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Tag: alcohol

  • Demi Lovtao Opens Up About Past Drug Use

    Demi Lovtao Opens Up About Past Drug Use

    Demi Lovato is a prime example of one of the many Disney stars gone bad. However, what makes Lovato different than the others, is that she knew when she needed to clean her act up. During a recent interview with Access Hollywood, Lovato opened up about her past drug use, even admitting that she used to smuggle cocaine onto planes.

    Lovato, who recently finished writing her memoir titled, Staying Strong: 365 Days a Year, discussed her dark past, and what it took for her to finally realize that she had a serious problem.

    “Something I’ve never talked about before, but with my drug use I could hide it to where I would sneak drugs. I couldn’t go without 30 minutes to an hour without cocaine and I would bring it on airplanes,” she said. “I would smuggle it basically and just wait until everyone in first class would go to sleep and I would do it right there. I’d sneak to the bathroom and I’d do it. That’s how difficult it got and that was even with somebody with me, I had a sober companion, somebody who was watching me 24/7 and living with me and I was able to hide it from them as well.”

    It was when she was drinking Vodka out of a Sprite bottle, at 9:00 in the morning, that she realized that she needed help. “I was going to the airport and I had a Sprite bottle just filled with vodka and it was just nine in the morning and I was throwing up in the car and this was just to get on a plane to go back to LA to the sober living house that I was staying at…I had all the help in the world, but I didn’t want it,” she said. “When I hit that moment I was like, it’s no longer fun when you’re doing it alone. I’ve really never talked about this stuff before… I don’t know if I should be sharing this. I think at 19 years old, I had a moment where I was like, ‘Oh my God… that is alcoholic behavior. [It’s] no longer, I’m young and rebellious and out having fun, it was, wow, I’m one of those people…I gotta get my s*** together,’” she explained.

    She also revealed that she was so good at manipulating the people around her that no one realized what was really going on in her life. “I’m very, very good at manipulating people and that was something that I did in my disease, I would manipulate everyone around me. There were times I would just continue to lie, so that everything looked OK on the outside.”

    Although she did her best at hiding her drug and alcohol use, there are just some things that you can’t hide from your mother. “I suspected she was using drugs. It’s like any other parent, when you see things, when you see signs you don’t want to believe that’s what actually going on. So when they’re telling you that’s not what is going on… you want too badly to believe them and I think for a long time I was in denial,” Lovato’s mother Dianna said. “I didn’t know. I didn’t actually see her, so when she said, ‘Oh no, There’s nothing going on. I’m not using, I’m not drinking, I wasn’t doing any of these things,’ Why was I not to believe her?” Dianna continued.

    Luckily, Lovato was able to seek the help she needed, and after completing a stint in a rehab facility in 2010, she has finally got her life back on track. Her book, which was released on November 19, documents her struggles and she says she hopes that it can “help other people in the industry that are headed down the wrong path.”

    Image via Twitter

  • Twitter Makes You Enter Your Age to Follow Booze Brands

    I’d be willing to bet that almost every single internet user is familiar with the ol’ age verification roadblock. You know, that whole “enter you age” to proceed prompt that’s likely to exist on sites containing violent content, porn, or adult libations.

    Starting today, that age check is coming to Twitter. Well, at least for the latter category. Now, in order to follow alcohol brands, you’ll be forced to enter in your date of birth so that Twitter can make sure you’re 21 or older.

    According to Twitter, the new age-screening will be useful in upcoming ad campaigns from big-name producers.

    “To begin, we’ve partnered with brands like Bud Light, Jim Beam, Knob Creek, Heineken, and Bacardi, who are integrating the tool into their overall Twitter ad strategy. For example, Bud Light is using age-screened Promoted Accounts to reach people who are 21 and older and interested in the NFL during their #whatsyoursuperstition campaign, while Knob Creek is using it to launch their small batch bourbon brand on Twitter,” says Twitter Product Manager Tarun Jain.

    Note, Twitter does not require and will not store your date of birth. According to them “once you have successfully passed the age-screen…Twitter will remember that your account met the age requirement without keeping your DOB.” So if you were to tell a little white lie, kiddos, Twitter probably won’t catch you on it.

    Still, it’s simply one extra step between underage users and content about alcoholic beverages. And it’s a quick and easy safeguard for Twitter and Jim Beam to say that they’re not trying to market bourbon to teens.

    “Our hope is that this approach to age-screening will enable alcohol brands to responsibly and safely connect with the right audience on Twitter,” says Twitter.

