jholmessheff.bsky.social
John Holmes
@jholmessheff.bsky.social
1.6K followers 240 following 100 posts
Professor of Alcohol Policy at the University of Sheffield. Co-Director of NIHR Policy Research Unit in Addictions. Research focuses on alcohol pricing and MUP, no/lo drinks, youth drinking, drinking guidelines and more. Occasionally rants about Everton.
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Reposted by John Holmes
sarg-scharr.bsky.social
SARG - SCHARR @sarg-scharr.bsky.social · 14d
Lots of media coverage this morning of findings from our new report 'Alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks in Great Britain: Monitoring report on 2023 data'. The no/lo market continues to expand and no/lo drinks are more likely to be consumed by risky drinkers. Find out more 👇 @nihr.bsky.social
New report reveals further growth and key trends in alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks market - Sheffield Addictions Research Group
A second Monitoring Report from the Sheffield Addictions Research Group has been published, revealing further growth in the alcohol-free and low-alcohol (no/lo) drinks market and offering new insights...
sarg-sheffield.ac.uk
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Reposted by John Holmes
ias.org.uk
Institute of Alcohol Studies @ias.org.uk · 15d
Sober months like Dry January have become increasingly popular in recent years, but do they actually change how we drink?

In this blog, @aishamoolla.bsky.social outlines the findings from recent @sarg-scharr.bsky.social research on the short and long-term impacts.

www.ias.org.uk/2025/09/23/d...
Does Dry January change how we drink? - Institute of Alcohol Studies
A new study finds that Dry January does show up in national alcohol sales data – people drink less and buy more no/lo options during the month. But most return to old habits by February, raising quest...
www.ias.org.uk
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Reposted by John Holmes
addictionjournal.bsky.social
Addiction journal @addictionjournal.bsky.social · 22d
Exploring the impact on emotional wellbeing of having a spouse or cohabiting partner with elevated Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI) scores: Secondary analysis of cross-sectional health survey data buff.ly/IPZyUGS @uofgsocsci.bsky.social @shwardle.bsky.social
buff.ly
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Reposted by John Holmes
abi-stevely.bsky.social
Abi Stevely @abi-stevely.bsky.social · Jul 31
New paper on changes in sales of alcohol and alcohol-free/low-alcohol products in January, and whether these changes drive longer term trends!
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Led by @aishamoolla.bsky.social
@jholmessheff.bsky.social
@voodooeconomics.bsky.social
@jamiebrown.bsky.social
Temporary and sustained changes in alcoholic and alcohol-free or low-alcohol drinks sales during January? A time series analysis of seasonal patterning in Great Britain
Sales of alcohol-free and low-alcohol (no/lo) drinks are increasing rapidly but the drivers of this trend remain unclear. Reductions in alcohol consum…
www.sciencedirect.com
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Reposted by John Holmes
jamesnicholls.bsky.social
James Nicholls @jamesnicholls.bsky.social · Jul 7
This is a great discussion of generational change, risk, anxiety and drinking behaviours featuring @amypennay.bsky.social and @jholmessheff.bsky.social from the @ias.org.uk podcast. open.spotify.com/episode/1avJ...
Alcohol Alert June 2025
Alcohol Alert Podcast · Episode
open.spotify.com
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Reposted by John Holmes
victimofmaths.bsky.social
Colin Angus @victimofmaths.bsky.social · Jul 3
The Government's big new 10 year health plan has finally been published.

In spite of lots of talk about moving towards prevention rather than treatment, there is basically no meaningful alcohol prevention policy here.

