On one side of the country in WA, we have a new advertising campaign urging women not to drink alcohol while pregnant, planning a pregnancy or breastfeeding.

The campaign was launched last week on World Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Awareness Day. The Strong Spirit Strong Future campaign is aimed at dispelling any confusion within the community, even among health practitioners, about drinking alcohol during pregnancy.

Then on the other side of the country in Victoria, we have researchers hoping to determine whether the occasional glass of wine during pregnancy harms an unborn child. Researchers at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI) are investigating whether low to moderate quantities of alcohol at different stages of pregnancy are linked to health and development problems in babies and toddlers.

FYI - the NHMRC guidelines state that maternal alcohol consumption can harm the developing fetus or breastfeeding baby, and that for women who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy , not drinking is the safest option.

However MCRI researchers say that while it was known heavy alcohol use was harmful, this would be the first longitudinal study to look at the effects of low to moderate drinking during pregnancy.

I have to admit – I remember being incredibly surprised when a pregnant friend (who also happens to be a Dr) told me she indulged in a wine every now and then.  I didn’t realise that there was uncertainty around harm to the fetus in terms of pregnant women drinking low levels of alcohol.   No wonder everyone is confused! 

However until the MCRI results are in, I think it might be best to stick to the current guidelines.

Until next week,

Sarah Jaggard
Community Mobilisation Policy Officer

Thanks to the trusty GrogWatchers who responded to last week’s call to action.  From all accounts, Factorie was very quick to reply:

“Thank you for taking the time out of your day to communicate your feedback in regards to the Hipflask sold at our Factorie store.

We appreciate any type of feedback as it helps us make future experiences more satisfactory for each and everyone of our customers. At Factorie we strive to make our customers loyal by always creating a fun, friendly and knowledgeable environment.

As an organization, Factorie respect family, social and moral values. It is certainly not our intention to offend any of our customers and we regret that the product in question has caused you unhappiness.

Stores are displaying signage stating that the hip flasks are not for sale to anyone under the age of 18.

I have forwarded your feedback onto the Senior Retail Management Team, we very much appreciate your loyalty and thank you for expressing your concerns in order for us to better ourselves.”

Atkinson A, Elliott G, Bellis M, Sumnall H 2011 Young people, alcohol and the media, [UK]: Joseph Rowntree Foundation
 

WHEN: Wednesday 14th of September, 1-2 pm
WHERE: 54 - 62 Gertrude St, Fitzroy

A WEB-BASED PARENTING INTERVENTION TO PREVENT ALCOHOL MISUSE IN ADOLESCENTS: DEVELOPMENT AND PRELIMINARY OUTCOMES

Dr Marie Yap, Research Fellow and Psychologist, Orygen youth Health Research Centre, University of Melbourne.

Dr Marie Yap is a research fellow and psychologist at Orygen Youth Health Research Centre, the University of Melbourne. She is the lead investigator on the Parenting Strategies program, which is a web-based parenting resource for the prevention of mental disorders in young people. This program currently provides parenting resources for the prevention of adolescent alcohol misuse. Plans are underway to expand the program to cover prevention of adolescent depression and anxiety disorders, childhood depression and anxiety disorders, and adolescent eating disorders.

www.parentingstrategies.net is an international first web-based parenting program to prevent adolescent alcohol misuse, developed by researchers at the University of Melbourne and Turning Point Alcohol and Drug Centre. In this presentation, Marie will outline the various stages of its development to-date, present some preliminary evaluation outcomes of the program, and briefly discuss future plans.

All welcome, bookings essential due to limited seating. Please ring 8413 8413 or email info@turningpoint.org.au to register your interest.

Seeing red over alcohol stupidity
The Daily Telegraph, 12 September 2011
IT has been yet another bloody and violent week. Seeing blood is routine in the emergency department and a lot of it comes from alcohol-fuelled violence. At 3am, a 19-year-old was hit by four people, thrown to the ground and hit the side of his head, which resulted in a large gash with blood from the inside of his ear.

Public numb to booze abuse
Sydney Morning Herald, 12 September 2011
Senior police are concerned the public is becoming desensitised to alcohol-related violence after three serious incidents at the weekend, including a man who allegedly went on a drunken rampage in a stolen taxi. Assistant Commissioner Denis Clifford yesterday said the problem was not necessarily the late night trading hours of pubs and clubs but the drinking culture that now existed.

NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione blasts blind-drunk teen 'monsters'
The Sunday Telegraph, 11 September 2011
Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione has lashed out at the alcohol abuse that turned a Year 11 formal into a drunken, bloody brawl involving 130 teenagers.  Launching a scathing attack on a night of madness in Darling Harbour, he blasted: "It's the same old formula. Just add grog and they turn into monsters.

Alcohol survey for pregnant women
Herald Sun, 9 September 2011
Melbourne researchers hope to determine for once and for all whether the occasional glass of wine during pregnancy harms an unborn child. Murdoch Children's Research Institute scientists are investigating whether low to moderate quantities of alcohol at different stages of pregnancy are linked to health and development problems in babies and toddlers.

South African ban on alcohol ads
Sydney Morning Herald, 8 September 2011
South Africa plans to ban alcohol advertising in a bid to rein in violence fuelled by excessive drinking. With one of the world's highest crime rates, the country attracts foreign experts ''just to learn to deal with wounds of injury and violence because we are regarded as a laboratory for that'', Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said.

Liquor breach publication
The Herald, 8 September 2011
The  latest statistics on liquor licence breaches in the Hunter aren't reassuring. In the year to July 2011, staff from the NSW Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing did 530 site inspections of licensed premises that resulted in 1054 compliance notices across the region. In the Newcastle and Hamilton precincts 197 breaches were detected.