Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

SARG - SCHARR @sarg-scharr.bsky.social · 1d

📢 New paper published in @bmjtobacco-control.bsky.social Using electronic point-of-sales (EPOS) data, this study assesses purchase price of factory-made cigarettes and roll-your-own tobacco across neighbourhood deprivation and urban/rural status in Britain. #TobaccoResearch #PublicHealth

Purchase price of tobacco in small retailers in Great Britain: the relationships with neighbourhood deprivation and urbanicity between 2016–2021

Background Tobacco price is an important determinant of smoking behaviour. Using electronic point-of-sales (EPOS) data, this study assesses purchase price of factory-made cigarettes (FMC) and roll-you...

tobaccocontrol.bmj.com

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SARG - SCHARR @sarg-scharr.bsky.social · 5d

Here's more on the key findings from our report published earlier this week which uses the most recent available post-pandemic data to estimate the health and financial toll of alcohol consumption in Northern Ireland. #AlcoholPolicy #PublicHealth

New SARG report details alcohol-related health and financial burden in Northern Ireland - Sheffield Addictions Research Group

The Sheffield Addictions Research Group (SARG) has published new analysis estimating the substantial health and financial toll of alcohol consumption in Northern Ireland, using the most recent availab...

sarg-sheffield.ac.uk

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SARG - SCHARR @sarg-scharr.bsky.social · 6d

New SARG report published today - find out more in @victimofmaths.bsky.social thread 👇

Colin Angus @victimofmaths.bsky.social · 6d

We've got a new report out today using new data from Northern Ireland to estimate Alcohol-Attributable Fractions (AAFs) and the number of hospital admissions and deaths each year in NI caused by alcohol. Plus, how these break down by age, sex and condition.

sarg-sheffield.ac.uk/wp-content/u...

A picture of the (not very exciting) front cover of the report: Estimating the burden of alcohol on the health of Northern Ireland. Dated September 2025 and written by me.

A lollipop chart showing the proportion of deaths from a range of causes related to alcohol (e.g. breast cancer, ischaemic heart disease, liver cirrhosis, fall injuries, lower respiratory tract infactions) in both men and women. The largest proportion is for liver cirrhosis and all conditions except breast cancer have higher proportions for men than women.

A bar chart showing the estimated number of annual deaths in Northern Ireland that are caused by alcohol from a range of different health conditions. The conditions are the same as in the previous plot, but with the addition of 4 conditions which are wholly caused by alcohol (e.g. alcohol-related liver disease/ARLD). ARLD is by far the longest bar with almost 250 deaths per year.

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SARG - SCHARR @sarg-scharr.bsky.social · 8d

This new paper led by @sophiebright.bsky.social provides a comprehensive overview of current knowledge on how distinct types of structural discrimination impact upon alcohol outcomes, advancing our understanding of this emerging field, and identifying key directions for future research.

The association between macro-level structural discrimination and alcohol outcomes: A systematic review

Alcohol consumption is a major risk factor for death and disability, disproportionately harming disadvantaged groups. While a positive association bet…

www.sciencedirect.com

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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 SARG - SCHARR

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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SARG - SCHARR @sarg-scharr.bsky.social · 15d

New paper from the SIMAH project: This study aimed to simulate the effect of beverage-specific price increases on alcohol use within subgroups of the adult US population defined by sex, educational attainment and alcohol use category. More on the SIMAH project at sarg-sheffield.ac.uk/projects/sim...

Targeting alcohol use in high-risk population groups: a US microsimulation study of beverage-specific pricing policies

Raising retail prices on alcoholic beverages preferred by high-risk groups (males, those of low socioeconomic status, and those with heavy alcohol use…

www.sciencedirect.com

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SARG - SCHARR @sarg-scharr.bsky.social · 20d

This new paper by SARG Research Associate and Wellcome Trust PhD student Lucy Burke explores whether the reasons people drink alcohol influence their consumption of alcohol-free and low-alcohol (no/lo) drinks. #PublicHealth #NoLo

Is why we drink alcohol important when considering the potential public health benefit of alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks? A cross-sectional study investigating associations between alcohol drinki...

