One of the most tragic and least-discussed consequences of adolescent alcohol use is that of suicide. There are “consistent positive correlations” among adolescent drinking, depression and suicidality, with comorbidity approaching 73% (Ganz & Sher, 2009). While the relationship among these is not a matter of simple causation – but probably some form of multidirectional causality – it appears that alcohol abuse functions as a catalyst for (or intensifier of) the emotional distress which can precipitate suicidal and parasuicidal behavior (Pridemore, 2006; Sher, 2006).
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Categories: Depression · Suicide · Underage Drinking
As public health advocates in New York gear up for this year’s attempt to get wine (including rotgut fortified wines such as Thunderbird and Richard’s Wild Irish Rose) into grocery stores (including corner stores and convenience stores), two overarching social issues have become abundantly clear.
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Categories: Alcohol Industry · Availability · Constellation Brands · New York State · Wine
Science journalism can vary tremendously in quality, as evidenced by some of the overreactions to the U.S. Task Force on Preventive Services recommendations on breast cancer screening.
One factor in this inconsistency is described by McGarity and Wagner (2008):
Reporters generally lack the technical expertise to probe beneath the contours of the scientific debate to learn whether the disagreements are scientifically credible, badly biased, or not scientific at all. (p. 223)
That problem is exacerbated when a journalist is more of an opinionist than a reporter.
Such is the case with John Tierney, the staff corporate-libertarian of the New York Times, who energetically defends the corporate funding of science in his piece “Who’s Conflicted Now?”
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Categories: Alcohol Industry · Conflict-of-interest · Corporations and health
There will be a dedicated page with more resources in the near future.
Alcohol Portal
SpinProfiles – “guide to the activities of the alcohol industry and associated topics.”
Corporations and Health Watch
Hunter College, City University of New York – “to assess the impact of corporate practices on population health and to inform public health policies and practices that can reduce the harm from such practices.”
Crocodyl
CorpWatch – “collaborative research on corporations”
How To Do Corporate Research Online
By Philip Mattera, Corporate Research Project
Marin Institute
“Alcohol industry watchdog” which “fights to protect the public from the impact of the alcohol industry’s negative practices.”
OpenSecrets.org
Center for Responsive Politics – “nonpartisan guide to money’s influence on U.S. elections and public policy.”
SourceWatch
Center for Media and Democracy – “profiles the activities of industry-friendly experts, industry-funded organizations or front groups, public relations firms, PR spinners, and think tanks trying to influence public opinion for corporations, government, or special interests.”
Categories: Alcohol Industry · Corporations and health
Below is an article I wrote for the latest edition of the Corporations and Health Watch newsletter regarding alcohol industry issues management strategies.
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Every industry carefully plans how to advance its business agenda and counter threats to profitability. What makes industries change the strategies they use to respond to public pressure to modify health damaging practices? Do announced changes in practice reflect real change or are they simply old wine in new bottles?
Continue reading here.
Categories: "Responsibility" · Advertising/Sponsorship · Advocacy/Activism · Alcohol Industry · Alcohol Policy - General · American Beverage Institute · Century Council · Corporations and health · Education/Persuasion · Uncategorized
As the CDC becomes more vigorous in putting research into practice around controversial health issues (i.e. health problems which provide profits to unethical corporations), we can expect to see more attack articles such as Tuesday’s Washington Times editorial by Dan Gainor of the Media Research Center’s Business & Media Institute.
Notwithstanding the irony of a government agency taking heat for being “politicized” by a think tank whose raison d’être is political (“Join the Fight Against Liberal Bias!” implores the MRC home page), any science that has policy relevance is necessarily political in some way.
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Categories: Alcohol Policy - General · CDC · Corporations and health · Health Policy - General
Hats off to the New York Jets organization (and the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority) for choosing not to have alcohol available for sale at their final game at Giants Stadium at the Meadowlands. According to Charles Costello, at Jets Takeoff, the two reasons cited for the decision were the late start of the game (Sunday night 8:20 start) and the special nature of the game (halftime will feature a line-up of former Jet greats).
A further consideration may have been the weight of the game (if the Jets win, they are in the playoffs), with the game’s outcome bringing either celebratory revelry or frustrated commiseration, both of which have been known to be made more problematic by large numbers of intoxicated individuals.
Giants Stadium at the Meadowlands
Costello adds that:
… Jets’ fans have proven time and time again to be irresponsible, crude, and often times violent drinkers. I’ve witnessed some terrible behavior, words, and actions from Jets’ fans, most of whom have been under the influence…
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Categories: Alcohol & Sports · Alcohol Industry