  • Amsterdam Alcoholics Paid with You Guessed it-Beer

    Amsterdam has taken the old adage, “If you can’t beat them, join them,” and ran with it. In order to ensure that the streets of Amsterdam are clean, officials have hired alcoholics to clean the streets, and decidedly chosen a rather unconventional method to pay the workers. After putting in a day of hard work, the men who have been hired will receive the standard expected payment of 10 euros, which is close to $13.

    However, that is not all. The men will also receive half of a packet of rolling tobacco in addition to the coveted five cans of beer. The beer will be distributed in segments throughout the day as a means to continually encourage the work. Two cans will be given at the beginning of the day while two cans will be reserved for the lunch period. The fifth can of beer will be distributed after the full day of work has been completed. Not bad for a hard day’s work!

    Though the decision to employ such a method may seem cavalier, the underlying principle behind the effort took much consideration. According to the head of the Rainbow Foundation project, Gerrie Holterman, there is a methodical society-benefiting purpose for instigating such a plan, which she shared with AFP. “This group of chronic alcoholics was causing a nuisance in Amsterdam’s Oosterpark: fights, noise, disagreeable comments to women. The aim is to keep them occupied, to get them doing something so they no longer cause trouble at the park,” Holterman said.

    Frank, one of the men signed on to participate in the project, explained why such an idea could potentially have positive results. “Lots of us haven’t had any structure in our lives for years, we just don’t know what it is, and so this is good for us. When we leave here, we go to the supermarket and transform the 10 euros we earned into beers.”

    The program is sponsored by the government as well as public donations, and sure has gotten the public talking.

    [Image Via Wikimedia Commons]

  • Uma Thurman Red Hot In 2014 Campari Calendar

    Uma Thurman was in sizzling shape and style on Sunday when she attended the launch presentation of the 2014 Campari Calendar in Milan, Italy.

    The unveiling of the full range of highly anticipated imagery of the 2014 Campari calendar featuring Uma Thurman and photographed by the famous photographer Koto Bolofo was themed “Worldwide Celebrations,” and it marked the 15th edition of the prestigious calendar collection.

    About The Photographer

    The 43 year old Hollywood actress looked quite sophisticated in creations by fashion houses such as Versace, Stella McCartney and Vivienne Westwood. “Each image reflects a different moment and culture,” Thurman remarked. “One of my aspirations in life is to travel the world. Each place has an energy.”

    Making of the Campari Calendar 2014

    The 2014 calendar is simply awesome as it paints a stunning portrait of various global cultures and invites its fans to engage in a global journey of discovery. Uma Thurman makes her mark as Campari’s glamorous heroin decorated in a collection of adorable and fashionable dresses, and other forms of clothing from the world’s top fashion designers.

     “The 2014 Campari Calendar is a stunning piece of artwork. It conveys the positive energy and pleasure that Campari lovers around the world enjoy through worldwide celebrations of culture in such a striking and powerful fashion,” Thurman said.

    Others who have graced the traditional calendar in the past include Penelope Cruz, Eva Mendes, Salma Hayek and Jessica Alba. Most of the calendar’s past beauties have been brunettes but 2014 will be different with blond stunner Uma Thurman.

    (main photo via YouTube.com)

  • Want to Get Drunk, But Avoid a Hangover? There Might Be a Pill for That Soon.

    Have you ever wished that you could get the buzz that comes after a few drinks without actually drinking? Even people who don’t necessarily like drinking a lot often find themselves in situations where they want a few drinks to fit into the social scene or to get up the courage to talk to someone of the opposite sex. A professor in Britain believes that an alcohol substitute that provides a buzz without the negative side effects could be in our near future.

    David Nutt, a professor of neuropsychopharmacology, is working on a compound that makes a person feel like he has had a few drinks without actually ingesting alcohol. The compound is in the developmental stages, but it’s possible that it could be released in pill form or as a drink (for those who like the taste of cocktails, but want a healthier alternative) in the future. Not only is Nutt working on the alcohol substitute, he is also working on a pill that can sober up a person in just minutes.

    This all seems really far-fetched, but Nutt says he has taken the compound he is working on and it worked just fine. “After exploring one possible compound I was quite relaxed and sleepily inebriated for an hour or so,” Nutt said. “Then within minutes of taking the antidote I was up giving a lecture with no impairment whatsoever.”

    While it might seem that Nutt is looking to create a world full of (temporary) drunks, he is primarily interested in protecting people from all of the negative side effects of consuming alcohol, without taking away the buzz they’re chasing. According to the World Health Organization, alcohol use results in 2.5 million deaths per year. Nutt points out in his article that this is more lives than AIDS claims per year.