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/686638...
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Reposted by John Holmes
annefgreaves.bsky.social
Anne Greaves @annefgreaves.bsky.social · Jul 1
Opportunity for Sheffield people to get involved in research led by my colleague @mervemolla.bsky.social
sarg-scharr.bsky.social
SARG - SCHARR @sarg-scharr.bsky.social · Jul 1
The research team is currently looking for people in #Sheffield who regularly drink alcohol, are finding it hard to manage financially, and don't often drink alcohol-free or low-alcohol drinks to take part in the study. Find out more about the project and how to get involved 👇
Understanding barriers to the use of alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks to reduce alcohol consumption among individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds - Sheffield Addictions Research Group
This project aims to shed light on why alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks may not be as accessible or appealing to those from disadvantaged communities.
sarg-sheffield.ac.uk
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Reposted by John Holmes
eleanorwinpenny.bsky.social
Eleanor Winpenny @eleanorwinpenny.bsky.social · Jun 27
Our latest paper led by Oscar Rousham finds three trajectories of diet quality across adolescence and early adulthood. We find independent contributions of both parental SEP and individual education years to odds of following different trajectories in data from Western Austr. doi.org/10.1016/j.ap...
Graph depicting 3 different trajectories of diet quality: (1) low, (2) low to high and (3) high
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Reposted by John Holmes
ias.org.uk
Institute of Alcohol Studies @ias.org.uk · Jun 27
Why is youth drinking in decline?

Listen to our latest podcast to hear why it's more than any one cause, and needs to be understood from a broader sociological position of generational change.
Ft. @jholmessheff.bsky.social and @amypennay.bsky.social

Listen here: www.ias.org.uk/podcast/why-...
Why are young people drinking less? - Institute of Alcohol Studies
On this month’s podcast we spoke to Professor John Holmes, University of Sheffield, and Amy Pennay, La Trobe University, about their new book: Young People, Alcohol, and Risk: A Culture of Caution. W...
www.ias.org.uk
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jholmessheff.bsky.social
John Holmes @jholmessheff.bsky.social · Jun 21
I've never seen it but it sounds AMAZING
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Reposted by John Holmes
ias.org.uk
Institute of Alcohol Studies @ias.org.uk · May 28
A new book explores why young people in high-income countries are drinking less, linking the decline to growing health consciousness, closer parental relationships, and a broader culture of caution.

In our latest blog, the authors discuss the findings.

www.ias.org.uk/2025/05/28/y...
Young People, Alcohol and Risk: A Culture of Caution - Institute of Alcohol Studies
A new book explores why young people in high-income countries are drinking less, linking the decline to growing health consciousness, closer parental relationships, and a broader culture of caution. I...
www.ias.org.uk
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jholmessheff.bsky.social
John Holmes @jholmessheff.bsky.social · Jun 2
The latest 'Alcohol Explained' video from @ias.org.uk focuses on Minimum Unit Pricing for alcohol, with contributions from me and @victimofmaths.bsky.social www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3EX...
Minimum Unit Pricing: Explained
YouTube video by Institute of Alcohol Studies
www.youtube.com
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Reposted by John Holmes
drinkingstudies.bsky.social
Drinking Studies Network (DSN) @drinkingstudies.bsky.social · May 30
'Young People, Alcohol and Risk: A Culture of Caution' | @amypennay.bsky.social @gabrielcaluzzi.bsky.social @soc-researcher.bsky.social @jholmessheff.bsky.social et al @ias.org.uk www.ias.org.uk/2025/05/28/y...
Young People, Alcohol and Risk: A Culture of Caution - Institute of Alcohol Studies
A new book explores why young people in high-income countries are drinking less, linking the decline to growing health consciousness, closer parental relationships, and a broader culture of caution. I...
www.ias.org.uk
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Reposted by John Holmes
ias.org.uk
Institute of Alcohol Studies @ias.org.uk · May 28
Written by @amypennay.bsky.social, @gabrielcaluzzi.bsky.social, @soc-researcher.bsky.social, @jholmessheff.bsky.social, Michael Livingston, Jonas Raninen and Jukka Törrönen
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Reposted by John Holmes
melissaoldham.bsky.social
Melissa Oldham @melissaoldham.bsky.social · Apr 11
We have a new paper out today in Lancet Public Health looking at increases in alcohol-specific deaths in England.

