Institute of Alcohol Studies
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ias.org.uk
Institute of Alcohol Studies
@ias.org.uk
2K followers 860 following 560 posts
An independent organisation that seeks to bridge the gap between science and public policies to reduce alcohol-related harm.

Website: https://www.ias.org.uk/

Newsletter & Podcast: https://instalcstud.substack.com/
Posts Replies Media Videos
ias.org.uk
If you care about pubs, reducing alcohol harm, or the Autumn Budget debate, this is a must-read.

A clear, accessible chat with Prof Colin Angus about pub closures, supermarket affordability, duty freezes, cider exceptionalism, and the case for MUP.

whatareyouon.substack.com/p/britain-bl...
Britain bleeds cheap Booze
As the Budget looms, here's the true cost of our drinking habit
whatareyouon.substack.com
November 21, 2025 at 10:21 AM
ias.org.uk
Northern Ireland commissioned a detailed licensing review that took two years, gathered evidence, and set out sensible recommendations to modernise the system. It was rejected because it might “damage hospitality”.

Meanwhile in England & Wales, ministers let the industry draft..
November 20, 2025 at 12:04 PM
ias.org.uk
The Men's Health Strategy published yesterday "falls far short of addressing the key drivers of alcohol harm impacting men", says the @aha-uk.bsky.social.

Although there is clear recognition of alcohol harm in the document, none of the main prevention policies feature...

ahauk.org/news/aha-res...
AHA responds to Men's Health Strategy - Alcohol Health Alliance
Today on International Men’s Day the UK Government launched a new Men’s Health Strategy for England. While alcohol is acknowledged as an important factor impacting men’s health, the strategy doesn’t g...
ahauk.org
November 20, 2025 at 11:15 AM
ias.org.uk
It’s no mystery why the alcohol industry opposes duty rises - it hits their bottom line.

But when cancer charities, doctors, and liver specialists all say higher duty saves lives, ministers should ask: who has the public interest at heart?

@dantomlinson.bsky.social
November 20, 2025 at 9:13 AM
ias.org.uk
A mission-driven government needs mission-driven health policy.

Reducing alcohol harm isn’t just a health issue - it’s key to economic growth, safer communities, and an NHS fit for the future.

'A Healthier Future' is a blueprint for precisely that:
A Healthier Future: A long-term vision to tackle alcohol harm in the UK - Institute of Alcohol Studies
Alcohol harm is a serious and growing concern in the UK, impacting people’s health and wellbeing, the NHS, social services, criminal justice, and our economy. These impacts are felt most by people on…
www.ias.org.uk
November 19, 2025 at 2:39 PM
ias.org.uk
Three in four employees think employers have a responsibility to reduce alcohol-related harm.

Find out more about alcohol's negative impact on the UK's economic productivity by listening to our latest podcast: ias.org.uk/podcast/alco...
November 18, 2025 at 12:01 PM
ias.org.uk
Got a spare 3 minutes?

This short film introduces 'A Healthier Future: A long-term vision to tackle alcohol harm in the UK' - a new expert-led blueprint setting out how government can reduce alcohol deaths and support those in need of treatment.
A long-term vision to tackle alcohol harm in the UK: Explained
Alcohol harm is one of the UK’s most urgent public health challenges — driving rising deaths, deepening health inequalities, and placing huge strain on our NHS, social care and economy. Yet well over…
www.youtube.com
November 17, 2025 at 11:56 AM
ias.org.uk
Industry-funded alcohol websites still mislead on pregnancy and infant health.

Even after independent scrutiny, misinformation, omissions, and confusing guidance persist - putting public health at risk.

link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Do alcohol industry-funded organisations act to correct misinformation? A qualitative study of pregnancy and infant health content following independent analysis - Globalization and Health
Background Access to reliable, accurate, and up-to-date health information is a crucial component of global population health. Like other health-harming industries, the alcohol industry is known to pr...
link.springer.com
November 14, 2025 at 11:22 AM
ias.org.uk
In yesterday’s House of Lords debate on the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, Lord Lansley argued that government should partner with the vaping industry to co-regulate.