    Aside from potentially saving lives, Nutt’s compound could also decrease the chances of a host of illnesses related to heavy or prolonged alcohol consumption, including organ damage, cancer, anemia, depression and decreased mental functioning. The compound also has positive implications for non-drinkers, as Nutt’s compound and sobriety pill could decrease instances of drunk driving, which is a factor in around 10,000 deaths per year in the U.S.

    It seems that Nutt’s alcohol substitute is close to being ready to go, if he is able to get enough investors, but would the government go for such a pill? State and local governments in the U.S. reportedly generate $5.6 billion per year from taxing alcohol sales.

    Would you replace your alcoholic beverage of choice with Nutt’s substitute? Post your comments below.

    [Image via YouTube]

  • Vikings Wide Receiver Jerome Simpson Arrested on DWI Charge

    Jerome Simpson, wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings, was arrested early Saturday morning on suspicion of driving while intoxicated.

    It all started when a Minnesota State Patrol trooper responded to a report of a stalled vehicle on Interstate 394 heading west out of downtown Minneapolis. When the trooper arrived, Simpson got out of the stalled red Dodge Charger. The trooper observed that Simpson’s speech was slurred and his eyes were watery.

    Simpson said he’d been at the Pour House, a popular downtown Minneapolis bar, and despite his claims not to have been drinking, the trooper administered a field sobriety test. Obviously the test didn’t go so well for Simpson, because he was arrested and later booked at the Hennepin County jail where he refused to take a breath test.

    He was released Saturday afternoon on $12,000 bond.

    The Vikings issued a bare-bones statement regarding the incident: “The Vikings are aware of the matter involving Jerome Simpson. We are continuing to gather information and will have further comment at the appropriate time.”

    This isn’t the first time Simpson has had a run-in with the law. In fact, he’s currently serving out three years of probation from an incident that occurred in September, 2011. At the time, Simpson was playing for the Cincinnati Bengals and living in a Kentucky suburb. A special task force tracked a 2-1/2 pound package of marijuana from a Sacramento, California mail sorting facility to Simpson’s townhome.

    Simpson was a little more forthcoming during that incident. He allowed police to search the premises. They found another six pounds of marijuana and empty parcels, scales, and packaging materials. According to Tommy LaNier, head of the National Marijuana Initiative, the house appeared to be “set up as a potential distribution network.”

    The NFL responded by suspending Simpson for three games in accordance with their substance abuse policy. The suspension came immediately after Simpson had signed on for a year with the Vikings. At the time, Vikings general manager Rick Spielman stood by his new wide receiver:

    “We did a lot of research. I think you guys know us well enough now that we have had success with guys with character issues that have come into this organization and have been very productive, not only on the field but as citizens.”

    Spielman was careful not to condone Simpson’s actions, though: “Every person we talked to stood by the kid’s character. Not standing by the mistake he made, but by what this kid’s character is …”

    As far as his performance on the field goes, Simpson didn’t let the Vikings down. Though he has yet to score a touchdown, he leads the team with 491 yards receiving this season.

    Some Vikings fans are hoping that the fall-out from Simpson’s weekend arrest will result in increased playing time for first round draft pick Cordarrelle Patterson.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • How Prohibition Made Soda the King of Beverages

    A new book by author Tristan Donovan called Fizz: How Soda Shook Up The World was excerpted this week in the Atlantic, and he argues that Coca-Cola has the 1920’s Prohibition movement to thank for its rise to glory.

    As most history buffs will tell you, the 1919 enactment of the Volstead Act (a product of the Temperance Union combined with the Anti-Saloon League) ushered the United States into an era of alcohol prohibition. Shortly after it was passed, the pharmacy/drug store became the first stop on the road to getting hammered.

    Donovan writes that “in 1921 alone, pharmacists withdrew more than eight million gallons of medicinal whiskey from federal warehouses, twenty times the amount they dispensed before Prohibition.”

    Prohibition agents quickly got wise to the scheme, and “suspect medicine” started being rapidly seized from local pharmacies. Donovan notes one 1929 raid in Meridian, MS that netted the feds a soda fountain liquor ring after reports of young men and women “getting hilarious” while drinking Coca-Cola.

