Alcohol Health Alliance UK

YouTube video by It's Complicated How alcohol brands avoid advertising bans

How do alcohol brands use no- and low-alcohol options to dodge advertising restrictions?

@theguardian.com explains...

www.youtube.com/shorts/Nzg7r...

Health leaders call for minimum unit pricing in Northern Ireland Health leaders call on First Minister to introduce minimum unit pricing after record alcohol deaths in Northern Ireland

Proud to have signed @aha-uk.bsky.social letter to the First Minister and Deputy First Minister in Northern Ireland calling for urgent action on alcohol harm, inc Minimum Unit Pricing alongside action on labelling, alcohol duty & treatment access ➡️ bit.ly/4s19afV

Really glad to be a co-signatory on this and important that the impact of alcohol on health continues to be emphasised

Alcohol-specific deaths in Northern Ireland are at record highs.

BMA Northern Ireland is a proud signatory to this joint letter calling for urgent action: minimum unit pricing, mandatory labelling, increased alcohol duty and improved treatment access.

The View - 19/02/2026 Mark Carruthers and guests provide comment and expert analysis on political news.

Dr Joy Watson, chair of the Addictions Faculty at
@rcpsych.bsky.social, and one of the letter's signatories appeared on BBC NI's flagship political programme, The View to discuss this issue.

📺 www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...

@shaapalcohol.bsky.social's Chair and @sheilagilheany.bsky.social joined the BBC to discuss the letter, evidence from Scotland, why Northern Ireland is stalling, and common misconceptions of MUP such as 'penalising the poor'.

📻 Listen in full: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/... 14mins in.

Health leaders call for minimum unit pricing in Northern Ireland Health leaders call on First Minister to introduce minimum unit pricing after record alcohol deaths in Northern Ireland

These escalating deaths are preventable. We know what works to save lives, we just need the political will to act. Northern Ireland cannot delay any longer.

Full letter available 👇
ahauk.org/news/mup-nor...

📢 After alcohol-specific deaths reached record highs in Northern Ireland, the AHA sent a joint letter to the First and Dept First Minister calling for urgent action to save lives.

We call for minimum unit pricing, alongside mandatory labelling, increased alcohol duty and better treatment access.

Rise in alcohol deaths in young people concerning, says NI doctor Deaths in Northern Ireland caused exclusively by alcohol has increased by 81% in 10 years.

📈New data shows that alcohol-specific deaths have risen again in Northern Ireland, to the higest on record.

With an 81% rise in deaths exclusively caused by alcohol in the last decade, we urge the goverment to join Scotland and Wales in introducing Minimum Unit Pricing to help save lives.

ICYMI: New @StirUni research discovers the insidious impact of alcohol marketing on young people. @RickPurves explains more below

More info 👉 brnw.ch/21wZG85

AHA responds to National Cancer Plan for England - Alcohol Health Alliance AHA calls for the government to go further and faster to prevent alcohol-related cancers in response to the National Cancer Plan for England.

📢In response to the National Cancer Plan for England, Sir Ian Gilmore welcomes the recommitment to health warnings on alcohol labels, but says this alone will not go far enough to prevent the tens of thousands of annual cancer cases linked to alcohol.

Full statement 👇
ahauk.org/news/aha-res...

On #WorldCancerDay, we're pleased to see health warnings on alcohol labels in the National Cancer Plan.

Alcohol is causally linked to 7 common cancers, yet public awareness is worryingly low. This is the first step to address this.

Here's why we need mandatory cancer warnings on alcohol labels 👇

Nigel Farage wants to cut price of beer by reinstating two-child benefit cap Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has pledged to reinstate the two-child limit on benefits to pay for a 5p cut off pints of beer to boost pubs.

Reform’s plans to push half a million children into poverty to fund a suite of hospitality tax cuts are indefensible.

✒️ @henryippr.bsky.social spoke to the @bigissue.com 👇

www.bigissue.com/news/politic...

An important report that exposes how the powerful alcohol industry disrupts, delays and, in this case, completely disappears policies that would benefit our health but risk their profits.

The alcohol industry must not be involved in health policymaking. The fox cannot be in charge of the hen house.

One in four adults in England do not drink alcohol, survey finds Questionnaire completed by 10,000 people finds sobriety on rise, with women slightly more abstemious than men

This is encouraging news. But deaths from alcohol remain unnacceptably and stubbornly high.

Our economy and productivity, our NHS and public services, our communities and loved ones are still reeling from the impacts of alcohol harm.

Government cannot see this as job done.

Scratching the surface – what factors underpin public support for public health policies? - ASH This analysis of polling by by Public First for Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), the Obesity Health Alliance (OHA) and the Alcohol Health Alliance (AHA) explores the factors that underpin public su...

Our new polling with @ashorguk.bsky.social & @oha-updates.bsky.social shows that nanny-state fears don't stick with the public when it comes to health policies.

People want policies that reduce pressure on the NHS and tackle harmful industry practices — even if it changes choice or raises prices 👇

Why we should have cancer warnings on alcohol - Institute of Alcohol Studies With the UK Government planning on introducing health warnings on alcohol labels, Professor Simone Pettigrew looks at the evidence around informing people of the link between alcohol and cancer on-lab...

