilheany, CEO, Alcohol Action Ireland

Sheena Horgan, CEO for Drinkaware, Dr Sheila Gilheany, CEO at Alcohol Action Ireland

Sheila Gilheany, CEO, Alcohol Action Ireland

Dr. Sheila Gilheany, Chief Executive of Alcohol Action Ireland; Sheena Horgan, Chief Executive at Drinkaware; Jonathan McDade, Director of Drinks Ireland

Alcohol Action Ireland will be hosting a series of events, including webinars, considering the damage that parental alcohol abuse can have on young children. Sheila Gilheany joined Jim Kealy on the Morning Mix.

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 GovernmentSerious injuries from drink-driving road traffic accidents are at their highest point since 2008YouGov survey shows public support for restricting alcohol advertisingStudy shows doubling alcohol taxes could save 4,850 Europeans from cancer deaths each yearAlcohol Change UK publishes a report on how to use legal powers to safeguard vulnerable dependent drinkersNicola Sturgeon calls for perseverance and determination against industry opposition to pricing policiesPublic Health England publishes review on gambling-related harmsLords debated the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts BillWe hope you enjoy our roundup of stories below: please feel free to share. Thank you.Upcoming eventsThe Global Alcohol Policy Alliance is running a 3-day virtual event in place of their annual conference, from 12-14 October 2021.Each day there will be a session with a key-note speaker, followed by a session with comments from a panel of regional representatives and Q&As.The event will cover:See more information and register for the event here.This month’s IAS blogsAlcohol Toolkit Study: quarterly updateThe Alcohol Toolkit Study is run by University College London and tracks the latest trends in alcohol consumption in England on a quarterly basis. We will include the recent data in our Alert each quarter when it is released.For more information and data graphs please visit their website here.Prevalence of increasing and higher risk drinking (AUDIT)Increasing and higher risk drinking defined as those scoring >7 AUDIT. A-C1: Professional to clerical occupation C2-E: Manual occupationCurrently trying to restrict consumptionA-C1: Professional to clerical occupation C2-E: Manual occupation; Question: Are you currently trying to restrict your alcohol consumption e.g. by drinking less, choosing lower strength alcohol or using smaller glasses? Are you currently trying to restrict your alcohol consumption e.g. by drinking less, choosing lower strength alcohol or using smaller glasses?Triggers for past-year attempts to cut downQuestion: Which of the following, if any, do you think contributed to you making the most recent attempt to restrict your alcohol consumption?Study finds alcohol ads appeared every 12 seconds in England vs. Scotland 2020 Six Nations matchA new study highlights the prevalence of alcohol advertising in the Guinness Six Nations Rugby Championship and subsequent risk to children, with adverts appearing hundreds of times throughout matches.Researchers at the University of Stirling found 961 references in the Scotland vs. England match and 754 in the Ireland vs. Wales match: every 12 and 15 seconds respectively.On Thursday 30th September we held a webinar to launch the findings of the study and to discuss policy implications across different countries of the UK. The research was sponsored by IAS, Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP) and Alcohol Action Ireland (AAI).During the presentation study author Dr Richard Purves showed that ‘responsible drinking’ messages were only visible in 0.4% of the alcohol references during the England vs. Scotland match.Despite this, the Portman Group – the alcohol industry’s social responsibility body – responded that “socially responsible sponsorship is needed more than ever before”, going on to say that banning alcohol ads in sport would have no “tangible effect on public health”.Previous research has shown that children exposed to alcohol advertising are more likely to start drinking at a younger age, and drink more heavily in later life. This new study adds to a wealth of information showing the failings of alcohol marketing regulations, particularly in sport.As part of Portman’s regulatory code, “drinks companies must use their reasonable endeavours…to ensure that at least 75% [of the audience] are aged over 18”. Dr Katherine Severi, Chief Executive of the Institute of Alcohol Studies argues that:“This is slightly meaningless posturing when the Six Nations has an audience of 125 million. Under these rules it is permitted for over 30 million children to see and be influenced by alcohol ads.”In the presentation Dr Purves and co-author Dr Nathan Critchlow discussed Ireland’s impending alcohol marketing restrictions, which are set to come in in November 2021, asking “how Ireland’s impending restrictions may influence alcohol marketing practice in future iterations of the tournament?”