John Holmes to speak at MCA Annual Symposium
SARG Director Professor John Holmes will give a talk on no/lo drinks at the Medical Council on Alcohol's Annual Symposium this week (22.11.23).
His lecture will focus on the potential, pitfalls, and implications for public health policy of no- and low-alcohol drinks.
The rise of no/lo drinks
No- and low-alcohol (no/lo) drinks have become increasingly popular in recent years and now account for around one percent of total alcohol sales and two percent of off-trade beer sales. Further increases in no/lo sales could have a positive impact on public health by reducing alcohol consumption and the associated chronic health problems.
However, there are also concerns that people may consume no/lo drinks in addition to their usual alcoholic drinks, that companies may use alibi marketing to promote familiar alcohol brands, or that no/lo products may blur the distinction between drinking and non-drinking in harmful ways for high-risk groups.
The benefits or risks of no/lo drinks therefore depend on who purchases and consumes these products, the settings in which they consume them, and how that consumption relates to consumption of standard alcoholic drinks. Public health actors need to consider how they can contribute to developing a new policy framework that maximises any benefits of these products while minimising any risks.
The talk will draw on research being undertaken through the No/Lo Project which examines whether making non-alcoholic or low-alcohol drinks more common and popular in the UK can improve people's health.
About the symposium
The Medical Council on Alcohol's Annual Symposium is a key event for health professionals working to reduce alcohol-related health harms. The programme is aimed at clinicians and researchers across a variety of disciplines and specialties, highlighting both new research and policy and practical applications.
SARG Heads to Glasgow for 50th Anniversary KBS Symposium
A team of twenty researchers and PhD students from the Sheffield Addictions Research Group (SARG) will be participating in the landmark 50th Anniversary KBS Symposium for Social and Epidemiological Research on Alcohol next month.
New project will use machine learning to help improve engagement in gambling addiction treatment
A new project led by Professor Matt Field at the University of Sheffield aims to significantly improve how people engage with treatment for gambling addiction, thanks to funding from the Academic Forum for the Study of Gambling.
Increase in alcohol deaths in England an 'acute crisis'
The persistent higher rate of alcohol deaths in England since the pandemic in 2020 is an 'acute crisis' requiring urgent action from government, according to a new study led by researchers from University College London and the Sheffield Addictions Research Group.
SARG experts to present at IAS webinar on minimum unit pricing
SARG Director Professor John Holmes and Research Fellow Dr Abi Stevely will be sharing their extensive knowledge and insights on minimum unit pricing (MUP) at a webinar hosted by the Institute of Alcohol Studies (IAS).
You might also be interested in…
SARG Heads to Glasgow for 50th Anniversary KBS Symposium
A team of twenty researchers and PhD students from the Sheffield Addictions Research Group (SARG) will be participating in the landmark 50th Anniversary KBS Symposium for Social and Epidemiological Research on Alcohol next month.
Young people's consumption of no/low alcohol drinks in family settings
This project explores young people's consumption of no/low alcohol drinks in Great Britain, focusing on family settings. Using surveys and interviews, it will investigate adult perceptions, consumption trends, and the relationship between no/low and alcohol use among young people.
Understanding barriers to the use of alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks to reduce alcohol consumption among individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds
This project aims to shed light on why alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks may not be as accessible or appealing to those from disadvantaged communities.