"In the past year, I have experienced some true miracles."

Increasing Alcohol Tax Could Lower Rate of Alcohol-Related Deaths

Numerous studies have already proven that increasing taxes on alcohol products directly influences the population’s level of alcohol consumption. Now, researchers from the University of Florida, Gainesville’s Department of Epidemiology and Health Policy Research, College of Medicine have discovered that increasing the alcohol tax is also linked with reducing alcohol-related deaths.

Majority of Emergency Department Visits for Underage Drinking Are Males

Although the underage drinking laws in the U.S. have helped decrease the number of drunk-driving accidents by adolescents and young adults since the 1970s, they still have not prevented teens from consuming alcohol in high numbers and engaging in risky behavior. According to a new report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), alcohol remains the number one abused substance among adolescents and young adults ages 12–20 that lands them in the hospital emergency department, with the majority of visits made by males.

Naltrexone Is Effective in Treating Both Men and Women for Alcohol Dependency

The prescription drug Naltrexone, a narcotic antagonist used in some recovery treatment programs to help control alcohol consumption in alcohol-dependent adults, has been found to effectively treat both men and women despite large disparities among gender-related factors that complicate treatment. A new study has found that women undergoing substance abuse treatment for alcohol dependence respond to Naltrexone similar to male patients on a wide range of measures.

American Indians and Native Alaskans Have Lower Alcohol Use Rate but Higher Binge Drinking Rate than National Average

American Indians and Alaskan Natives are less likely than the general U.S. population to consume alcohol on a regular basis, but are more likely to engage in binge drinking, according to a new study. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) found that the rate of past month alcohol consumption among American Indian and Alaskan Native adults was significantly lower than that of the national average (43.9% vs. 55.2%), but that this group experiences a higher rate of binge drinking (30.6%) compared to the overall population (24.5%).

Dangerous New Drinking Trend Becoming Popular Among Young Adults

Substance abuse clinicians and ophthalmologists alike are warning parents about a new reckless trend that has grown in popularity among young adults throughout the U.S. and the U.K. 

Genetic Variant Plays Important Role in Brain’s Response to Alcohol

When people drink alcohol and feel euphoric, the neurotransmitter dopamine has been released in the brain, affecting the individual’s mood. But alcohol affects some people differently than others, so researchers at the National Institutes on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health, set out to find the reasons why.

Study Confirms Extreme Alcohol Consumption in UK Nightlife

A new study confirms that extreme drinking is a major issue in UK nightlife. Mark Bellis from Liverpool John Moores University and other researchers interviewed and breath-tested 214 people in the city centers of Chester, Liverpool, and Manchester, finding that one in ten people planned to drink more than 40 units of alcohol while out.

Social Networks May Affect Drinking Habits

A new study discovered that the drinking habits of the people in your extended social group play a major role in determining your own alcohol consumption. Researchers used data from a previous study, Framingham Heart Study, which looked at the behavioral patterns of 12,067 people for more than 30 years in terms of obesity, smoking, and sexually transmitted diseases. For this study, the researchers explored patterns of drinking in a large social network.

Interactive Feature: Long-Term Effects of Alcohol

We have added a great interactive feature to the Promises website:

Long-Term Effects of Alcohol on the Body

If you click on the glowing circles you will get a list of how alcohol effects the part of the body (or your life).  This interactive piece is a tool for understanding that alcohol abuse affects almost all the major organ systems as well as all aspects of your life.

Genetic Variant May Lead to Alcohol Abuse in Adolescents

A new study has identified a genetic variant that indicates an increased risk of alcohol abuse in adolescents. The study, led by Robert Miranda, assistant professor of psychiatry and human behavior for research at Brown University, focused on a receptor gene previously tied only to adult alcohol abuse.

Study Finds Educated, Affluent Young Adults Most Likely to Drink Heavily

A new study suggests that “Cyber Millennials,” individuals ages 25-44 who are well educated and tech-savvy and who make an average of $79,000 per year, are more likely to engage in binge drinking than many of their peers who are older, less educated, and make less money. These findings will be published in the August edition of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.