Introduction The UK has promoted increased availability of alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks (no/lo, ≤1.2% alcohol by volume) as a public health strategy. To be effective, no/lo beverages must repla...

doi.org

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SARG - SCHARR @sarg-scharr.bsky.social · 26d

✨New on the SARG Blog✨ Nathan Critchlow gives an overview of a recent study which explored how commercial, government, and third-sector activities have shaped the rapid growth of the alcohol-free and low-alcohol market in Great Britain #nolo #publichealth @nihr.bsky.social

The rise of no/lo: How the alcohol-free and low-alcohol market has developed in Great Britain - Sheffield Addictions Research Group

In this guest post, Dr Nathan Critchlow from the University of Stirling provides an overview of a paper published recently in the journal Drug and Alcohol Review. The study explores how commercial, go...

sarg-sheffield.ac.uk

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SARG - SCHARR @sarg-scharr.bsky.social · 28d

Principal investigators from our SPIRE Project, Hazel Squires and Lion Shahab, have published an editorial in Nicotine and Tobacco Research journal, exploring what we know and what we still need to know to create effective vaping policies.

More on the SPIRE project here: lnkd.in/eVarNm2b

What tranSPIREs from recent research on e-cigarettes? Towards a comprehensive approach to model vaping policies.

Lion Shahab, PhD, Hazel Squires, PhD; What tranSPIREs from recent research on e-cigarettes? Towards a comprehensive approach to model vaping policies., Nic

academic.oup.com

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SARG - SCHARR @sarg-scharr.bsky.social · Sep 3

SARG colleagues will present their research at the SRNT-E Conference next week. Esther Moore will share insights from the @nihr-pruaddictions.bsky.social 'Swap to Stop' evaluation while Hazel Squires will discuss the SPIRE project's work on e-cigarette policy modelling. #SRNTE2025 #Tobacco #Nicotine

SARG researchers to present at European nicotine and tobacco conference - Sheffield Addictions Research Group

Two researchers from the Sheffield Addictions Research Group (SARG), Esther Moore and Professor Hazel Squires, will present their latest findings at the annual conference of the European Chapter of th...

sarg-sheffield.ac.uk

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SARG - SCHARR @sarg-scharr.bsky.social · Sep 2

We're looking for people in #Sheffield aged 18+ to take part in a workshop to talk about how business activities can positively or negatively affect people’s health. Participants will receive a £75 shopping voucher as a thank you. Find out more and register your interest at: bit.ly/46dyLdD

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SARG - SCHARR @sarg-scharr.bsky.social · Sep 1

📢 New SARG paper 📢 This study aimed to investigate whether drinking occasion characteristics differ between those who moderate their drinking and those who do not, and among different subtypes of moderators. #alcoholresearch #publichealth

Do drinking occasion characteristics differ across individuals using different moderation approaches? A social practice perspective

Limiting alcohol consumption is challenging as alcohol often serves as a ‘social lubricant’ in drinking practices. While individuals adopt different behavioral approaches to reduce drinking, it rem...

doi.org

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SARG - SCHARR @sarg-scharr.bsky.social · Aug 21

🎉 Huge congratulations to SARG researcher @ambercopeland.bsky.social who has secured almost £600k funding from the @wellcometrust.bsky.social to develop a cutting-edge computational model that explores how a person's environment influences their attempts to cut down on alcohol. #PublicHealth

SARG researcher secures major Wellcome funding to model how context influences alcohol consumption - Sheffield Addictions Research Group

Dr Amber Copeland from the Sheffield Addictions Research Group (SARG) has been awarded a prestigious Wellcome Trust fellowship worth £591,755 over five years. The funding will support a new project to...

sarg-sheffield.ac.uk

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SARG - SCHARR @sarg-scharr.bsky.social · Aug 19

The Welsh Government @senedd.wales commissioned us to model the impact of minimum unit pricing (MUP) on alcohol consumption and harm in Wales. We found that increasing MUP would reduce harms, but inflation erodes its value. Read our news story for more on our findings 👇 #AlcoholPolicy

New report on minimum unit pricing for alcohol in Wales - Sheffield Addictions Research Group

The Sheffield Addictions Research Group (SARG) has published a major new report that models the impact of alcohol pricing policies on alcohol consumption and harm in Wales.

sarg-sheffield.ac.uk

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SARG - SCHARR @sarg-scharr.bsky.social · Aug 18

"What makes gen Z slightly distinct as a generation is their attitude towards risk." SARG researcher @soc-researcher.bsky.social is quoted in this @theguardian.com article exploring the possible explanations for the recent increase in gen Z's alcohol consumption. #alcoholresearch

Booze up: is gen Z’s ‘sensible’ relationship with alcohol moving towards hedonism?