.They spoke about how the alcohol industry has worked to circumvent marketing restrictions in France with so-called ‘alibi marketing’: using features that are linked to the brand without explicitly referring to it – a practice that has been used by tobacco companies in sport too. In France, the Six Nations’ lead sponsor, Guinness, uses the term ‘Greatness’ instead – with the same branding.The study found that this occurs in France matches despite alibi marketing appearing to be against the French regulations, which prohibit “advertising [that] by its design, use of a name, trademark, advertising emblem or other distinctive sign, recalls an alcoholic beverage”.Dr Purves and Dr Critchlow’s study highlights the continued presence of alcohol marketing in France and its implications for Ireland’s restrictions: “The continued presence of alibi marketing in France does have implications for the regulators and policymakers overseeing the new restrictions in Ireland, namely whether alibi marketing will also be restricted under the wording of their legislation and what arrangements are in place to monitor and enforce the restrictions.”Dr Sheila Gilheany, Chief Executive of AAI said:“This is a great opportunity for Ireland to implement a public health policy that will reduce alcohol advertising exposure to children. As this report highlights, the Irish Government and public health officials need to be wary of the current loopholes we see in the French approach, and ensure our regulations protect against this.”Please see below or on our YouTube channel for the full webinar: Scottish Government launches its 2021-2022 Programme for GovernmentThe Scottish Government released its Programme for Government on 7 September, which lays out its plan for the next year, with this year’s focus on a ‘Fairer, Greener Scotland’.In Chapter 1 of the programme, entitled ‘A Caring Society’, the government unveils its new vision for health and social care, including:Plans to take forward its NHS Recovery Plan to increase capacity and address backlogs in treatmentEstablishing the new National Care ServiceProviding the first £50million of a planned £250million investment to tackle drug deathsThe National Care Service will be tasked with handling alcohol and drug services and the programme says Scotland will “continue to lead the way with bold population-wide approaches to reduce the significant disproportionate harms of tobacco, alcohol and unhealthy diets, and to inspire healthy behaviours and lifestyles”.This will include driving forward with their Alcohol Framework 2018, which contains a number of actions to reduce alcohol harm and “embeds the World Health Organization's focus on tackling the affordability, availability and attractiveness of alcohol”.Specific actions include monitoring the effect of minimum unit pricing, improving alcohol labelling information, consulting on advertising restrictions in 2022, and raising awareness of the links between alcohol and cancer.Serious injuries from drink-driving road traffic accidents at highest point since 2008The Department for Transport released data on drink-driving accidents and casualties in 2019, which show continued stagnation of fatalities and a rise in serious injuries.2009-2010 saw a significant drop in the number of people killed in drink-driving accidents. However since then, the numbers have plateaued around 230 deaths, as the following graph shows. 230 deaths equates to 13% of the total road traffic deaths in 2019.Department for Transport: Fatalities in reported drink-drive accidents: GB, 2009 to 2019Serious injuries on the other hand, rose significantly from 1,370 to 1,580 – a 15% rise. Serious injuries include fractures, internal injuries, crushings, severe cuts, or injuries that cause death 30 or more days after the accident.In terms of sex, males were much more likely to be involved in drink-driving accidents, including being more likely to be a casualty in such accidents.Media coverage of the report quoted RAC’s head of policy Nicholas Lyes (RAC is a British automotive services company), who said:“While there will be much interest in the 2020 casualty figures when they come out to understand the impact of the Covid lockdowns on drink-driving, these figures still represent a rather chilling reminder that in the region of 250 people are killed by drink-drivers on Great Britain’s roads every year, a figure that’s barely fallen since 2010”.A report at the beginning of 2021 by the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS) made a number of clear recommendations to combat drink-driving casualties, including:The 2020 provisional road casualty statistics were released in June this year and show a significant decrease in deaths and other casualties, likely due to travel restrictions in place during coronavirus lockdowns.In February 2022 the drink-driving casualty statistics will be released for 2020.What does the public think about restricting alcohol advertising?A policy that alcohol harm groups and the World Health Organization frequently table is restricting alcohol marketing, with focus primarily being on the danger to children being exposed to so much of this marketing.Less is spoken about the public perception of alcohol marketing and whether they support restrictions.Research by YouGov, conducted on behalf of the campaign group Action on Smoking and Health, asked the British public whether they would support measures to limit the exposure of children and young people to alcohol advertising.The poll of over 12,000 people found that:With the UK Government banning the online and pre-9pm TV advertising of high fat, sugar and salt foods from 2023, health groups argue that alcohol should be included within these controls.Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, Chair of the Alcohol Health Alliance, said:“We are constantly bombarded with alcohol advertising both online and in the real world – and so are our children. Studies show that the more young people are exposed to alcohol marketing, the more likely they are to start drinking at an earlier age.“The Government has taken a great step forward for public health by stopping junk food advertising online and introducing other limits to its promotion. If alcohol is not included in those plans, we risk alcohol advertising filling the void that is left behind. The public want to see more done to limit young people’s exposure to alcohol advertising.”Doubling alcohol taxes could save 4,850 Europeans from cancer deaths each yearA modelling study in the Lancet looked at how many cancer cases and deaths would be avoided by increasing alcohol excise duties for beer, wine, and spirits in the World Health Organization’s European Region in 2020.The study modelled increases of 20%, 50%, and 100% and assumed that these increases would be passed down to the customer and not absorbed by the producer.In 2019 there were an estimated 180,887 cancer cases and 85,130 cancer deaths caused by alcohol.The highest number of new cancer cases and deaths that could have been avoided were for breast and colorectal cancers.The study authors argue that “Breast cancer takes on a particularly important role, as the risk is sharply increased even with small daily amounts of pure alcohol. About half of alcohol-attributable breast cancer cases in the EU are caused by light to moderate alcohol consumption.”Proportion of new alcohol-attributable cancer cases that would have been avoided by cancer site and tax increase“While a 100% increase in excise duty may appear to be unrealistically high, a doubling of current excise duties in most countries would still keep tax rates, particularly for beer and wine, below those in Finland, which was selected as good practice example in the sensitivity analysis. We believe that our findings are important in informing the public as well as policy makers about the cancer risk posed by alcohol, empowering them to make informed decisions about their individual consumption and alcohol policies, respectively.”How to use legal powers to safeguard vulnerable dependent drinkersAlcohol Change UK has developed a detailed guide for practitioners on how to use legal powers to improve the wellbeing and safety of adults who are highly vulnerable, chronic, dependent drinkers.The legal powers the report focuses on are below, with examples of actions that can be taken under these powers:It also discusses other relevant powers, such as the 2014 Anti-social Behaviour Act and the 1998 Human Rights ActAlongside the central focus on legislation, it emphasises the importance of having systems and processes in place that enable the powers to be used most effectively. It also addresses the myths and misconceptions that hinder work with this group, and challenges the idea that this client group are choosing to live chaotic lives.For instance it challenges the statement “If someone says they don’t have a problem and doesn’t want help, there is nothing we can do”, by stating that if someone is being exploited, neglected, or self-neglected then consent is not required to raise an adult safeguarding concern. At that point the local authority needs to determine what action is required.Alcohol Change UK runs a half-day training course on how to use these legal powers, which is available at a cost. Find out more.Nicola Sturgeon calls for perseverance and determination against industry opposition to pricing policiesScotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon spoke at the World Health Organization’s 71st Regional Committee for Europe on 16 September and was asked what messages she could give to others regarding Scotland’s battle to implement minimum unit pricing (MUP).After introducing the rationale for bringing in MUP – due to the severe health challenge Scotland faced and still faces regarding alcohol harm – the First Minister said that MUP was introduced as other pricing policies, such as excise taxes, could only be decided by the Westminster Government.Ms Sturgeon stated that after many years of legal battles with the alcohol industry, the Scottish Government “eventually prevailed” and the country very quickly saw the positive impact with a reduction in alcohol deaths.In terms of messages to other countries, Ms