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Teens alcohol consumption triples during Christmas, New Year ...

Alcohol consumption among teenager’s triples during the Christmas and New Year’s Eve between ages of 14 to 19, especially in cities like Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Goa, Bangalore, Chandigarh etc, reveals the ASSOCHAM survey conducted under its ASSOCHAM Social Development Foundation (ASDF). More than birthdays and traditional weekends, December and January are the periods of greatest alcohol consumption of months, reveals the ASSOCHAM latest survey on “Consumption of alcohol during Christmas and New Year’s Eve 2013”  points out that the average alcohol consumption of teenagers triples during the festive seasons, from age 28 in the 1985s, it has come down to age 14 now, adds the ASSSOCHAM survey. “Reasons for rising liquor consumption among teens include easy money, availability of imported brands, absent parents and more spending power are some of the major reasons that contribute to the high consumption of alcohol among the teenagers”, said Mr. D S Rawat, Secretary General ASSOCHAM while rele

Nazma's husband gave up drinking but has not laid a hand on Najma since then....Read more

  In Boxa village, Buxar district, Bihar, Najma Begum was always starving herself so that she could feed her five children. Her daily wager husband, an alcoholic, would beat her regularly. The violence would increase when she would refuse to hand over money to buy liquor. After learning she could open a no frills savings account through a mobile phone and deposit as little as `20, she began taking out money from her husband’s pocket. When her husband fell ill some months ago, it was this saving of `3,000 that came in handy. When her husband learnt how his wife saved his life, not only did he gave up drinking but has not laid a hand on Najma since then .... Indian women are traditionally good savers. This is particularly true for rural India where rising prices and shrinking incomes impact women the most. The self-help group experience has shown that they are also good borrowers. Yet, women living below the poverty line have remained disconnected from formal financial services prov

5 Ways alcohol can affect your diet...

(5 Ways alcohol can affect…) Weeks of weight watching and diet control can all go for a toss on a night out when you splurge on alcohol. A few drinks does not just add those extra calories, but also induces hunger, affects sleep and influences your metabolism, thereby effectively ruining your diet plans. If you think that a drink or two can easily be made up for, read on to find out how alcohol can affect your diet. Extra Calories A can of beer contains about 154 calories and a martini contains about 250 calories. These calories have absolutely no nutritional value. The same is the case with other alcoholic drinks. These empty calories are not utilised by your body in any way and you end piling on the pounds. Increases appetite You may consider skipping a meal to make up for the extra calories you consume while drinking, but drinking on an empty stomach will only make you want to binge eat later to overcome that queasy feeling. Drinking also impacts you

Juvenile substance abusers in India.. No more limited to street children

A few months back, 14-year-old Vikram Batra (name changed) started behaving oddly. Normally quite a talkative boy, Vikram, started keeping to himself. On returning home from school, he would head straight to his room and remain locked there for hours at a stretch. Two month’s back, his mother, Vibha, an IT professional, received a call from the counsellor at Vikram’s school, a renowned private  institute in central Delhi. The counsellor told her that Vikram had become unresponsive in class and was often lost in his own world. One day, when Vikram was out, Vibha searched his room and found three empty bottles of white solvent in his school bag, traces of which she had occasionally seen on Vikram’s lips. She called the counsellor and told her that the child was into substance abuse. Substance abuse among Indian children is growing at a much faster rate than previously believed. And contrary to popular belief, the addicts are not just street children. A first-of-its kind st

Singapore bans alcohol consumption, sale in riot hit Little India

Singapore bans alcohol consumption, sale in riot hit Little India Singapore's civil defence officers extinguish burning vehicles following a riot in Singapore's Little India district. (Reuters) SUMMARY While cause for the riot is unknown, officials feel that alcohol consumption could be a factor. S ale and consumption of alcohol will be banned this coming weekend in Little India's Race Course Road area where riot broke out on Sunday night after a fatal accident. Announcing the ban on Monday, Second Minister for Home Affairs S Iswaran said details of the ban, such as exactly what time it would apply and what geographical area it would cover, would be worked out by the police. Though it was too early to say definitively what caused the riot, which was triggered after a fatal traffic accident, it is "plausible that alcohol consumption was a contributory factor", The Straits Times quoted the Minister as saying. "And that is why we have taken th

