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A new peer-reviewed study reveals that an influential scientific organisation is shaping public views in a misleading way, making alcohol’s health risks appear less serious. The research, published in Addiction on 9 July, examined nearly 300 critiques by the International Scientific Forum on Alcohol Research (ISFAR). It shows that ISFAR frequently praised studies suggesting alcohol had benefits while attacking research that highlighted harm, regardless of quality.
As a result, many people now underestimate alcohol-related harms. Tim Stockwell, senior scientist at the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, explained, “Alcohol’s benefits are exaggerated and the risks are underestimated.”
Alcohol’s Hidden Toll: Alcohol-related harms have increased sharply in Canada. Between April 2020 and December 2022, deaths linked to alcohol rose by almost 18 per cent, and hospital admissions grew by more than 8 per cent. Today, alcohol causes more substance-related harm than any other drug in Canada, except in the Maritimes where it trails only tobacco. Furthermore, alcohol contributes to at least seven cancers, including breast and colon, and it raises the risk of heart disease, stroke and mental illness.
Because of this, experts stress that alcohol is a modifiable risk factor. Peter Butt, clinical professor at the University of Saskatchewan, explained, “Any reduction lowers risk.”
The Moderate Drinking Myth: For decades, the idea that moderate drinking was healthy shaped public opinion. Some studies even suggested that light or moderate drinkers lived longer than people who abstained. However, experts now say those claims were flawed. Many abstainers had already stopped drinking for health reasons, so they appeared less healthy than moderate drinkers. Once researchers corrected this bias, the protective effect disappeared.
Consequently, evidence now points in one clear direction: the more alcohol you drink, the higher your risk, even at low levels. This shift prompted Canada to introduce new guidelines in 2023. The recommendations now advise no more than two drinks a week, compared with the previous limit of ten to fifteen.
Misinformation and Influence: Although science has moved forward, confusion about alcohol’s health risks continues. Experts link this confusion to ISFAR, which promotes alcohol as beneficial. While the organisation claims independence, several of its leaders have long-standing ties with alcohol producers and industry-backed groups. Critics argue that these connections compromise research integrity and harm public trust.
The recent Addiction study concluded that ISFAR’s critiques use tactics similar to those of the tobacco industry. They downplay risks, amplify supposed benefits and influence policy in ways that favour industry. (complete story WRD News)
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Significant developments in online alcohol delivery in South Australia have emerged, driven by concerning new research about alcohol harm. The data reveals a troubling reality: people with alcohol dependency use rapid delivery services at more than twice the rate of those at low risk. Combined with the South Australian Royal Commission’s hard-hitting recommendations, these findings are forcing the state to confront serious gaps in SA alcohol delivery reform.
The statistics paint a clear picture. Just 24% of low-risk alcohol users access rapid delivery services, but this jumps to 55% for those likely experiencing alcohol dependency. This isn’t random chance. It’s a pattern that suggests vulnerable people are being specifically targeted.
Royal Commission Demands Immediate Action
The South Australian Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence pulled no punches in its comprehensive report ‘With courage: South Australia’s vision beyond violence’. Of the 136 recommendations, Recommendation 128 stands out for reforming online alcohol delivery in South Australia.
The Commission explicitly demands the SA government progress measures for online alcohol delivery in South Australia through the draft SA Liquor Licensing Bill, including making harm minimisation the paramount object of the Liquor Act, implementing a 2-hour safety pause between order and delivery, and restricting sale and delivery timelines. This SA alcohol delivery reform measure directly challenges an industry that has operated with minimal oversight.
The Commission went further, declaring that harm minimisation must become the top priority of liquor regulation. This represents a fundamental shift that puts community safety ahead of commercial convenience.
Premier Peter Malinauskas made specific reference to this recommendation in his recent press conference, acknowledging that online alcohol delivery in South Australia remains relatively unregulated and indicating that the Bill would be coming to cabinet very soon. The Premier suggested this would likely be one of the items the government can implement in the immediate term, aligning with the Commission’s ‘immediate’ timeframe classification.