Sturgeon said that firstly you have to:“Recognise clearly and explicitly that an alcohol strategy won’t be as effective without a pricing policy. Secondly governments need to be prepared to be determined and persevere, as the alcohol industry will resist any innovative measures like this. And thirdly to make sure you build a strong evidence base in order to persevere”.She concluded by saying that she’s more convinced than ever that MUP is a really effective tool in reducing alcohol harm and that countries need to learn from each other’s experiences and lessons learnt, and “turn aspirations into action”.Ms Sturgeon’s 8-minute section can be found from 19:50 below:Public Health England (PHE) publishes review on gambling-related harmsOn 30 September PHE published a review that looked at the prevalence of gambling and gambling harm, determinants of harm, and the social and economic burden of gambling.The key findings of the review were:Rosanna O’Connor, Director of Alcohol, Drugs, Tobacco and Justice at PHE, said:“The evidence is clear – harmful gambling is a public health issue and needs addressing on many fronts, with an emphasis on preventing these harms from occurring as well as with help readily accessible for those directly and indirectly affected by the wide ranging and long-lasting negative impacts of gambling.”Lords debate the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts BillThe House of Lords discussed drink driving in their debate on the new Police and Crime Bill on 14 September.Baroness Williams of Trafford (Minister of State, Home Office) introduced the debate and said:“The sentencing measures in the Bill will target the most serious violent and sexual offenders and those who pose the greatest threat to the public. That includes those who commit the premeditated murder of a child, those who kill through dangerous driving or careless driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, and those who become more dangerous while in prison.”Labour peer Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe argued that we should reduce the drink drive limit in England and Wales to 50mg as we have plateaued in reducing deaths since 2010. He said he’ll be bringing an amendment on reducing the limit, “backed by appropriate enforcement and provision of alternative transport choices”.This comes after a recent study that showed Scotland’s reduction of its drink drive limit has not reduced road traffic incidents. The authors of the study, who wrote an IAS blog on the subject, said that part of the reason for the lack of impact was that there was no increase in alternative means of transport and there was low enforcement. Therefore if other home nations are to consider reducing their limits, there are additional policies that may need to be implemented.Additional studies published this monthThe UK Alcohol Alert (incorporating Alliance News) is designed and produced by The Institute of Alcohol Studies. Please click the image below to visit our website and find out more about us and what we do, or the ‘Contact us’ button. Thank you. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit instalcstud.substack.com

Dr. Sheila Gilheany, CEO of Alcohol Action Ireland, on the hidden harm of alcohol during the pandemic

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 tiersIAS 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 ban on alcohol on Scottish trainsGovernment in call for evidence for review of alcohol dutyResearch finds that NoLo beers have a small impact on alcohol purchasesScottish and Irish governments face challenges over minimum unit pricing legislationSobriety tag scheme reaches WalesHeineken fined £2m for breaching Pubs CodeWe hope you enjoy our roundup of stories below: please feel free to share. Thank you.COVID-19: Latest lockdown measures leave pubs in tiersAs the UK began to experience an upturn in coronavirus case numbers, so policymakers in the devolved administrations started looking at tackling the sources of the dreaded second wave of COVID-19, and pubs have come under close scrutiny in all quarters.ScotlandScotland decided to close pubs across its central belt for a 16-day period, and limit the opening hours of other licensed premises, as part of a ‘circuit breaker’ lockdown (Scottish Government, 07 Oct).* Quoting her chief medical officer’s evidence, first minister Nicola Sturgeon drew a correlation between the ‘more than one fifth of people contacted by Test and Protect’ who reported visiting a hospitality setting, and the increase in the R rate above 1 ‘approximately three weeks after the hospitality sector opened up’:* subsequently extended to 02 November (STV News, 21 Oct)WalesIn Wales, where a 10PM curfew on selling alcohol for licensed premises was introduced last month, first minister Mark Drakeford proceeded to issue a ‘firebreak’ lockdown of his own – turning pubs into takeaway taverns only between 23 October and 09 November (Welsh Government, 19 Oct).EnglandThe same curfew applies to England. However, lawmakers decided to adopt the novel approach of