Lansley suggested this could mirror the 'success' of partnering with the alcohol industry 🧵

hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/2025-1...
Tobacco and Vapes Bill - Hansard - UK Parliament
Hansard record of the item : 'Tobacco and Vapes Bill' on Thursday 13 November 2025.
hansard.parliament.uk
November 14, 2025 at 10:30 AM
ias.org.uk
Heineken has cut Foster’s ABV to 3.4%, down from 3.7%, explicitly citing alcohol duty rates as the reason.

A clear sign that the UK's strength-based system is working - encouraging producers to make less strong, less harmful drinks. 🍺📉
Heineken UK cuts Foster's beer alcohol strength to 3.4%
The brewer said the change could lead to cheaper pints.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 13, 2025 at 4:55 PM
ias.org.uk
Proposed changes to alcohol licensing put “growth” ahead of health. A BMJ editorial warns this is a policy made for industry, not for people.

"A prevention approach starts from the recognition that health is not a barrier to economic prosperity...

www.bmj.com/content/391/...
Proposed changes to alcohol licensing should make us question whose interests we’re serving in the name of growth
Increasing the consumption of harmful products is the opposite of healthy or productive growth, say Nason Maani and colleagues Preventable ill health is at the heart of the challenges facing this co...
www.bmj.com
November 13, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Reposted by Institute of Alcohol Studies
sarg-scharr.bsky.social
SARG Director @jholmessheff.bsky.social was part of an expert panel that supported the development of 'A Healthier Future: A long-term vision to tackle alcohol harm in the UK', a significant new report published by the Institute of Alcohol Studies @ias.org.uk this week. @fohsheffield.bsky.social
Professor John Holmes contributes to major new report outlining actions to tackle alcohol harm - Sheffield Addictions Research Group
SARG Director Professor John Holmes was part of an expert panel that supported the development of 'A Healthier Future: A long-term vision to tackle alcohol harm in the UK', a significant new report pu...
sarg-sheffield.ac.uk
November 13, 2025 at 1:17 PM
ias.org.uk
Raising alcohol duty by 2% above inflation for 5 years would bring an extra £3.4 billion into the Treasury.

This would pay the salaries of 37,000 NHS nurses over the period.

Try out the @aha-uk.bsky.social calculator to see the economic benefits of a duty escalator: ahauk.org/alcohol-duty...
November 13, 2025 at 9:35 AM
ias.org.uk
One of the most effective ways to reduce record high alcohol deaths would be to reintroduce the 'alcohol duty escalator' that Alistair Darling brought in, as @drscottarthurmp.bsky.social refers to in this debate about wine duty.

It was also the only time in...

hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2025...
November 12, 2025 at 12:05 PM
ias.org.uk
Industry economic arguments are easier to make than public health economic arguments.

🎧 Listen to our October podcast on @ippr.org/Alcohol Change UK's new report on the impact alcohol has on workplace productivity🎙️

Guest: Dr @jamie-ohalloran.bsky.social

Links: www.ias.org.uk/podcast/alco...
November 12, 2025 at 11:06 AM
ias.org.uk
Imagine a UK where alcohol harm is rare and everyone has an equal chance of good health.

That’s the vision behind the new report 'A Healthier Future', which sets out the roadmap - and how cross-government action can make it happen.

🗺️ View and share 👉 www.ias.org.uk/report/a-hea...
November 12, 2025 at 8:25 AM
ias.org.uk
Clinicians: Should patients at high risk of alcohol harm use no and low-alcohol drinks?

New research highlights the need for nuanced guidance beyond zero-tolerance, considering non-abstinence goals and harm reduction:
Zero tolerance for 0%? How should clinicians and other practitioners respond to the use of alcohol‐free and low‐alcohol products in higher risk groups
Alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks (no/lo drinks) are now widely available and popular with consumers in high-income countries; however, it is unclear whether clinicians and others working to…
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
November 11, 2025 at 1:47 PM
ias.org.uk
Tobacco control showed what’s possible with a clear, long-term vision.