Enemies Of Human Rights Are Gearing Up

  On Human Rights Day IOGT International highlights the growing obstacles that corporations like Big Alcohol pose to the promotion and protection of Human Rights New York, USA, (December 10, 2013) -- The global achievements in Human Rights protection and promotion over the last 50 years, are today under attack by aggressive corporations. Abusing free trade agreements these corporations seek to undermine Human Rights accomplishments, in order to make it harder for governments to regulate harmful products and often-unethical operations. The UN General Assembly proclaimed 10 December as Human Rights Day in 1950, to bring to the attention ‘of the peoples of the world’ the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as the common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations. In 1993, following the momentum of the World Conference on Human Rights, the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action was adopted and the mandate of High Commissioner for the promotion and protection of all hum

The Indian alcohol Economy...needs Detox & Rehabilitation?

The alcohol economy   State governments are becoming more and more dependent on alcohol revenue to pay their bills. The increasing consumption of alcohol will only fuel this dependence, says K.P.M. Basheer. Sabko maloom hai main sharaabi nahin   Phir bhi koi pilaye to main kya karoon  (Everyone knows that I am not an alcoholic  But what can I do if someone pours me a drink?) Pankaj Udhas’s   ghazal  couplet on the classic excuse of a drunkard echoes the fluidity of most State governments over alcohol taxation. “We don’t need the tax money from alcohol, you know,” seems to be the argument. “But if people want to get drunk what else can we do but tax the drink?” The truth: governments are increasingly relying on alcohol revenue to pay their bills. Roughly one-fifth of most State government budgets are funded by booze. And, that share is going up by the year . Big contributor With the exception of Gujarat, Nagaland, Mizoram and Manipur, where liquor is officially prohib

Alcoholic sells wife for Rs2 lakh in Bulandshahr

BULANDSHAHR: A  man  allegedly sold his  wife  of six years to some people for Rs 2 lakh who tortured and then gang-raped the woman in Bulandshahr district. Police have lodged an FIR and a manhunt has been launched to nab the culprits. This incident came to light on Friday when the victim, a native of Sultanpur in Bulandshahr district, narrated her nightmarish experience to senior cops. In her complaint, the victim said that her husband belongs to a well-off family, but he lost everything due to alcoholism. "On December 3, he sold her to five locals for Rs two lakh," a senior police officer said. The victim said the accused injected her with a sedative and, when she lost consciousness, took her to an isolated place and raped her repeatedly for two days. When she resisted, the victim was tortured and thrashed. The accused told her that as they had bought her, she would have to follow instructions like a slave. An FIR has been lodged against the victim's husband and five ot

Crime Against Women: Alcohol, drinking banned on Goa Beaches...

In a move to curb crime against women and keep the beaches in the state clean, Goa Tourism department asked Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) to restrict people with alcohol or glass bottles on beaches in Goa. According to sources, alcohol on Goa beaches will be banned soon. Times of India quoted a senior tourism department official as saying, "Implementation of this (ban on alcohol on Goa beaches) has begun." "To prevent eve teasing incidents on Goan beaches we have taken this step," added the official who also informed that even locals would not be allowed to enter into the beaches with alcohol. "Domestic tourists coming to Goa, buy liquor in bulk from wholesale stores and enter beaches with snacks which is one of the reasons for littering on beaches. This will also help to keep beaches clean," the official was quoted as saying.  The daily report also mentioned that the state tourism department has been trying to prevent tourists drinking on beaches and th

Drinking alcohol in pregnancy affects kids' brain

A new study has revealed that prenatal exposure to alcohol severely disrupts major features of  brain  development that potentially lead to increased anxiety and poor motor function, conditions typical in humans with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD). The study by neuroscientists at the  University of California, Riverside , discovered that prenatal exposure to alcohol significantly altered the expression of genes and the development of a network of connections in the neocortex- the part of the brain responsible for high-level thought and cognition, vision, hearing,  touch , balance, motor skills, language, and emotion- in a mouse model of FASD. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health/Drinking-alcohol-in-pregnancy-affects-kids-brain/articleshow/26857195.cms