localising management of the lockdown with a tier system, which has resulted in curious outcomes such as a legal definition of what a ‘substantial’ meal is, for the purpose of allowing some licensed premises to continue to operate under the most severe tier restrictions (The Mirror, 12 Oct).For some venue owners, the new rules also mean that in addition to pressure from law enforcement to check IDs for names and addresses in a bid to stop households mixing (EuroWeekly, 21 Oct), those situated in ‘high’ and ‘very high’ tier areas are either subject to the inevitability of fewer customers paying a visit, or temporary closure for wet-led pubs. One Financial Times article predicts the end of chains whose main custom is serving alcohol (13 Oct):On the face of it, the most affected of the UK’s listed national inn groups are Marston’s, JD Wetherspoon and M&B. It looks like last orders.Large proportions of Marston’s and JD Wetherspoon’s hostelries are wet-led. Food as a percentage of JDW’s total sales rank among the lowest in the sector. More than two-thirds of Marston’s pubs are old-fashioned boozers.All three groups are loaded with debt, which even last year was many times ebitda. Earnings of all three are expected to at least halve this year. Marston’s stood at about £1·4bn at the last count or £1·2bn including the cash coming in from the brewing joint venture with Carlsberg opportunely signed this summer. That could be more than 10 times this year’s ebitda. Pub earnings of many groups will barely cover interest bills this year.The resulting uncertainty has only served to anger licensees and those sympathetic to the plight of the industry. Some have pulled stunts, such as a retaliatory ban (Telegraph, 30 Sep); others have sought further evidence for the 10PM curfew’s effectiveness and whether it represents a threat to the health of people thrown out of pubs and restaurants at the same time (London Evening Standard, 06 Oct); but The Night Time Industries Association has launched legal action to try to prevent the new lockdown measures entirely (Daily Mail, 12 Oct).Whatever the outcome, the reality of the current measures will most likely be a further loss of jobs in the hospitality sector, like Greene King (Sky News, 07 Oct), and a permanent shutdown of licensed premises – as many as one in five, according to real estate adviser Altus Group (Morning Advertiser, 08 Oct).Northern IrelandHaving already set a curfew time for licensed premises of 11PM as opposed to 10PM in other areas of the UK, the Stormont executive decided to do lockdown a little differently from the other Home Nations too. Their first minister, Arlene Foster, announced a four-week shutdown of the hospitality sector apart from deliveries and takeaways for food only during trading hours. Uniquely, Northern Ireland is the only nation to address the availability of alcohol in the off-trade too: off-licences and supermarkets will not be permitted to sell alcohol after 8pm (Northern Ireland Executive Office, 14 Oct) during the period.Too much focus on pubs?In the row between government and the hospitality sector over the COVID-19 restrictions, the deputy chief medical officer for England was reported to have said that he ‘could not guarantee’ the 10PM curfew would ‘bring the virus under control’ (The Telegraph, 18 Oct, £wall), instead preferring a mandatory closing time of 6PM.But while much has been made of the impact of the latest round of restrictions on licensed premises, supermarkets have benefited from the increase in alcohol purchases in the four weeks to 04 October: Kantar data reported Britons spent an extra £261m on alcohol in grocery stores (Guardian, 13 Oct).Data from Public Health England Wider Impacts of COVID-19 on Health (WICH) monitoring tool indicates the influence of pandemic-induced home drinking on the intake of increasing and higher risk drinkers.COVID-19 briefing warns of rising health risks to heavy drinkers🎵 Podcast feature 🎵The second Institute of Alcohol Studies briefing on alcohol consumption during the COVID-19 pandemic (08 Oct) warns of the hidden harm from the rise in increasing and higher risk drinking and highlights the need for the UK Government to find public health solutions to the issue.Speaking on the podcast, Dr Sadie Boniface, IAS head of research, who authored the briefing, hinted at the impact that increased consumption among the heaviest drinkers may have on treatment providers for substance problems:In terms of treatment for substance use problems including alcohol, there’s been a bit of a fall compared with the same time period last year, but I have read some other statistics as well that say it’s starting to pick up now, so what’s really concerning is that problems to do with increased drinking during the pandemic might be being stored up for the future.Alcohol ban on Scottish trains under considerationAccording to The Scotsman, national train operator ScotRail have informed the Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) Union of the possibility of bringing in ‘a full all-hours drinking ban on trains in a bid to tighten up on COVID-19 safety measures’ (17 Oct).It comes after the nation’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon said more stringent travel rules ‘need to be considered’.However, the move is rumoured to have been put on hold after the British Transport Police (BTP) called for more time to consider the resource implications, and the RMT have expressed some concerns about enforcement of the new rules.Mick Hogg, regional organiser for the RMT in Scotland, said: ‘We have been told by ScotRail that there will be a full ban on alcohol on trains as a COVID-19 measure. We welcome that.