SHAAP, Alcohol Focus Scotland and the Institute of Alcohol Studies have welcomed a new report from the House of Lords EU Committee. All 3 agencies submitted written and oral evidence. The Lords report calls for a new, evidence-based EU strategy and for the UK government to follow Scotland's lead by introducing MUP legislation.

A summary of the Dr Iain Smith's excellent SHAAP/SARN 'Alcohol Occasional' from December 18th 2014 entitled 'Alcohol Detoxification in Specialist Settings and Mental Health Treatment' is now available at SHAAP/SARN 'Alcohol Occasional' 18th December 2014 - Dr Iain Smith

Research and Policy Briefing No.7 January 2015 now out. Highlights include:

• Alcohol and the Developing Adolescent Brain: Evidence Review
• Minimum Unit Pricing Update
• New Drink Driving Limit: "The Best Advice is None"
• Scottish Health Survey Findings 2013
• Availability of and Need for Specialist Alcohol Treatment Services
• Drinking in Pregnancy and Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
• Alcohol and Cancer, A Guide for Professionals: New Edition Available
• New Licensing Research from Alcohol Focus Scotland
• Nalmefene Recommended by NICE
• SHAAP/SARN Alcohol Occasionals Seminars 2014/5

The official report of the evidence given by SHAAP Director, Eric Carlin to the House of Lords on their enquiry into the EU Alcohol Strategy in November 2014 is now available here.

This evidence session also included evidence from Mariann Skar of Eurocare.

As the new lower drink drive limit in Scotland comes into force today, please read our frequetly asked questions here.

New NHS Scotland report shows that numbers in alcohol treatment in Scotland doubled from 2007 to 2012.

This important new IAS report demonstrates links between alcohol problems and health inequalities. Reducing alcohol harms will improve health overall. 

Presentations from our event in Brussels on minimum unit pricing on 5th September 2014 are now available online. To read the individual presentations click on the links below:

Donald Henderson, Head of Public Health at the Scottish Government 

Dr Peter Rice, Consultant Psychiatrist and Chair of SHAAP

Professor Nick Sheron, Royal College of Physicians Representative to the EU Alcohol Forum

Paul Bartlett, Marketing Director, C&C Group

SHAAP has just published Alcohol and the Developing Adolescent Brain: Evidence Review. Key recommendations are:

1 Protecting young people from alcohol-related harm has to be within the context of a 'whole population' approach to reduce overall alcohol consumption.

2 Protecting young people from alcohol-related harm should be embedded in national and local policy.

3 Emerging evidence that the adolescent brain may be especially vulnerable to alcohol harms should inform all health-promoting activities.

4 Emerging evidence that the adolescent brain may be especially vulnerable to alcohol harms should prompt investment in further exploratory research.

It has been widely reported in the Scottish media today that the Finnish Government has made a written submission to the European Court in support of Scotland's MUP policy.