Research Exposes How Vulnerable People Are Targeted
New research from the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education shows exactly how gaps in regulation of online alcohol delivery in South Australia enable harmful practices. The nationally representative survey of 2,037 Australians uncovered disturbing patterns in how vulnerable populations are specifically targeted through digital platforms.
The targeting goes beyond just rapid delivery. People with probable alcohol dependency were 122% more likely to purchase alcohol after clicking through online advertisements compared to low-risk consumers. The figures tell the story: 51% versus 23% respectively. Much of this targeted advertising happens through platforms like Uber Eats and Menulog, which many users think of as food delivery services rather than alcohol retailers.
The research shows that 39% of people likely experiencing alcohol dependency frequently see alcohol advertisements on these food delivery platforms, compared to just 14% of low-risk consumers. This represents a deliberate strategy to make alcohol purchasing feel normal within everyday activities like ordering dinner.
Industry Fights Back But Evidence Is Clear
Retail Drinks Australia has strongly opposed reforms to online alcohol delivery in South Australia, claiming rapid delivery services are rarely used and that proposed measures would have “next to zero effect on consumer behaviour.” These industry claims now look questionable given the research findings.
The evidence contradicts industry assertions: nearly 40% of alcohol consumers use rapid delivery services, with usage concentrated amongst the most vulnerable populations. The coalition fighting for change includes prominent organisations: the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE), South Australian Council of Social Service (SACOSS), SA Network of Drug and Alcohol Services (SANDAS), Alcohol and Drug Foundation (ADF), Embolden, Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA), and SA Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation Network (SAACCON). This level of unity shows how serious the situation has become and the broad agreement needed for immediate SA alcohol delivery reform.
The debate around online alcohol delivery in South Australia goes beyond statistics. It’s about protecting people from what the Royal Commission called “an industry that profits from commercial determinants of violence.” The Commission identified alcohol as one of the key “commercial determinants of violence,” fundamentally changing how we should view rapid alcohol delivery services.
The Link Between Alcohol Access and Violence
The Royal Commission’s findings completely reframe reform of online alcohol delivery in South Australia by establishing clear connections between alcohol availability and domestic violence severity. The Commission noted that “the relationship between alcohol and drug use and domestic, family and sexual violence in South Australia has been a throughline observed by the Commission during its engagement with people with lived experience.”
The Northern Territory Coroner’s observations, quoted extensively in the Commission report, make the point clearly: “whilst alcohol doesn’t cause domestic and family violence, it is a major enabler of it and increases the probability, frequency and severity of violence.” When alcohol can be delivered within two hours, or often much faster, it removes crucial cooling-off periods that might otherwise help de-escalate volatile situations.
This evidence transforms reform of online alcohol delivery in South Australia from a public health issue into an urgent violence prevention strategy. Moreover, the proposed safety-pause isn’t just about reducing alcohol consumption; rather, it’s about creating breathing space that, ultimately, could save lives.
A New Approach: Safety by Design
The Royal Commission advocates for a “safety-by-design” approach that completely changes how online alcohol delivery in South Australia addresses harm. As noted in the Commission report, “the Liquor and Gambling Commissioner would be adopting a safety-by-design approach that shifts the onus of safety from individuals to industries” (p. 610). This approach moves responsibility from individuals to industries, requiring companies to build protective measures into their business models rather than expecting vulnerable consumers to self-regulate.
This approach recognises that rapid alcohol delivery into homes dramatically increases availability and subsequent alcohol-related harms. The Commission’s recommendation for harm minimisation as the paramount object of liquor licensing represents comprehensive SA alcohol delivery reform that puts community wellbeing over commercial profits.
The Liquor and Gambling Commissioner will adopt this safety-by-design framework, shifting the burden of proof from harm victims to harm enablers.
Strong Community Support for Change
Public opinion research shows overwhelming community support for reform of online alcohol delivery in South Australia. Almost 80% of South Australians believe government should put reducing alcohol harms ahead of protecting industry profits when making legislative changes.
