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New
Tiny fraction of US heavy drinkers offered advice: “While nearly 69% of [US] adults who received health care reported being screened for alcohol use, only 3.5% of those reporting heavy drinking received advice from a health care provider to reduce their alcohol consumption,” according to a new study. Read more
Hundreds flagged in South African compliance crackdown: “[The premier of the South African province of Gauteng] has revealed that 20 liquor outlets have been shut down and hundreds of establishments flagged for non-compliance following 7,322 inspections as the province intensifies its crackdown on alcohol-related violence linked to gender-based violence and femicide.” Read more
India’s probe of Scotch imports explained: The Indian government is arguing privately with companies that their bulk Scotch imports do not qualify for a halved 75% tariff outlined in the India-UK free trade agreement, which took effect in July. Read more
“Churches [in Trinidad and Tobago] are studying a new law passed by Parliament that could make the traditional sip of wine taken by children and teenagers during Holy Communion a 50,000 dollar [US$7,400] offence, and plan to make representations before Christmas.” Read more
“American Airlines pilots have been warned not to eat tiramisu served on some crew meal trays at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport after the contracted catering provider supplied desserts containing alcohol.” Read more
Previously
Alcohol-related crashes fall after blood-alcohol threshold lowered: Utah’s pioneering lowering of its blood alcohol threshold for impaired driving to 0.05% from 0.08% was associated with close to a 9% reduction in alcohol-related crashes over the next four years. Read more
US household alcohol spending share lowest in four decades: Alcohol accounted for an average of 0.77% of US household expenditure last year, the lowest share since the data series in 1984, Bloomberg reports. Read more
UK Chancellor in pint-downing publicity stunt: UK Chancellor John Healey, 66, yesterday downed a pint and held the empty glass upside down over his head, shortly after announcing a Budget in which he maintained alcohol tax the same in real terms. Read more
Alcohol Review – Issue 127, October 29th 2026: Alcohol tax, an “incredible opportunity”; EU health committee’s “deeply problematic” language; Medical coding under-records alcohol involvement; Alcohol-associated disability rise; WHO launches brief intervention hub; Alcohol-frees no boost to cutting down ■