SHAAP has submitted a response to the UK Government HM Treasury/HMRC Consultation on the introduction of the new Soft Drinks Industry Levy. Question 11 in the consultation concerns added-sugar low-alcohol products.

In the response, we welcome the proposals to include these products in the Levy and argue that the Levy should be set at a level which does not discourage a shift in consumption patterns to lower strength alcohol products. However, we express concern that inclusion of added-sugar low alcohol products in the Levy may result in these produts being viewed as soft drinks rather than alcohol products.

SHAAP has issued a press release following the publication of a report by the Alcohol Health Alliance (AHA) ''Cheap alcohol: the price we pay'' which highlights that alcohol is still being sold in the UK at pocket-money prices - the price  of a cinema ticket buys 7½ litres of strong cider.

In response SHAAP calls on the Scotch Whisky Association to respect the Scottish Court of Session's decision with regards to MUP; calls on UK Government, and SNP MPs at Westminster, to restruture cider duty, so that high strength products can be taxed at higher rates; and call on the Scottish and UK Governments to commit to working to ensure that safeguarding and reinforcing policies that will reduce harms from alcohol will be considered as a priority in Brexit negotiations and in all future trade negotiations.

Research and Policy Briefing No.11 now out. Highlights include:

• MESAS alcohol consumption and price data update
• EU AVMSD follow-up study
• Model-based appraisal of MUP vs taxation in Scotland
• Alcohol consumption as a cause of cancer
• Update of UK CMOs' Low Risk Drinking Guidelines

Francisca Roman, PhD Student at University College London spoke at SHAAP/SARN's 2015/16 'Alcohol Occasional' seminar series about alcohol use and binge drinking among adolescents in Chile, and the influence of the school environment on their drinking behaviour. In her presentation, Roman provided an outline of both alcohol use and the school system in Chile. She then outlined the findings of her PhD research which examines if the school attended by an adolescent has an impact on their alcohol consumption behaviours. The findings show that the socio-economic status of the school is associated with both non-binge drinking and binge drinking among adolescents in Chile. Roman concluded that Chilean society is very consumer driven and alcohol is increasingly used by individuals and families as a way of demonstrating wealth - a summary of her presentation's key points can be found here.

A new report from SHAAP, Alcohol Policy in Scotland and Ireland: European Trailblazers or Celtic Fringes?, compares alcohol-related problems and welcomes innovative policy responses in Ireland and Scotland, also recognising the need to work at a pan-European level.

Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP) and the Scottish Alcohol Research Network (SARN) are pleased to announce our programme for the lunchtime ‘Alcohol Occasional’ seminars. These showcase innovative research on alcohol use and provide the chance for researchers, practitioners and policy makers and members of the public to hear and discuss alcohol related topics. The theme for this seminar series, from November 2017, is ‘Alcohol and Social Justice’.

The 2017-2018 seminars will take place from 12.30–14.00 on the following dates (all Mondays):
6th November 2017 • 4th December 2017 • 29th January 2018 • 12th March 2018 • 23rd April 2018.

We are now seeking to deliver presentations and are interested to hear from researchers from any discipline who wish to share their findings with an audience made up of fellow researchers, practitioners, policy makers and the general public. We would particularly welcome presentations from new and early career researchers. If you are interested in presenting your research, please get in touch with Felicity Garvie at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with a short proposal (max. 300 words) and indication of your availability. Closing date for submissions is Monday 28th August 2017.

SHAAP has submitted a response to the World Health Organisation's (WHO) consultation on (draft) Appendix 3 of their Global NCD Action Plan.

In our response, we broadly support the overarching actions and specific interventions outlined in the document. We call for inclusion of minimum pricing in the document, as an effective, evidence-based (pricing) policy for reducing alcohol related harm; greater and more explicit reference to alcohol marketing and exposure to children, especially in relation to social media; improved mandatory product labelling; and greater recognition of the links between alcohol and cancer risk.

SHAAP has submitted a response to the House of Lords Select Committee Select Committee on the Licensing Act 2003 Consultation.

In our response we support the four current existing licensing objectives and call for the protection of public health to be added as a fifth licensing objective to the Act (as in Scotland); greater community involvement in licensing decisions; and the introduction of a minimum unit price for alcohol, to complement licensing, as an effective mechanism for controlling availability and reducing alcohol-related harm.

SHAAP has submitted a response to NHS Scotland's proforma consultation on the following documents:

• Delivering Quality Alcohol, Drugs and Tobacco Healthcare Services to People in Police Custody in Scotland: Guidance for Police Scotland and Healthcare Professionals.
• Delivering Quality, Alcohol, Drugs and Tobacco Healthcare Services to People in Police Custody in Scotland: Making it happen

In our response, we comment on the above draft documents. We welcome the draft documents and make suggestions to further strengthen them, including a recommendation for stronger emphasis on joined-up services and greater recognition of understanding the links between alcohol and offending.

Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP) and the Scottish Alcohol Research Network (SARN) are pleased to announce our programme for the lunchtime 'Alcohol Occasional' seminars. These showcase innovative research on alcohol use and provide the chance for researchers, practitioners and policy makers and members of the public to hear and discuss alcohol related topics, over lunch in the historic Royal College of Physicians in Queen Street, Edinburgh.

The theme for the forthcoming seminar series, from October 2016, is ‘Alcohol and Health Inequalities’. We’re particularly interested in presentations which provide insights and can stimulate discussion about alcohol and health inequalities in different contexts, drawing on a range of disciplines and opening up debate about implications for policy and practice.

Following the seminars, SHAAP will produce briefing papers, which will aim to capture the main themes and to communicate these to a wider audience. You can access reports from previous seminars here.

The 2016-2017 seminars will take place from 12.30–14.00 on the following dates:
13th October 2016 • 6th December 2016 • 24th January 2017 • 13th March 2017 • 11th May 2017 • 14th June 2017. If you are interested in presenting your work, please email Eric Carlin, SHAAP Director, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by 22nd August 2016 with a proposal of no more than 300 words.