    The fountains in question dispensed a mixture of Coke and something called “Jake,” a dangerous black-market alcohol concoction. Jake was made from fermented Jamaican ginger plants, but it contained a highly toxic adulterant that was supposed to fool the feds. After a couple weeks of selling Jake-laced cola, between 15,000 and 100,000 people were rendered impotent or crippled for life from the toxic effects (the way these people walked would be referred to as “Jake leg”).

    As any teenager could tell you, when adults say you shouldn’t have something, one often simply wants the forbidden fruit that much more. The Jazz Age appeal of drinking saw hundreds of people of both sexes and all ages booze their way through Prohibition using mixed drinks and chasers, which were uncommon until alcohol was illegal.

    Donovan wrote, “In speakeasies they would order “set ups” of cracked ice and ginger ale or club soda into which they could discreetly slip a measure of bathtub spirit from their handy and oh-so-chichi hip flasks. Cola may have overtaken ginger ale as America’s favorite fizz by the dawn of the Jazz Age, but the appeal of the latter as a mixer drove its sales to new highs in the 1920s.”

    Nobody knows exactly where ginger ale came from, but most attribute its origins to an American apothecary named Dr. Thomas Cantrell, who popularized a sweet, dark, yeast-fermented drink around 1850. A second beverage inspired by Cantrell’s, Vernor’s 1866 ginger ale, had created a reputation for being so fizzy that its consumers often sneezed. Vernor’s still exists today as America’s oldest soda brand.

    Neither of their ginger ales held a candle to the third brand, none other than Canada Dry. Created by a Canadian pharmacist named John McLaughlin, he promoted his ale as “the champagne of ginger ales” at the suggestion of his wife.

    Ginger ale became one of the most popular mixers. Indeed, it became so popular that in 1923, two businessmen from either side of the Canada-U.S. border decided to buy his business for a million in cash. They directly appealed their business to Prohibition-era drinkers, and in under 4 years, sales of 1.7 million bottles turned into 1926’s 50 million. Surveys of the era suggested three out of four ginger ale bottles were used by alcohol drinkers to mask the taste of bootleg liquor.

    None of the ginger ales, however, could compare with the empire that would become Coca-Cola. If you want to read more about the fantastic journey of soda pop, which includes many curious anecdotes about the beginnings of the Coca-Cola corporation’s modern advertising campaign, you should check it out here.

    [Image via Wikimedia Commons]

  • Churches Now Attracting Members With Free Beer

    NPR reports that while some churches are dealing with the problem of a dwindling congregation, others are trying to create a new kind of Christian community: one dedicated to good beer.

    Church-in-a-Pub, as it’s being affectionately called, sounds like quite a fun Sunday. “I find the love, I find the support, I find the non-judgmental eyes when I come here, and I find friends that love God, love craft beer,” said one worship leader, 28-year-old leasing agent Leah Stanfield.

    Every Sunday, between 30 and 40 people meet at Zio Carlo’s brewpub to share pizza, pints, prayer, and communion — all as part of the regular service. This Ft. Worth, TX outfit of Church-in-a-Pub is sponsored by Pastor Philip Heinze and the Calvary Lutheran Church.

    Obviously, some people who go out for Sunday night drinking are a bit surprised when they enter the bar and find a church service taking place. Bartender Les Bennett describes a typical scene: “I tell ’em, it’s a church service, and they’re, like, ‘In a pub?’ And I’m, like, yeah. Some of ’em stick around for trivia, some of ’em take off, some of ’em will hang out and have another pint or two.”

    If people are interested in hanging around, then one of Church-in-a-Pub’s goals has already been accomplished; if some random person decides to nurse their beer, they overhear the Gospel of Luke, and see some people line up for bread and wine, they may get curious.

    Heinze is well aware of the controversy of the edgy missionary work, but it doesn’t seem to bother him. “I’m not interested, frankly, in making more church members,” he says. “I’m interested in having people have significant relationships around Jesus. And if it turns out to be craft beer, fine.”

    Heinze believes the “institutional church now is getting onboard because there’s a lot of anxiety frankly about the church’s decline and they’re trying to think outside of that institutional box.”

    A similar mission in Oregon holds an aptly titled event named Beer and Hymns once a month at the First Christian Church in Portland; they get about 100 people a night, but chances are your grandmother and her friends won’t be seen there. Young people, tasting homemade stout at a two-drink limit, are joyously singing traditional hymns like Be Thou My Vision.

    The Christian Church Disciples of Christ, which has deeply felt the membership decline, hopes that Beer and Hymns will keep growing in popularity. One longtime church member, 78-year-old Rodney Page, embraced the change enthusiastically. “I know that initially there were some people who had some trepidation. This church has had a history and background of being anti-alcohol, so it took some convincing for some people. But eventually people went ahead with it and it’s been a great success.”

