The consumption of alcohol carries a risk of adverse health and social consequences related to its intoxicating, toxic and dependence-producing properties (WHO).

When assessing alcohol-related harm estimates primarily focus on the individual who is consuming alcohol.

A recent study conducted by researchers from the Institute for Therapy Research in Bayern has investigated the most severe harms that alcohol use may cause to people in Germany other than the drinker.

Dr Ludwig Kraus, the corresponding author, described the research: "This study estimates some of the most severe harms...

Abstract

In this article, we approach the botellón phenomenon as a widespread nightlife activity among Spanish youths. Botellón consists of youths meeting up, primarily on weekend nights, in open-air public spaces to talk and consume the alcoholic beverages that they have prepared. The objective of this study was to analyze the motives, attitudes, and consequences related to the practice of botellón during the leisure time of youth. A qualitative methodology has been used and speeches from 80 young people aged 14 years to 24 years have been analyzed in Seville (Southern Spain). These...

Harmful alcohol consumption during adolescence poses a major public health issue as it affects several aspects of young peoples’ health and wellbeing.

A recent study, published in the Journal of Mental Health and Prevention, has examined the prevalence of problem alcohol use and risk factors associated with initiation of alcohol use in a sample (N = 1984) of school-aged adolescents in Ghana. The researchers examined the association between alcohol use behaviour and factors such as age, gender, suicidal thoughts, loneliness a, d interpersonal issues.

Results from the study found that: 

Gene-environment interactions occur when different surroundings make it more or less likely for a particular trait or disorder to develop.

The concept of ‘alcogenic’ environments describes features, such as alcohol outlet density or marketing, which influence patterns of alcohol consumption.

A recent study, which analysed longitudinal data of 18–26-year-olds, has examined the link between genetic variation in alcohol problems and the number of alcohol outlets in a community.

The results from the study found that:

• There was evidence to suggest that the extent of genetic and...