Scotch Whisky Association allowed minimum pricing appeal

Scotch Whisky Association allowed minimum pricing appeal   Source: BBC News 21 December 2016   The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) can take its appeal against a minimum price for alcohol to the UK Supreme Court, judges have ruled.   The trade body was given permission to go to Britain’s highest court at a hearing at […]

New Zealand: Alcohol is no ordinary commodity – It’s official!

New Zealand: Alcohol is no ordinary commodity – It’s official!   Source: Scoop December 22, 2016   Alcohol is no ordinary commodity – It’s official!   The Canterbury Medical Officer of Health, Dr Alistair Humphrey, has triumphed in a landmark case in the Court of Appeal, which means supermarkets can only display alcohol in separate […]

Putin orders crackdown on vodka substitutes after bath oil deaths

Putin orders crackdown on vodka substitutes after bath oil deaths    Move comes after 62 people in Siberia die from drinking contaminated liquid   Source: FT by: Max Seddon in Moscow December 21st   Russian president Vladimir Putin has ordered his cabinet to crack down on dangerous vodka substitutes after 62 people in Siberia died […]

‘They didn’t realise he had stopped breathing until it was too late’: Ex-public schoolboy dies after drinking ‘excessive amounts’ during initiation for university society

‘They didn’t realise he had stopped breathing until it was too late’: Ex-public schoolboy dies after drinking ‘excessive amounts’ during initiation for university society   Ed Farmer, 20, was in his first year at Newcastle University studying economics He was taken to hospital after drinking ‘excessive amount of alcohol’ at initiation The popular student died […]

How the Drunken Monkey Hypothesis Explains Our Taste for Liquor

How the Drunken Monkey Hypothesis Explains Our Taste for Liquor   Early apes’ ability to metabolize alcohol increased about 20-fold due to a single-point mutation in their genes.   Source: The Atlantic Robert Dudley Dec 19, 2016   Drinking and producing alcohol are among the most universal of human behaviors. On the face of it, […]

How to know when holiday drinking is damaging your brain

How to know when holiday drinking is damaging your brain   Jamie Smolen, Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Florida, has treated thousands of patients for alcohol use over 15 years He warns we commonly misunderstand how much is ‘too much’ alcohol Over Christmas, there is a surge in people drinking more, hurting […]

‘Risky Drinking’ Explores the Hidden Dangers of Casual Alcohol Use

‘Risky Drinking’ Explores the Hidden Dangers of Casual Alcohol Use   Source: WSJ By Alexandra Wolfe Dec 19, 2016    “Are you a risky drinker?” asks a new HBO documentary by award-winning filmmakers Perri Peltz and Ellen Goosenberg Kent. Airing Dec. 19, “Risky Drinking” tells the story of four drinkers from different demographics with problems […]

Oklahoma: Oklahoma liquor stores sue over wine in grocery store law

Oklahoma: Oklahoma liquor stores sue over wine in grocery store law   Source: The Oklahoman Brianna Bailey December 19, 2016   Oklahoma liquor store owners have filed a court challenge to State Question 792, the ballot measure that will legalize wine sales in grocery stores in 2018.   The Retail Liquor Association of Oklahoma and […]

Consumer and Bartender Perceptions of Craft Spirits

Consumer and Bartender Perceptions of Craft Spirits Source: The IWSR U.S. Craft Spirits Report December 2, 2016 According to the recently released IWSR U.S. Craft Spirits Report, consumers and bartenders rate the following attributes as important when choosing a craft spirit: distinct taste, specially crafted, unique packaging, high-quality, interesting story/heritage. Key elements that may describe […]