Support for the specific 2-hour safety pause reaches 75% amongst South Australian residents, showing that community sentiment strongly favours protective measures over commercial convenience. This broad-based support provides crucial political momentum for implementing comprehensive regulation of online alcohol delivery in South Australia.
The research methodology strengthens these findings. The Australian Research Council funded the study, and its large representative sample ensures results accurately reflect community attitudes rather than advocacy organisation preferences.
What Comes Next
The SA Premier’s commitment to fast-track the government’s response to Recommendation 128 suggests legislative action is coming soon. The proposed reforms to online alcohol delivery in South Australia represent the most significant regulatory intervention in Australia’s online alcohol market since it began.
Success with online alcohol delivery in South Australia could trigger nationwide reforms, particularly given the National Cabinet’s endorsement of similar recommendations from rapid review processes. Other states are watching closely as SA prepares to become Australia’s testing ground for comprehensive SA alcohol delivery reform.
The coalition of sector organisations has requested urgent meetings with government leaders to ensure the legislation passes without industry-influenced amendments that could undermine its protective intent.
This moment represents more than policy change. It’s a fundamental shift in priorities that places vulnerable community members ahead of commercial interests in Australia’s evolving digital economy.
Reference: No more delays: Royal Commission backs calls for urgent alcohol reform
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New research from the University of California San Diego School of Medicine reveals that people with cannabis use disorder face more than triple the risk of developing oral cancer within five years. Furthermore, the study analysed electronic health records from over 45,000 patients and found that cannabis linked to oral cancer represents a significant health concern.
Study Findings
Specifically, Dr Raphael Cuomo, associate professor in the Department of Anaesthesiology at UC San Diego School of Medicine, led the research examining 949 patients diagnosed with cannabis use disorder. Moreover, the results, published in Preventive Medicine Reports, showed that after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, and smoking status, people with cannabis use disorder had a 325 per cent higher likelihood of contracting oral cancer within five years.
Additionally, the risk proved even more pronounced among tobacco smokers. Those who smoked tobacco and had cannabis use disorder were 624 per cent more likely to develop oral cancer compared to tobacco smokers without the disorder. (for complete research WRD News)
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Recent research from leading UK institutions reveals concerning patterns in how youth alcohol media exposure influences drinking behaviours amongst teenagers and young adults. Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for protecting our young people from developing problematic relationships with alcohol.
The Hidden Influence of Alcohol Marketing on Young People
The University of Derby’s groundbreaking research has uncovered how youth alcohol media exposure works through sophisticated psychological processes rather than simple imitation. Their comprehensive review of 22 studies reveals that alcohol content doesn’t just encourage drinking through direct exposure – it fundamentally reshapes how young people view alcohol consumption as part of their social identity.
This research challenges previous assumptions about alcohol media influence on youth by demonstrating that marketing strategies deliberately target developing identities. Young people, particularly those under 26, are at a critical stage of identity formation, making them especially vulnerable to messages that link alcohol consumption with social acceptance, maturity, and cultural belonging.
How Social Media Creates “Intoxigenic Digital Spaces”
Modern digital environments have become what researchers term “intoxigenic digital spaces” where young people encounter constant alcohol-related content. Social media platforms amplify this alcohol media influence on youth by creating feedback loops where drinking content receives likes, comments, and shares, reinforcing the perception that alcohol consumption is socially desirable.
The research reveals that young people carefully curate their online drinking personas, sharing moderate consumption with wider audiences whilst displaying more excessive behaviour to close peer groups. This selective sharing creates complex social dynamics that normalise drinking behaviours across different social circles.
The Role of Peer Networks in Alcohol Normalisation
Sheffield Addictions Research Group’s recent findings highlight how peer influence operates within university environments. Their Student Health Association conference presentation revealed that students consistently overestimate their peers’ drinking levels and approval of risky behaviours. This misperception creates a false social norm that encourages increased consumption.
The Sheffield research identified “freshers’ month” as a particularly critical period when new students’ drinking patterns become established through social influence rather than personal choice. During this time, youth alcohol media exposure combines with direct peer pressure to create powerful drivers towards increased consumption.