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
www.sciencedirect.com
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jholmessheff.bsky.social
John Holmes @jholmessheff.bsky.social · Apr 9
Important short article explaining why the NAS report on alcohol consumption and health uses a flawed approach to understanding the risks of low levels alcohol consumption. In short, claims that low levels of drinking are associated with reduced health risks are not robust.
Biases inherent in all-cause mortality studies: implications for shaping the 2025–2030 dietary guidelines for Americans on alcohol consumption
www.sciencedirect.com
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jholmessheff.bsky.social
John Holmes @jholmessheff.bsky.social · Apr 8
Very nice. We do that walk sometimes (although usually as a round-walk from Runswick Bay or Saltwick Bay)
jholmessheff.bsky.social
John Holmes @jholmessheff.bsky.social · Apr 8
Is that the walk from some of the bays heading out towards Scarborough? And past the old fog horn?
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Reposted by John Holmes
sarg-scharr.bsky.social
SARG - SCHARR @sarg-scharr.bsky.social · Apr 7
SARG Director @jholmessheff.bsky.social and Research Fellow @abi-stevely.bsky.social will be presenting at this free @instalcstud.bsky.social webinar on Minimum Unit Pricing on 29th May. Find out more and sign up to attend 👇 #alcohol #publichealth
IAS webinar: Minimum Unit Pricing: Lessons for England - Institute of Alcohol Studies
Thursday, 29 May, 12:00-13:30 BST Join our webinar to learn everything you need to know about Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) of alcohol. Leading experts will explore the theory behind the policy, its impa...
www.ias.org.uk
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Reposted by John Holmes
fieldmatt.bsky.social
Matt Field @fieldmatt.bsky.social · Apr 8
New paper out today, led by Anna Butters with me, Inge Kersbergen, and @jholmessheff.bsky.social

"‘Knowing how it works for me’: a qualitative interview study of the use of personalised approaches to manage common challenges during Dry January"

www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10....
‘Knowing how it works for me’: a qualitative interview study of the use of personalised approaches to manage common challenges during Dry January
www.tandfonline.com
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Reposted by John Holmes
sarg-scharr.bsky.social
SARG - SCHARR @sarg-scharr.bsky.social · Apr 8
📢 New SARG paper 📢 This qualitative study explored the strategies 'official' and 'unofficial' UK Dry January participants used to overcome common challenges, and how these evolved post-January. Led by Anna Butters with @fieldmatt.bsky.social @jholmessheff.bsky.social & Inge Kersbergen.
‘Knowing how it works for me’: a qualitative interview study of the use of personalised approaches to manage common challenges during Dry January
Participation in temporary abstinence challenges such as Dry January is associated with benefits including enduring reductions in alcohol consumption. However, undertaking temporary abstinence requ...
doi.org
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Reposted by John Holmes
melissaoldham.bsky.social
Melissa Oldham @melissaoldham.bsky.social · Apr 7
If you're currently working on a PhD in the field of Addiction, you should consider signing up for the SSA PhD symposium, a fun, friendly one day event before the main conference, where you can present your research and meet your peers working across Addiction research.
addiction-ssa.org
Society for the Study of Addiction @addiction-ssa.org · Apr 7
The SSA is now accepting applications for speakers at the 2025 PhD Symposium, which is being held on Wednesday 5 November in Newcastle upon Tyne tinyurl.com/3z8r2dh3
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Reposted by John Holmes
sarg-scharr.bsky.social
SARG - SCHARR @sarg-scharr.bsky.social · Apr 1
The alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks market in the UK is growing, but slowly. In this new blog post Luke Wilson talks about key trends identified in a study he led with @abi-stevely.bsky.social. He also considers the wider implications of these trends for public health. #alcohol #nolo
Trends in the alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks market in the UK - Sheffield Addictions Research Group
In this blog post Luke Wilson discusses the latest trends in the alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks market in the UK including the on-trade, off-trade and their use by people attempting to reduce the...
sarg-sheffield.ac.uk
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Reposted by John Holmes
ias.org.uk
Institute of Alcohol Studies @ias.org.uk · Mar 24
Join our webinar on 29 May to learn everything you need to know about Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) of alcohol.

Leading experts will explore the theory behind the policy, its impact in Scotland and Wales, & crucially, what England can learn from their experiences.

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/minimum-un...
Minimum Unit Pricing: Lessons for England
Join our webinar to learn everything you need to know about Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) of alcohol
www.eventbrite.co.uk
5 4
jholmessheff.bsky.social
John Holmes @jholmessheff.bsky.social · Mar 24
I think this is broadly true, and certainly for harmful drinking. But we lack understanding of how people think about dose response risks for alcohol. My suspicion is people have a reasonable sense of this as a general idea and possibly of the scale of risk.
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