‘But it has to be resourced or it puts more pressure on our staff. It’s a double whammy for them. They can’t enforce the wearing of masks or police passengers drinking alcohol. That has been a big issue for a while. We know the BTP don't have enough staff as it is.’ScotRail’s current alcohol byelaws state that passengers can't drink alcohol on their trains between 21:00 and 10:00hrs, and they may not allow you to board if you are extremely drunk. But this has not stopped it happening. One conductor told the newspaper: ‘Busy weekend nights haven't calmed down in recent weeks. People from Edinburgh and Glasgow have been piling on trains across to Fife to go to the pub. I've seen packed trains with the vast majority of passengers drunk’.Government in call for evidence for review of alcohol dutyPublic health and trade organisations are lining up to submit evidence to the Alcohol duty review, as per the government’s Budget announcement earlier this year (Gov.uk, 01 Oct).The review has been widely welcomed by stakeholders, as the UK gains the power to reform alcohol taxation following their departure from the European Union. HM Treasury’s call for evidence will also ask whether:the method of alcohol taxation should be standardisedthe duty categories should be changed or unifiedproducts should be consistently distinguished by their strengthdistinctions should be made based on the place of retailsmall producer reliefs should be extended or standardisedduties could be uprated for inflation in a more consistent mannera single process for approvals, declarations and payments should be introducedmore could be done to tackle avoidance and evasion of dutyThe deadline for responses is 29 November.NoLo beers have small impact on alcohol purchasesResearch published in BMJ Open has found that there were significant but small reductions to alcohol sales following the introduction of new no and low alcohol beers during 2017–2018 and reformulation of existing beers to contain less alcohol during 2018 (12 Oct).Using purchase data from Kantar Worldpanel’s household shopping panel for 2015–2018, researchers looked at the purchasing habits of 64, 286 British households following a period which saw 46 new low and no alcohol beer beverages and 33 beer beverages reformulated to contain less alcohol. A step-jump in volume bought was noticed for both beverage types at the beginning of March 2017 and during mid-March 2018 respectively. Interrupted time series analyses found a combined associated impact of both events with relative reductions of alcohol by volume of beer between 1·2% and 2·3%; purchases of grams of alcohol within beer between 7·1% and 10·2%; and purchases of grams of alcohol as a whole between 2·6% and 3·9%. The reductions were greater for reformulation than for the introduction of new low and no alcohol products. Reductions were independently higher for younger age groups of shoppers and for households that bought the most alcohol.The research team conclude that the fact that the volume of purchases for both new low and no alcohol beer products (2·6% of total beer volume purchased during 2018) and of new reformulated beer products (6·9%) was very small ‘indicates that there are future opportunities to increase the volume of such products so as to reduce the harm done by alcohol’.In other newsA 30-year review of global disease burdens published in The Lancet finds alcohol use was the leading risk factor for those aged 25–49 years (17 Oct). Overall, alcohol use was one of the fastest growing burdens, at more than 0·5% per year. When split by sex, ‘there were large differences between attributable deaths in males and females due to alcohol use, which accounted for 2·07 million (1·79–2·37) deaths in males and 0·374 million (0·298–0·461) deaths in females in 2019’. The national picture estimated alcohol to be the cause of approximately 4% of deaths and 5% of Disability Adjusted Life Years in 2019 (illustrated).A team of researchers will establish the effectiveness and cost‐effectiveness of the Drink Less app at reducing alcohol consumption among hazardous and harmful adult drinkers, in what will be the first randomised controlled trial of an alcohol reduction app for the general population in the UK (17 Oct). The result of the study will inform the decision on whether it is worth investing resources in large‐scale implementation.Alcohol screening and supportive interventions from primary care practitioners can help older