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Experimental Test of Drinking and Abstaining Social Media Content on Adolescent and Young Adult Social Norms and Alcohol Use
aJournal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs Published Online: June 09, 2023
Objective: Experimental research has demonstrated that when alcohol-related content is viewed on social media, adolescents and young adults tend to have favorable attitudes toward alcohol use. However, limited research focuses on social media norms for abstaining from alcohol use. The current study examined the role of descriptive and injunctive alcohol abstaining and drinking norms via experimentally-manipulated social media profiles. Experimental effects on descriptive and injunctive normative perceptions and subsequent behavior were tested.
Method: Participants (N=306; ages 15-20) were recruited from the Seattle-metro area to complete a baseline survey and view researcher-fabricated social media profiles. Using stratified random assignment (birth sex and age), participants were randomized into one of three conditions: (1) alcohol abstaining and drinking, (2) alcohol abstaining, and (3) attention control.
Results: The alcohol abstaining and drinking condition reported greater drinking descriptive norms compared to participants in either the alcohol abstaining and attention control conditions at post-experiment and 1-month follow-up. The alcohol abstaining and drinking condition reported lower abstaining descriptive norms (i.e., perceiving fewer peers abstain) compared to those in the alcohol abstaining condition at post-experiment and lower abstaining injunctive norms compared to those in the attention control condition at 1-month follow-up.
Conclusions: Exposure to social media profiles containing both alcohol drinking and abstaining messages were respectively associated with individuals perceiving that peers were consuming alcohol more often and that fewer peers were abstaining. The present findings are consistent with prior experimental research that indicates alcohol displays on social media are associated with riskier drinking cognitions.
( Source: JSAD )
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Major events which allow underage patrons can come with challenges. It is important to have measures in place to protect the safety of all patrons and staff.
Liquor Control Victoria Inspectors were recently at an outdoor music festival with approval to have underage patrons. Inspectors observed several processes which contributed to a well-run and safe event for patrons and staff, such as:
- Underage patrons without a parent, legal guardian or responsible adult were refused entry.
- Prior to entry, in dedicated areas, underage patrons received pink wristbands for easy identification, other patrons received green.
- Each underage attendee had their emergency contact details written on their wristband. Prior to festival entry, staff called this number to confirm it.
- A condition of entry for underage patrons was that they must remain accompanied by parent, legal guardian or responsible adult for duration of the event.
Clear expectations and policies for underage patrons were communicated prior to the festival on the event website. Key information included:
- a dedicated underage information pack with definition of ‘responsible adult’
- recommendation of no patrons under the age of 15
- warnings about loud music, high intensity crowd movements, potential for bands using profanities and patrons consuming alcohol.
Communication prior to the event, and measures implemented on arrival at the festival site ensured organisers were fully compliant with their legal obligations. Most importantly, the safety of all patrons was a priority. (For more information Liquor Control Victoria)
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Posted on May 22, 2023
Alcohol Harm, Alcohol Industry, Corporate Consumption Complex, Policy, Research
New research examining alcohol industry contributions to inform the development of Australia’s national alcohol strategy exposes numerous ways the alcohol industry misrepresents science.
The present study analysed alcohol industry submissions into Australia’s National Alcohol Strategy to determine the content of these submissions and the ways in which evidence was used and misused.
This study describes five common assertions made by the alcohol industry in their attempts to influence the development of the Australian National Alcohol Strategy.
Through identifying these assertions, the study provides an understanding of the policy issues for which the alcohol industry is most concerted in directing their efforts.
The alcohol industry is misusing evidence in their submissions to government consultations to make their assertions about alcohol policy. It is therefore essential that industry submissions are scrutinised and not accepted on face value.
This demonstrates the need for tighter regulation of the alcohol industry, akin to the regulation of the tobacco industry under the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
SOURCE: Drug Alcohol Review 2023 RELEASE DATE: 21/05/2023 Download PDF
Unpacking assertions made by the alcohol industry and how they make them: An analysis of submissions into Australia’s National Alcohol Strategy
Key points
- Submissions into government inquiries and policy processes are one way in which alcohol policy can be influenced in Australia.
- The alcohol industry frequently contributes to such processes, with previous research demonstrating that they commonly misuse and obscure evidence to make their arguments.
- The present study analysed alcohol industry submissions into Australia’s National Alcohol Strategy to determine the content of these submissions and the ways in which evidence was used and misused.
- The study found that the alcohol industry consistently made five common assertions:
- ‘Drinking alcohol in moderation has health benefits’;
- ‘Alcohol isn’t the cause of violence’;
- ‘Targeted initiatives, not population level alcohol policies, are needed’;
- ‘Strong alcohol advertising regulations are not necessary’; and
- ‘Minimum unit price and pricing and taxation policies more broadly are not needed’.
- The industry also frequently misused and misrepresented evidence.
- Systematic scrutiny of submissions made into government policy processes is required to ensure that policy makers are aware of misinformation and poor-quality evidence when policy decisions are being made.
The study’s lead author Mia Miller, from the Menzies School of Health Research, told the Sydney Morning Herald: “Alcohol companies and lobbyists use a lot of evidence in their submissions, which I think is a way to try and position themselves as credible and trustworthy stakeholders in policy debates. Only when you drill down into the detail like we have in our study do you see that the industry are consistently misquoting and misrepresenting evidence.”
Mia Miller, study lead author, and PhD student and research associate at Menzies School of Health Research
(Source: Movendi International )
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Drinking and driving continue to be a serious problem, but it has been eclipsed by drugging and driving – such is the power of ‘education’. Education against drink driving and education for ‘normalising’ drug use.
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Alcoholic myopathy is a condition that causes loss of function and strength in your skeletal muscles in response to long-term or heavy drinking. It can come on suddenly after binge drinking or can happen over time after regular alcohol use.
Alcoholic myopathy happens in about one-third of people who have alcoholism. It’s more common in people who have other alcohol-related diseases like liver cirrhosis.
There are two types of alcoholic myopathy: acute and chronic.
- Acute alcoholic myopathy. This type happens after binge drinking 4 to 5 alcoholic drinks that cause a blood alcohol level of 0.08 grams per deciliter or more. It can lead to a potentially life-threatening condition called rhabdomyolysis, in which alcohol causes muscle tissue to break down and release into your blood.
- Chronic alcoholic myopathy. This type of muscle condition is linked to a lifetime of drinking high amounts of alcohol. Over time, too much alcohol leads to tissue damage and deficiencies in B vitamins, iron, zinc, potassium, and vitamin D. This causes problems converting protein into muscle and repairing muscle. (Source: WebMD)
Also see
A new scientific study concludes there is no safe level of drinking alcohol.