Chapel Hill Bars Working to Improve Alcohol Law Compliance
The North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement, a branch of the State Bureau of Investigation, will hold a Be A Responsible Seller, or BARS, training event for local Alcoholic Beverage Control-licensed businesses August 28th, 2014. The event will be hosted by the Chapel Hill Police Department. The program is free for ABC-licensed businesses. Law enforcement officers will educate bar staff on alcohol regulations. The Chapel Hill class typically focuses on dealing with fake identifications, selling to already intoxicated customers, general laws and regulations and the sale of alcohol to underage bargoers. Click HERE for more information on this story. …
Percentage of Drinkers Receiving Treatment
Alcohol problems can impact a person’s life in many ways: economically, physically, and psychologically. When facing these kinds of problems, an individual may choose to pursue alcohol treatment. Research shows, however, that of all the people with an alcohol use disorder, only about 15 percent ever receive treatment. Why do so few people receive treatment? We know that the majority of those with alcohol dependence do not perceive a need for treatment. It’s important that researchers and health care professionals recognize this disparity in perceived need in order to help those who would benefit from treatment. A recent study sheds some…
Governor McCrory Creates Task Force to Combat Substance Abuse and Underage Drinking
Governor Pat McCrory signed an executive order that creates a multi-agency task force aimed at reducing substance abuse and underage drinking. The Governor’s Substance Abuse and Underage Drinking Prevention and Treatment Task Force will build on statewide prevention, treatment and enforcement initiatives implemented by the Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) Commission, Alcohol Law Enforcement (ALE) Division, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the University of North Carolina (UNC) System. As a part of this initiative, six UNC campuses that will take part in a pilot program that will emphasize prevention and treatment: East Carolina University, UNC-Chapel Hill, North Carolina…
Pharmaceutical Company Makes Bold Move in the Name of Prevention
A prescription cough syrup that some celebrities like to mix with soda and hard candy is being pulled from the market. The cough syrup-soda concoction is often called “sizzurp.” Actavis, one company that makes a cough syrup containing codeine, says it is making the “bold and unprecedented decision” to stop selling it because of how celebrities have glamorized its recreational use. The problem is, Actavis is just one of several drug makers that produces cough syrup containing codeine, a powerful narcotic, so sizzurp use among celebrities and young people who emulate them will likely continue. New York News
April Is Alcohol Awareness Month
Held every April and founded by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc. (NCADD); Alcohol Awareness Month was designed to increase public awareness and understanding aimed at reducing the stigma associated with alcoholism that too often prevents individuals and families from seeking help. Click HERE to find out more
Alcohol Abuse Prevention Crucial in Curbing Cancer
The World Health Organization’s (WHO) World Cancer Report 2014 warns that alcohol consumption, the second biggest risk factor in developing cancer, is related to hundreds of thousands of cancer deaths globally, including stomach, liver and breast cancer. Big Alcohol companies have hastened this epidemic by glamorizing alcohol use and obstructing effective policy efforts such as controls on price, availability, and advertising. The WHO stresses that prevention efforts are crucial to stemming the epidemic of alcohol-related cancer. Check out the new fact sheet by Alcohol Justice for more information
Troubling Trend: Internet Drinking Game
There’s a new horrifying drinking game making global headlines that’s already taken the lives of several young adults and the dignity of some who survive. It’s called #NekNominate or #NekNominations (hashtag used for social media purposes), and it’s an online craze spreading rapidly across countries thanks to Twitter and Facebook. Here’s how it works: kids are nominated by their peers to take video of themselves downing — or “necking” — strong drinks under bizarre or dangerous circumstances before challenging others to film an even more shocking video by the next day. Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/nek-nominations-drinking-game-2014-2#ixzz2t3s9sDE8
3D Imaging Could Improve Detection of Children Affected by Prenatal Alcohol
According to a study conducted through the NIAAA-funded Collaborative Initiative on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (CIFASD), three-dimensional (3-D) imaging could allow earlier identification of children at risk for cognitive deficits from heavy prenatal alcohol exposure, especially those who lack the classic facial characteristics of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). The computerized image analysis can detect subtle changes in facial features that can occur when children are exposed to alcohol before birth. Click HERE to continue reading
NCDOT Launches Booze It & Lost It Campaign
As summer winds down, the Governor’s Highway Safety Program is ramping up a statewide effort to catch drivers who choose to get behind the wheel after drinking. August 16 kicks off the Labor Day “Booze It & Lose It” campaign, and law enforcement officers across North Carolina will be out in full force, citing motorists who drive drunk.