people make healthier decisions about their alcohol use, according to a qualitative study published in the British Journal of General Practice (19 Oct). A total of 24 older adults aged ≥65 years and 35 primary care practitioners in northern England participated in interviews and focus groups. Researchers found that they were motivated to make changes to their alcohol use when they experienced symptoms, and if they felt that limiting consumption would enable them to maintain their quality of life.Minimum unit pricing – the latest from Scotland and IrelandScotland: is a legal challenge possible?The Scottish Parliament voted 90 to 28 to refuse legislative consent to the UK Internal Market Bill (BBC News Scotland, 07 Oct), fearing that the legislation could cause a constitutional rift that would open bold public health measures such as minimum unit pricing for alcohol (MUP) to another legal challenge.The Westminster government is not bound by the vote in Holyrood, but the Scottish constitution secretary notes that it formalises the nation’s ‘explicit’ and comprehensive rejection of the bill. Last month, Michael Russell said in a statement (Scottish Government, 08 Sep) that the bill would ‘open the door to a race to the bottom on food standards, environmental standards and will endanger key public health policies such as minimum unit pricing.’The Secretary of State for Scotland Alister Jack issued a rebuttal denying the ‘false claims’ made by First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon about the bill, assuring in point four of his statement that MUP would still have been introduced:But devolution expert Jess Sargeant states that the internal market bill could be interpreted in a way that ‘inevitably will place greater limits on devolved competence than present arrangements’, which could also ‘impede key benefits of devolution “as a policy lab”, allowing new policies to be tried in one jurisdiction before being adopted elsewhere’. (Institute for Government, 14 Sep)This opinion was supported by an advisor to Holyrood's Constitution committee, who told The Scotsman that ‘issues may arise if minimum pricing is considered in the context of “indirect discrimination”’, and this may give rise to a court challenge (12 Oct).He explains in a paper: ‘A Scottish rule that applies Minimum Unit Pricing to all alcohol whether domestic or imported could be indirectly discriminatory if it impacts more on imported alcohol than it does comparable Scottish-produced alcohol’. Rules will be assessed on three conditions, including on the grounds of whether it ‘cannot reasonably be considered to be a necessary means of achieving a legitimate aim’.Although the ‘protection of public health’ is recognised in the bill as a legitimate aim, the advisor warns there could be questions raised around whether MUP will be ‘reasonably’ considered to be ‘necessary’ to achieve this aim, and so a challenge based on the new conditions may be brought.Irish MUP still on ice two years on from the Public Health (Alcohol) ActThe Irish Times reports that on the second anniversary of the Public Health (Alcohol) Act, MUP is still to be implemented (12 Oct). Alcohol Action Ireland’s head of advocacy Eunan McKinney went further, saying that there is ‘no starting date for the “difficult stuff”… including labelling on all alcohol products of the links to cancer, the 9PM broadcasting watershed for alcohol advertising, and restriction on the content of advertising to make it “utilitarian” with “no hero, no glamour”’.The news comes as the Budget 2021 statement made no direct reference to alcohol, meaning duties were left unchanged (Government of Ireland, 13 Oct). While Alcohol Action Ireland (13 Oct) welcomed ministers for not acquiescing to ‘the extensive lobbying of the alcohol industry, who had sought a 15% reduction’, they regretted the missed opportunity ‘to introduce a Cost-of-Living index to excise rates’, amongst other plans outlined in their Pre-Budget submission.Responding to the Budget, Alcohol Action Ireland chief executive Dr Sheila Gilheany (listen to the podcast for her full statement) said that ‘everyday that delays these measures being introduced can be counted in lives unnecessarily lost and endless public expenditure that could be saved, if implemented they will undoubtedly achieve better public health outcomes. Left dormant on the statute books, they are useless. ‘What’s required now, two years on, is a firm timeline from Taoiseach and his government that commits to the implementation in full of the suite of measures whose effectiveness relies on coherent and cohesive actions.’Sobriety tag scheme reaches WalesOffenders convicted of alcohol-related crimes in Wales can now be banned from drinking and ordered to wear a sobriety tag by judges (Gov.uk, 21 Oct).The ankle tags will monitor offenders’ sweat every 30 minutes and alert probation staff if alcohol is consumed. Those found in breach of their drinking bans can face fines or be sentenced in court. The tags can be given out when courts impose an alcohol abstinence order, a new