Now we need the same ambition to tackle alcohol harm.

Find out what we’re calling for - and how you can help - in our latest blog: www.ias.org.uk/2025/11/11/w...
Why we need a long-term vision to tackle alcohol harm in the UK - Institute of Alcohol Studies
Alcohol harm is one of the biggest yet most overlooked public health challenges we face, with the impact felt not only in hospitals and clinics, but in our homes, workplaces, and local communities. Th...
www.ias.org.uk
November 11, 2025 at 9:11 AM
ias.org.uk
📢 New report out now: A Healthier Future: a long-term vision to tackle alcohol harm in the UK.

Developed by leading experts, it sets out a blueprint for halving risky drinking, reducing alcohol deaths, and expanding access to treatment.

Read now: www.ias.org.uk/report/a-hea...
A Healthier Future: A long-term vision to tackle alcohol harm in the UK - Institute of Alcohol Studies
Alcohol harm is a serious and growing concern in the UK, impacting people’s health and wellbeing, the NHS, social services, criminal justice, and our economy. These impacts are felt most by people on ...
www.ias.org.uk
November 10, 2025 at 9:24 AM
ias.org.uk
The EU Wine Package advances rapidly, with industry consulted but public health groups excluded, no health impact assessment, and no parliamentary debate.

Seven NGOs call for greater transparency.

euobserver.com/eu-political...
Lack of transparency of EU's new wine proposals will cause a hangover
The EU Wine Package — a broad reform of the rules for how wine should be produced, marketed, and labelled across the EU — is moving forward with unusual speed and limited transparency.
euobserver.com
November 7, 2025 at 11:16 AM
ias.org.uk
This is one of the major concerns regarding zero alcohol products: that they only benefit wealthier people because they're more expensive than standard alcohol.

Reducing alcohol deaths among the lowest socioeconomic groups has to be the priority, (🧵)

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
Why are alcohol-free drinks so expensive? Some fake spirits cost over £25 a bottle!
In this new series, our money and consumer editor considers the often perplexing reasons items cost what they do. As a new report suggests booze-free booze can cost 25% more than the alcoholic equival...
www.theguardian.com
November 7, 2025 at 11:11 AM
ias.org.uk
Cheap supermarket alcohol is the biggest threat to pubs, according to publicans.

The government could raise off-trade duty above inflation while protecting pubs via draught duty relief.

That means healthier communities and stronger pubs.

Read our Budget submission ias.org.uk/wp-content/u...
November 5, 2025 at 11:33 AM
ias.org.uk
Many of the major public health crises we face today are driven by powerful corporations.

The extent and impact of harmful commercial influences need to be revealed and addressed.

📽️In this film, experts unmask the influence of harmful corporations🍿

vimeo.com/1131660477
Unmasking Influence - Full Documentary Film
Unmasking influence is about how commercial actors influence policy and public health. Many of the major public health crises we face today are largely driven by…
vimeo.com
November 5, 2025 at 9:49 AM
ias.org.uk
Baroness Walmsley raises serious concerns in the @houseoflords.parliament.uk about the government’s alcohol licensing reforms - led by industry, with no health representation.

She calls out the plan to prioritise “growth” over health and local democracy.

hansard.parliament.uk/Lords/2025-1...
November 4, 2025 at 10:30 AM
ias.org.uk
A Taskforce led by pub chains and night-time industry groups, excluding public health experts, is driving government licensing reforms.

Who really benefits? Communities, or corporate profit?

Read our position here: www.ias.org.uk/2025/11/04/d...
Deregulating alcohol licensing: how the government’s proposals risk undermining public health and democracy - Institute of Alcohol Studies
In April 2025, the UK government launched a ‘Licensing Taskforce’ to review the Licensing Act (2003). On the surface, the review promised to “modernise” the system and “support growth” in the night-ti...
www.ias.org.uk
November 4, 2025 at 9:06 AM