Reports those born between 1997 and 2012 are ditching clean-living ways don’t tell whole story, say experts

www.theguardian.com

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SARG - SCHARR @sarg-scharr.bsky.social · Aug 4

📢 New research from our @nihr.bsky.social-funded No/Lo Project! Led by @aishamoolla.bsky.social, this study found that January sees a temporary shift in consumer behaviour, with increased no/lo sales and decreased alcohol sales, but these changes don't appear to be sustained over time. #PublicHealth

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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SARG - SCHARR @sarg-scharr.bsky.social · Jul 31

The first issue of our STAR Project email newsletter has just landed: mailchi.mp/4b25e31d24b0... Sign up to receive future issues here: sarg-sheffield.ac.uk/star/#star-s... The STAR Project aims to ensure that young people's voices are at the heart of local tobacco and vaping policies. #PublicHealth

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SARG - SCHARR @sarg-scharr.bsky.social · Jul 28

This new @bmj.com article includes findings from our Youth Drinking in Decline project, with quotes from SARG Director @jholmessheff.bsky.social on both the decline in youth drinking and the rise of alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks. #publichealth

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SARG - SCHARR @sarg-scharr.bsky.social · Jul 24

Great blog post from SARG's @voodooeconomics.bsky.social explaining some of the latest findings from our @nihr.bsky.social funded project 'Reforming alcohol taxes in a cost-of-living crisis'. Find out more about the project on our website 👇 #publichealth @fohsheffield.bsky.social

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Reposted by SARG - SCHARR

Institute of Alcohol Studies @ias.org.uk · Jul 17

Do we know if the decline in youth drinking follows through into people's 20s?

Learn all you need to know about the decline in youth drinking in our latest podcast with Prof @jholmessheff.bsky.social and Dr @amypennay.bsky.social

Listen here: www.ias.org.uk/podcast/why-...

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Reposted by SARG - SCHARR

Colin Angus @victimofmaths.bsky.social · Jul 17

New inflation figures yesterday and I haven't posted this graph for a while, so here we go - average changes in price of food and drink categories since Jan 2021 relative to overall inflation.

Wine, spirits and beer have all risen below inflation and less than most other food and drink.

A line chart showing the relative change in real-terms prices, based on CPI inflation figures published by ONS, since January 2021 for all food and drink categories. Oils and fats have risen by 40% above overall inflation, most other foor and drink categories have risen faster than overall inflation by between 5-15%. However, beer, wine and spirits have risen by less than overall inflation - i.e. they have got cheaper in real terms - with beer prices rising 2% less than overall CPI, spirits by 6% less and wine by 7.5% less.

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SARG - SCHARR @sarg-scharr.bsky.social · Jul 16

The STAR Project is all about co-developing practical ways to include youth voices in local vaping and tobacco policymaking. ✉️ Sign up to our email newsletter for regular updates: sarg-sheffield.ac.uk/star/#star-s... @nihrsphr.bsky.social #PublicHealth

Supporting tobacco and vaping policymaking by including youth voices in local authority responses to new national legislation (STAR) - Sheffield Addictions Research Group

The STAR project aims to understand how local authorities can effectively incorporate youth voices in the development of policies related to the new national tobacco and vaping legislation.

sarg-sheffield.ac.uk

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SARG - SCHARR @sarg-scharr.bsky.social · Jul 15

This new paper led by @sophiebright.bsky.social introduces the Intersectional Alcohol Inequities Framework (IAIF), a conceptual tool designed to visually illustrate how diverse factors across multiple levels and domains intersect to shape inequities in alcohol consumption and related harms.

Applying an intersectional lens to alcohol inequities: A conceptual framework

Background Prior research has demonstrated substantial inequities in alcohol consumption, alcohol-related harms, and mortality. These inequities arise from a complex interplay of factors, unlikely a.....

doi.org

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Reposted by SARG - SCHARR

Matt Field @fieldmatt.bsky.social · Jul 14

New paper from myself and Matt Gaskell (Northern Gambling Clinics) out today.

Commentary on excellent article from Phil Newall.

Perhaps of interest if you like your commercial determinants of health applied to addiction.

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

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