Marketing Strategies That Target Young Identities
Alcohol brands employ sophisticated identity-based marketing that goes far beyond simple product promotion. The University of Derby research identified four key mechanisms through which alcohol media influence on youth operates:
Normalisation tactics embed drinking into everyday social contexts, making alcohol consumption appear as a natural part of youth culture. Brands associate their products with friendship, celebration, and social success, creating unconscious links between alcohol and positive social experiences.
Identity construction strategies target young people’s developmental need to establish adult identities. Marketing messages link specific brands with aspirational qualities like sophistication, independence, or group belonging, encouraging consumption as a means of identity expression.
Gendered messaging reinforces traditional social roles, with alcohol advertising presenting different consumption patterns for men and women. These campaigns shape not just drinking preferences but broader cultural expectations about alcohol’s role in social relationships.
The Concerning Decline in Youth Drinking – A Mixed Picture
Whilst overall youth drinking has declined since the early 2000s across the UK and internationally, this trend presents a complex picture. The Sheffield research, detailed in their book “Young People, Alcohol, and Risk: A Culture of Caution,” identifies multiple factors contributing to more cautious approaches to alcohol, including social media awareness, economic concerns, and evolving parenting approaches.
However, this general decline masks concerning patterns within specific environments, particularly universities. Heavy drinking remains central to student belonging and social integration, with purpose-built student accommodation and sports societies creating cultures that can exclude non-drinkers.
Protecting Young People from Alcohol Marketing
Current UK regulations provide inconsistent protection across different media platforms. The Advertising Standards Authority regulates traditional advertising, whilst Ofcom oversees broadcast content, but video-on-demand services and social media platforms face fewer restrictions. This regulatory patchwork allows alcohol brands to reach young audiences through digital channels with minimal oversight.
The World Health Organization’s SAFER initiative recommends comprehensive marketing bans, recognising that partial restrictions fail to address the sophisticated ways youth alcohol media exposure influences behaviour. Research suggests that stricter regulation of identity-based marketing tactics could significantly reduce alcohol’s cultural embedding amongst young people.
Building Resistance to Alcohol Marketing
Understanding how alcohol media influence on youth operates through social identity and cultural norms opens new possibilities for prevention. Rather than focusing solely on exposure reduction, interventions could help young people develop critical media literacy skills and construct non-drinking identities that provide social belonging without alcohol consumption.
Educational programmes that reveal marketing manipulation techniques and promote alternative sources of social connection show promise for reducing alcohol’s appeal. These approaches work by disrupting the psychological mechanisms that make marketing effective rather than simply limiting exposure.
The Sheffield research suggests targeting first-year university students with alcohol-free social opportunities during “freshers’ month” could establish healthier social norms. Correcting misperceptions about peer drinking levels also shows potential for reducing consumption pressure.
Supporting Healthy Youth Development
Protecting young people from problematic alcohol use requires comprehensive approaches that address both environmental factors and individual development. By understanding how marketing exploits identity formation processes, we can develop more effective strategies to support young people in making informed choices about alcohol.
The evidence clearly demonstrates that youth alcohol media exposure operates through complex social and psychological mechanisms. In fact, these effects go far beyond simple exposure, shaping young people’s attitudes, beliefs, and behaviours over time. As a result, this deeper understanding provides a strong foundation for more sophisticated prevention strategies. Instead of focusing only on surface-level factors, these approaches aim to address the root causes of alcohol-related harm among young people, leading to more effective and lasting solutions. (Source: WRD News)
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Recent research has revealed deeply concerning trends in alcohol-related liver disease mortality rates, with deaths nearly doubling between 1999 and 2022. This alarming increase highlights the urgent need for greater awareness and prevention efforts to combat what has become a significant public health emergency.
Understanding Alcohol-Related Liver Disease
Alcohol-associated liver disease encompasses a range of conditions, from early-stage fatty liver to severe complications including alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis. The disease progression typically begins silently, making early detection and prevention crucial for saving lives.