power which serves a drinking ban on an offender for up to 120 days. The Ministry of Justice says treatment referrals for alcohol use will continue to be made for those with more serious alcohol addictions who commit crimes.The Welsh scheme follows two pilots in London and across Humberside, Lincolnshire and North Yorkshire, both of which showed that offenders were sober on 97.4% of the days monitored, although their apparent success is qualified by the fact they involved fewer than 500 people, and only six participants agreed to be interviewed about the tags in the Humberside, Lincolnshire and North Yorkshire pilot (NatCen, Oct 2019).Secretary of State for Wales Simon Hart said: ‘Alcohol can have a devastating impact on lives and figures show it is a key factor behind far too many crimes.‘I am encouraged to see Wales at the forefront of implementing this new technology, which we believe will contribute towards lowering reoffending rates, making our streets safer and supporting those who need help.’Heineken fined £2m for breaching Pubs Code The pubs code adjudicator (PCA) has found Heineken guilty of forcing tenants of its public houses to sell ‘unreasonable’ amounts of their own beers and ciders (Gov.uk, 15 Oct).Following a three-year investigation ending in July 2019, Fiona Dickie concluded that Heineken – via its pubs business, Star – had ‘seriously and repeatedly’ breached laws that protect publicans from company behaviour aimed at prohibiting pubs selling competitor brands. This was despite repeated regulatory interventions and clear arbitration rulings from the adjudicator.Dickie said: ‘The report of my investigation is a game-changer. It demonstrates that the regulator can and will act robustly to protect the rights that parliament has given to tied tenants.’The PCA’s assessment of industry malpractice found Heineken had committed a total of 12 breaches with the result that it had frustrated the principles of the Pubs Code. As well as identifying how the company had offered stocking terms that had acted as a deterrent to pub tenants pursuing a free-of-tie tenancy, the PCA highlighted systemic corporate failures by Star in its approach to compliance.The news comes weeks before the conclusion of a government review into the Code itself. The tie element of the Code has long been criticised by pub owners and campaigners, who say it is being routinely abused by deep-pocketed pubcos able to flout the spirit of the code that governs it (Guardian, 15 Oct).The PCA also discovered that the company rewrote the job description of Code Compliance Officer ‘to ensure the Code is interpreted to the commercial benefit of Heineken UK’. This breached the Code requirement to appoint a compliance officer whose role is to verify compliance.Dickie decided upon ‘the imposition of a sanction’ to ‘change the company’s mindset’ towards compliance and ‘serve as a deterrent to future non-compliant conduct by Star and other pub-owning businesses’.As well as imposing the fine – which can account for up to 1% of the relevant pub-owning group’s annual UK turnover – the PCA has also ordered Star to make all its free-of-tie tenancies Pubs Code compliant and to ensure future Code compliance. In response, Star pubs managing director, Lawson Mountstevens, said in a statement: ‘We are deeply disappointed and frustrated at the outcome of this investigation.‘There are many aspects of the report that we fundamentally disagree with and we are actively considering an appeal.‘This penalty is unwarranted and disproportionate, and comes at a time when the entire sector is in serious financial crisis as we work around the clock to support our pubs and licensees to keep their businesses afloat.’Dickie has given Heineken six weeks to provide a detailed response to how it will implement her recommendations, and has ordered them to write to all its tenants explaining her findings, the measures Star is taking to respond to them and how these will affect tenants in practical terms.‘I will be holding discussions with all the companies I regulate following my findings about how they will ensure they are code-compliant,’ Dickie said. ‘My message is that if anyone previously had any doubts about my resolution to act when I find breaches, they can have no doubt now.’The UK Alcohol Alert (incorporating Alliance News) is designed and produced by The Institute of Alcohol Studies. 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In this episode, Eunan McKinney discusses with Prof. Saoirse Nic Gabhainn, Professor in Health Promotion, NUI Galway, Dr Norah Campbell, Associate Professor in Marketing at Trinity Business School and Dr Sheila Gilheany, CEO, Alcohol Action Ireland, a number of issues relating to children and alcohol; the experience children have with alcohol through their teenage years; considerhow are our children recruited into alcohol use so young; what are the principal drivers behind this behaviour, and what is the impact of alcohol marketing in recruiting children to an alcohol lifestyle? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.