Beware of winter myths....Alcohol doesn't make you feel any warmer

Times of India  -  ‎ There are numerous techniques to stay warm but you might be doing it the wrong way. Many believe alcohol consumption helps to beat the chill but that's false, reports huffingtonpost.com. Here are some myths and facts: Alcohol doesn't make you feel any  ... http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/health/Beware-of-winter-myths/articleshow/26580070.cms

Centre planning national alcohol policy

Centre planning national alcohol policy New Delhi, Nov 29, 2013, DHNS: The Union Health Ministry plans to come out with a national alcohol policy to suggest ways and means of reducing harm caused by alcohol as India is all set to adopt a voluntary target of reducing alcohol consumption due to its adverse public health consequences. The policy being framed by the ministry may suggest how the consumption of alcohol can be brought down by 5 per cent by 2020 and by an additional five per cent by 2025. It would emphasise on public health impacts of alcohol use and how it adds to India’s non-communicable disease burden. Currently, alcohol comes under the purview of the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment that looks into its societal impact. At the state level, alcohol is regulated by state excise policies that cover manufacturing, distribution and possession of alcohol.. ... http://www.deccanherald.com/content/371881/centre-planning-national-alcohol-policy.html

Magic Drink!!

  Big Alcohol wants us to believe their myths about the magic of alcohol and glamorise its effects. We've created a better brand: #MagicDrink Tasty, stylish, alcohol free, good for you, your party, your community. Drinking @magicdrink means uniting fun and community. Mission Inspire Freedom - together for women and gir ls - every 25th Magic Drink promotes health, well-being, freedom, happiness, taste and style and it promotes social values beyond that: gender equality, and a world free from gender-based violence in all its forms.  Alcohol-free is the new black. Or orange... Description Although the alcohol industry has us believe their myths about the magic of alcohol, most of us know that alcohol is NOT a magic drink: it causes medical, social, economic, and democratic harm, ruins families and commu- nities, keeps people in poverty and exposes children to violence. And up to 80% of cases of violence against women and girls are rela- ted to alcohol. No magic at all. This al

Ban alcohol advertising and products: NGOs

India News By IANS, New Delhi: A new report by a group of NGOs Tuesday highlighted the ill-effects of advertising and marketing of alcohol on young people, and proposed a comprehensive ban on all kinds of marketing strategies that seek to portray drinking as normal. "To reduce alcohol consumption, it is very important that the governments enforce a comprehensive ban on all kinds of advertising of alcohol brands and products. "A separate government agency should be formed to monitor this ban," said the report titled "Alcohol Marketing and Regulatory Policy Environment in India" released here. The report was developed by the Public Health Foundation of India in collaboration with Delhi-based NGO Hriday and Swedish National Institute of Public Health. Monika Arora, director of the health promotions unit of Public Health Foundation of India blamed advertising for promoting the use of alcohol among youth. "It has been seen that children wh

“Rampant advertising by alcohol industry in India and need for a national level alcohol control policy”.

Nada India Team participated in a seminar on the topic “ Rampant advertising by alcohol industry in India and need for a national level alcohol control policy”. Seminar was organised by  Public Health Foundation of India. India. There are satellite channels in India who are promoting responsible drinking and targeting  aspiring rich and   young  people   The Health Promotion Division of the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) has undertaken a research on alcohol industry, its marketing strategies and policy environment around alcohol in India. This data has been compiled into a Report  “Alcohol Marketing and Regulatory Policy Environment in India”. The report was  released on November 26, 2013.   This is the first time that such an endeavour has been undertaken in India and a comprehensive report has been prepared .  The report maps key alcohol players, types of alcohol products in India, rampant growth of alcohol industry and its marketing and advertising practices that tar

Women and Girls Suffer Alcohol-Related Violence

Global Coalition Calls for Action on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women BERLIN, GERMANY, (November 25, 2013) -- Violence against women and girls is often alcohol-related. But alcohol violence can be prevented if civil society and decision-makers take effective action together. A global coalition of civil society organizations spearheaded by IOGT International is leading the way in stopping the excuse of alcohol violence against women and girls, in implementing concrete, grass-roots actions for the creation of more alcohol-free, save environments and in empowering women and girls. November 25th is the “International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.” It is the day when awareness is raised of the pervasiveness of violence against women and commitments are being made. Every single day actions are needed for preventing and eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls. Actions are needed everywhere: in public places, the streets