The liver, our body’s primary detoxification organ, becomes increasingly damaged with excessive alcohol consumption. What makes this particularly tragic is that alcohol-related liver disease is entirely preventable through abstinence from alcohol.
Shocking Statistics: The Scale of the Problem
Recent comprehensive research analysing over 436,000 alcohol-related liver disease deaths has revealed unprecedented mortality increases. The age-adjusted death rate has risen from 6.71 deaths per 100,000 people to 12.53 deaths per 100,000 – effectively doubling in just over two decades.
The most alarming acceleration occurred between 2018 and 2022, with annual mortality increases of nearly 9%. This period coincides with the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting that social isolation and stress may have contributed to increased alcohol consumption and subsequent liver damage.
Who Is Most at Risk from Alcohol-Related Liver Disease?
Young Adults Face Unprecedented Danger
Perhaps most shocking is the disproportionate impact on young adults aged 25-44 years. This demographic has experienced the steepest increases in mortality rates, with a 17.7% annual increase between 2018 and 2022. These statistics represent not just numbers, but lost potential, broken families, and communities devastated by preventable deaths.
Women: A Rapidly Growing Concern
Whilst men continue to have higher overall mortality rates, women are experiencing faster increases in alcohol-associated liver disease deaths. Female mortality rates have increased by over 4% annually compared to 2.5% for men. This narrowing gap reflects changing social norms and drinking patterns that put women at unprecedented risk.
Racial and Ethnic Disparities
The research reveals stark disparities across different ethnic groups. American Indian and Alaska Native populations face the highest mortality rates, with deaths increasing from 25.21 to 46.75 per 100,000 people. These communities require targeted prevention programmes and culturally appropriate interventions.
The COVID-19 Connection
The pandemic has intensified existing trends in alcohol consumption and liver disease mortality. Financial stress, social isolation, and mental health challenges have created a perfect storm for increased alcohol dependency. The sustained elevation in mortality rates beyond 2020 suggests that pandemic-related drinking patterns may have created lasting behavioural changes.
Healthcare disruptions during the pandemic also meant that many individuals missed crucial early intervention opportunities, allowing liver disease to progress to more severe, often fatal stages.
Prevention: The Only Guaranteed Solution
Unlike many diseases, alcohol-related liver disease is entirely preventable. Complete abstinence from alcohol eliminates the risk of developing this condition. For those currently consuming alcohol, stopping immediately – regardless of current consumption levels – can prevent progression and allow the liver to begin healing.
Early intervention programmes, community education, and family support systems play crucial roles in prevention. Schools, workplaces, and healthcare providers must work together to create environments that support alcohol-free lifestyles.
Warning Signs and Early Detection
Recognising early symptoms can be life-saving. Warning signs include:
- Persistent fatigue and weakness
- Abdominal pain and swelling
- Yellowing of skin or eyes (jaundice)
- Nausea and loss of appetite
- Swelling in legs and ankles
However, many people with alcohol-related liver disease experience no symptoms until the condition is advanced, making prevention through abstinence the most effective strategy.
The Economic and Social Impact
Beyond the human tragedy, alcohol-related liver disease places enormous strain on healthcare systems. The condition has become the leading indication for liver transplantation, creating additional pressure on organ donation programmes whilst consuming significant medical resources that could be directed elsewhere.
Families face emotional and financial devastation when a loved one develops alcohol-related liver disease. The disease affects not just the individual but creates ripple effects throughout communities.
A Call for Comprehensive Action
These alarming statistics demand immediate, comprehensive action. Communities must prioritise prevention through education, support systems for those struggling with alcohol, and policies that discourage alcohol consumption. Healthcare providers need enhanced training to identify at-risk individuals earlier.
Most importantly, society must recognise that alcohol-related liver disease is not inevitable. Every death represents a prevention failure and an opportunity to save future lives through better education and support for alcohol-free living.
The research makes clear that without dramatic intervention, mortality rates will continue climbing. The time for action is now – before more families face the devastating loss of loved ones to this entirely preventable disease.
(Source: JAMA Network)