On Wednesday 9th September 2020, Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP) and the Institute of Alcohol Studies (IAS) held an online launch event for the publication of our final Men and Alcohol report: Men and Alcohol: Key Issues. The event was extremely well attended, and featured cameos by previous speakers from the highly successful 2019/2020 SHAAP/IAS Men and Alcohol seminar series.

SHAAP has prepared a briefing in advance of the Scottish Government debates on COVID-19, happening on June 2 (Next Steps: NHS and the Economy) and June 9 (Next Steps: Communities) 2020. The briefing covers the impact of COVID-19 on alcohol treatment and support for recovery, as well as alcohol consumption more generally, and includes recommendations for achieving long-term public health goals as we look towards a 'new normal' post-lockdown.

SHAAP have redesigned their guidance for heavy drinkers who are thinking about cutting back or stopping drinking alcohol during the COVID-19 pandemic. It has the same information as our advice published in April, but in a more accessible format. You can access the more visually engaging guidance document here. It is also available through the NHS inform website as part of their information about the coronavirus (COVID-19) and alcohol.

The World Health Organization have produced a new fact sheet debunking myths about alcohol 'preventing' corona virus.

The fact sheet provides very clear guidance about the risks of alcohol consumption to your health at any time, including during the COVID-19 pandemic, and includes tips about how to regulate consumption during the pandemic, to make sure that you are looking after your health.

COVID-19: What you need to know.

The Scottish Government has released tailored COVID-19 advice for people living with specific medical conditions. These include: cancer, diabetes, heart disease, IBD; chronic kidney and liver disease; dermatological, neurological (specific) opthalmic, respiratory and rheumatic conditions, chronic pain, and rare diseases. You can get up to date and read the guidance here.

The World Health Organization has published "food and and nutrition tips during self-quarantine" for individuals and families in contexts where self-quarantine has been recommended or required.

Eating well and taking care of your health is important, especially when you need your immune system to be at its best. It is also really important to remain physically active, even if you are staying at home. Read the guidance to help keep yourself and your loved ones fit and healthy throughout the corona virus outbreak!

Today, SHAAP has issued new recommendations for services supporting people with alcohol-related problems in the context of COVID-19.

Those who will find the new recommendations useful include Alcohol and Drug Partnerships (ADPs), Commissioners, Alcohol Service Managers, Community Services and Mutual Aid and Support Groups. The recommendations are aimed at enabling services to reduce risks whilst ensuring continued support in the context of COVID-19.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation, the SHAAP team will be working from home until further notice from today. 

Our partners, colleagues and anyone wishing to contact us can still do so in the usual way, via email and mobile phones, and we shall respond to any enquiries as soon as we are able to. Information regarding our ongoing work can also be found on our 'Our Work' pages on this website. 

Today, Alcohol Focus Scotland (AFS) and Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP) have published a new report on research by Stirling University's Institute of Social Marketing and Health.

The research explores the extent, nature and frequency of alcohol advertising in professional football and rugby unions in Scotland, and provides recommendations on how to mitigate the negative influence of this advertising, espeically for young people. The full background research report from Stirling University is also available.

The FYFA project, co-funded by the EU and Scottish Government, has conducted research into attitudes to under-age drinking and alcohol policies in football among young people aged 13-15 years. In addition to seeking young people's views, the project researchers asked club managers, stakeholders and policy makers in six European countries for their views on alcohol policies and sport at international, national and local level. SHAAP and our partner Eurocare contributed to the project.

Infographics summarising the outcomes of the project are now available to view, and you can visit the FYFA website here: https://www.fyfaproject.eu/