More information on the EU conference "Together for mental health and well-being", held in Brussels on 13 June, is available on the DG SANCO website:

http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_determinants/life_style/mental/mental_health_en.htm

On 28 August, the World Health Organization (WHO) published the report of its Commission on Social Determinants of Health. It highlights major differences in life expectancy and rates of disease between rich and poor within all countries as well as between different parts of the world. In many instances these gaps have increased. The report makes wide ranging recommendations in order to 'close the gap in a generation' emphasising action on living conditions, access to services, social support, information and research, as well as on health promotion and disease prevention.

Over 50 people attended the Eurocare Evening Reception in the European Parliament, marking ”International Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) Awareness Day” on Tuesday 9th September 2008.

NordAN will be hosting a conference on alcohol, drugs and harm to others from the 10th to the 12th of October in Talinn, Estonia. The conference focuses on the harm done to others – and of course the still unborn child is the most powerless and innocent victim of someone drinking and thus harming them. If you look at the numbers of damages that even low levels of exposure of alcohol can do to the normal development, the facts are shocking. Individuals born with FASD often fail in the education system, and come into difficulties with criminal justice system. And this is not a marginal problem: FASD is believed to affect about 1% of people in the Europe (27), which amounts to nearly 5 million people…..

Please register before the 18th of September!

Program: http://www.nordan.org/conference2008/default.asp

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/alkoholiohvrid

DUBLIN'S three maternity hospitals are to back an information campaign telling women there is no 'safe' level of alcohol to consume while pregnant.
Medics now regard alcohol consumption during pregnancy as a significant factor on the health of a newborn, but a large proportion of women continue to drink while expecting the birth of their child.
Every year, the situation leads to an average of 354 Irish babies in Ireland being diagnosed with Foetal Alcohol Syndrome.

hhttp://www.herald.ie/national-news/mumstobe-told-no-safe-level-of-drink-1464035.html

Rapporteur Renate Sommer (EPP-ED, DE) kicked off the hearing, addressing an audience that was primarily made up of representation from the food and drink industry, with strong presence particularly from the UK and Germany. Sommer acknowledged right away that the legislation at hand was ‘extremely complex and risky in a number of aspects’, and stressed the difficulty of being charged with bringing together various bits of legislation into one in a simplified way.

Timetable:

First debate in ENVI– November 4 2008

Vote in committee – January 2009

Vote in plenary – April 2009

A Public hearing on “The Provision of Food Information to Consumers, organised by MEP Renate Sommer (EPP-ED, DE) will be held today in the European Parliament in Brussels.

Eurocare is pleased that the European Commission draft directive 2008/028 is taking into account consumers’ needs for information regarding mixed alcoholic beverages (alcopops). However Mariann Skar, Secretary General of Eurocare, regrets the decision not to include all alcoholic beverages “this, in our view, is a missed opportunity to adopt a comprehensive approach to labeling and will not benefit the European consumers. Furthermore, this is not in line with the Commission’s obligation to seek to improve the coherence between policies that have an impact on alcohol related harm stated in the EU Alcohol Strategy”.

Health determinants: European Alcohol and Health Forum:

Task Force on Youth-specific aspects of Alcohol - Workshop

(http://ec.europa.eu/health/ph_determinants/life_style/alcohol/Forum/ev_20080220_en.htm)

Research shows that the combination of alcohol and energy drinks are a dangerous mix. Adolescents who drink alcohol in combination with energy drinks are more likely to binge drink, to be involved in accidents and to get injured (O'Brien, 2008). In the end of July, Anheuscher-Busch withdrew their alcoholic energy drinks from the US market due to pressure from Public Health advocates

Opinion polls in Norway have found that more than 70% of citizens object to the planned roll-out of 7,000 new gaming machines by the state-owned gambling operator Norsk Tipping. The majority consensus has led to local municipalities turning to a loophole in the alcohol licensing law to attempt to block their installation.