Alcohol causes cancer - yet most people don’t know it.

In our latest blog, Professor Simone Pettigrew sets out the evidence and explains why clear cancer warnings on alcohol are a simple, effective way to save lives.

www.ias.org.uk/2026/01/27/w... @georgeinstitute.bsky.social

Bowel cancer is the 2nd most common cause of cancer death in the UK. Alcohol increases cancer risk but most people don't know it.

The UK government has two clear opportunities on the tables to address this...

With a commitment to health warnings on alcohol labelling made in the NHS 10 year health plan, legislation must specify the inclusion of clear messaging on the link between alcohol and cancer. People have a right to know.

With the National Cancer Plan due soon, it's vital that alcohol consimption is addressed as a major preventable risk using evidence-based policies on price, availability and marketing.

📢 New research shows that people with an average lifetime alcohol intake of 14 or more drinks per week significantly increase their risk of colorectal (bowel) cancer compared to those who consume one drink or less per week.

Study 👇https://acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cncr.70201

Sunday Morning Live - Series 16: 11/01/2026 Is citizenship a right or a privilege? Is it ever okay to drink and drive? Plus, the circus performers whose tricks don’t always go to plan.

"This is no longer about the transport police, this is about the fun police" - Mark Littlewood of Popular Conservatism opposes lower drink-drive limits.

His idea of fun is a night that is 6x more likely to end in a fatal crash 🧐
Ours is one where everyone gets home alive.

Well done #ACUK!
📺36:00

Drink and Drug Driving: Time to lower the limit Drink and drug driving in the UK remains unacceptably high. Police and Crime Commissioners tell us why it's time to lower the limit.

"These are not just statistics – 260 lives were taken from us in 2023."

In our latest blog, PPCs Joy Allen and David Sidwick explain why reforms on drink and drug driving must be backed by proper enforcement and public education if it is to reduce road deaths and improve safety for all.
#RoadSafety

Excellent points made by Jem Roberts addressing the accusations that lowering the drink-drive limit will lead to pub closures.👏

The evidence shows there's minimal economic impact on hospitality after lowering the limit. But when coupled with proper enforcement, big impacts on RTCs and deaths.

World at One - 07/01/2026 - BBC Sounds News, analysis and comment from BBC Radio 4

Listen to Dr Katherine Severi discuss evidence around reducing the drink-drive limit and why it wouldn't be bad for rural pubs. From 32:30.

www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

📢 New road safety strategy to consult on lowering the drink-drive limit

We have the highest limit in Europe, so are pleased government aims to bring us in line with Scotland and other EU nations.

Reducing the limit is a vital step toward saving lives on our roads.

ahauk.org/news/aha-res...

We've long campaigned for alcohol to be included in the marketing restrictions for high fat, salt and sugar products.

Some alcohol products exceed 100% of the daily recommended sugar intake, and provide no nutritional benefits.

This is a missed opportunity to further protect the nations health.

Signing off for the year 💫

Thank you to our members, partners, supporters and campaigners for your continued commitment to reducing alcohol harm.

We're signing off social media, back on the 5th of January.

Wishing everyone a safe and peaceful festive season and a healthy start to the new year. 💙

Drink and Drug Driving: Time to lower the limit Drink and drug driving in the UK remains unacceptably high. Police and Crime Commissioners tell us why it's time to lower the limit.

"These are not just statistics – 260 lives were taken from us in 2023."

In this new blog, PPCs Joy Allen and David Sidwick explain why the Government's upcoming Road Safety Strategy must include reforms on drink and drug driving to reduce deaths and improve safety for all.
ahauk.org/drink-and-dr...

Statistics from the Northern Ireland Substance misuse database: 2024/25 The Department of Health today published “Statistics from the Northern Ireland Substance Misuse Database: 2024/25 (Official statistics in development)” report and accompanying statistical tables.

📊The Department of Health NI has released new data on people seeking support substance use for 2024/25.

Data gaps remain, but these figures help point to where support, prevention, and policy action on alcohol harm in NI are most needed.

www.health-ni.gov.uk/news/statist...

Stay up-to-date with the latest news from the AHA and its members. In this edition:

📑New @ias.org.uk report on barriers to recovery
🔊George Freeman MP Westminster Hall speech
📈Research reveals rising youth drinking in Ireland
🎟️Events and more!

▶️https://ahauk.org/news/aha-bulletin-december-2025/

Menopause and Alcohol: Why we need to talk Many women use alcohol to cope with the physical & emotional symptoms of menopause and midlife events. How can we better support these women?

♀️ For many women, alcohol is used to cope with the physical and emotional symptoms of menopause and other life events.

In this blog, Dr Abi Rose explains how alcohol fits into women’s midlife experiences and why it’s time to bring alcohol into the menopause conversation.

ahauk.org/menopause-an...

Birmingham Punjabi man 'would drink and not want to wake up' Navraj Singh sought help for his alcohol addiction, but found Asian people were underrepresented.

SHAAP, @scottishfamilies.bsky.social, & SRC hosted an event last month on cultivating culturally appropriate alcohol services for Black and Asian communities in Scotland.

Keep an eye out for the event report which will include recommendations for policy and practice.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...