NIAAA Newsletter

Alcohol Research & Health, Vol. 34, No. 2 “Preventing Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism—An Update” now is available in print and on the NIAAA Web site. This issue examines the risks associated with alcohol use and alcoholism and also explores the prevention approaches that are proving most successful in reducing those risks. Articles review a variety of approaches targeted to schools, the workplace, colleges, and the community. The issue also includes a look at effective policies for preventing alcohol problems, including laws aimed at stopping drinking and driving; the link between alcoholic beverage prices and alcohol-related problems; and regulating the availability of alcohol by lowering the legal drinking age, reducing outlet densities and hours of sale, and privatizing alcohol control systems. The full text of this issue is available at http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/
arh342/toc34_2.htm for printing or for download to popular e-readers.

A series of new fact sheets also have been recently published and include the following topics:

“Fetal Alcohol Exposure” examines how drinking during pregnancy may affect the developing fetus. Information also includes factors that put mothers and their babies at particular risk, as well as interventions that are helping to alleviate some of the problems associated with early exposure to alcohol. The fact sheet is available for download at http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/
FASDFactsheet/FASD.pdf.

“Underage Drinking” provides an update on underage drinking facts and reviews the dangers of youthful drinking. The fact sheet also offers tips for recognizing the signs of underage drinking and strategies for stopping drinking in people under the age of 21. The fact sheet is available for download at http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/
UnderageDrinking/Underage_Fact.pdf.

“Using Alcohol to Relieve Your Pain: What Are the Risks?” outlines the problems caused when alcohol is used as a painkiller. The problems include harmful interactions with various medications and the development of serious neurologic complications. The fact sheet is available for download at http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/
PainFactsheet/Pain_Alcohol.pdf.

The latest issue of NIAAA Spectrum was released in February 2012. It features information about preventing underage and college drinking, new numbers on hospitalizations as a result of alcohol and other drug overdoses, screening tips for doctors to help them recognize patients with alcohol problems, as well as new numbers on the success of liver transplantation.