    Will the beer-drinking Christian congregation become a regular sight? Go here to check out the full NPR piece and find out.

    [Image via Wikimedia Commons]

  • Wine Shortage Looms Across The Globe

    Wine Shortage Looms Across The Globe

    Just in time for Halloween, a spooky threat looms across wine enthusiasts world-wide; the threat of a global wine shortage. Thanks to a popularity spike in both the United States and China, people are drinking more fermented grape juice than the market can keep up with. Consumption has quadrupled in both of these areas over the past five years, while the homes of the vineyards that supply this guzzling habit, like Italy, Spain, and and France, are facing trouble keeping up with demands due to poor harvests, land disputes, and bad weather.

    The supply has only “barely exceeded demand” for a while in the states, as well; and consumption has been rising steadily over the years. This makes way for grade-school level economics; demand goes up, production goes down, and prices shoot through the roof.

    It’s not as if wine producers aren’t trying, however. There are about one million wine producers on a global scale, and they make a combined output of 2.8 billion cases each year. Despite all this production, wine sales are facing an under supply of about 300 million cases each year, and poor weather conditions, as well as other troubles mentioned above, are making the toll even heavier as European areas, which supply about half of the world’s wine, are negatively affected. That spells out trouble for wine lovers everywhere.

    Unfortunately, it looks like things must get worse before they start to get better; grape crops will need to improve in Europe or “new world” areas, such as the United States, Australia, and South Africa, will need to step up their game and yield larger crops.

    This unfortunate news has some New Yorkers “shuddering at the thought of a world without cheap wine,” but many still seem resilient in the face of such a crisis. Makeup artist Natasha Liebel was quoted as saying, “It would be horrible, but we can survive without it. New Yorkers are resilient. — there’s always beer or tequila.” Daniel Benca, another wine enthusiast, chimed in by saying, “I’d just make my own. Hopefully there’s no grape shortage.”

    [Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.]

  • Binge Drinking Linked to Increased Stroke Risks in New Study

    Though the health repercussions and costs of binge drinking have been known for years, researchers are just now coming to grips with how the practice can affect the human body. A new study has now revealed that binge drinking, even relatively rarely, can have serious health consequences.

    The study, published in the Journal of Neurology, showed that middle-aged men who binge drink were observed to have increased atherosclerotic progression. Atherosclerosis is a vascular disease in which artery wall thicken with fatty material such as cholesterol. The condition has been linked to both heart attacks and strokes. BInge drinking in the study was defined as having six or more drinks on one occasion.

    In addition, the study found that men who had had at least one hangover per year were at a greater risk of stroke. The increased risk seen was not dependent on the total amount of alcohol the men had drank. On top of this, men with hypertension or who were overweight increased their risk of stroke even more by drinking.

    The study was a follow-up to the FinDrink study, which looked at 2,600 men from eastern Finland. The men participated in the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study for between 11 and 20 years. The men’s alcohol consumption was reviewed using the Nordic alcohol consumption inventory, while Finnish and World Health Organization records were used to establish stroke and death data.

  • Amazon Now Shipping Wine to NY, MI, AZ, & LA

    Amazon Now Shipping Wine to NY, MI, AZ, & LA

    Shipping alcohol across state lines is a tricky business, so you would expect that Amazon’s Wine Marketplace venture would continually be adding new, eligible locations – little by little.

    And that’s exactly what’s happening. Today, Amazon has announced that they can now ship wine to four new states – New York, Michigan, Arizona, and Louisiana. That brings the total number of states where Amazon can ship wine to 20 (plus the District of Columbia) – Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming.

    Amazon first launched their new Wine Marketplace back in November of 2012 with 12 states on board. Customers can browse wines from over 700 individual sellers across the country, offering over 5,000 individual wines.

    The addition of these four new markets arrives at just the right time for Amazon (and the participating wineries).

    “The holiday season is a busy time, and it’s a huge time saver for millions of customers to have access to thousands of high-quality wines while they’re shopping for that special gift on Amazon. We’re excited for our customers to be able to browse our vast selection of boutique and prestigious labels through the Amazon Wine store,” said Peter Faricy, vice president for Amazon Marketplace. “Our customers tell us they enjoy our wine-country selection and the convenience of finding detailed information in one place. We want to connect customers with wine sellers around the country and provide a destination where they can learn about and purchase wines directly from great wineries on Amazon.”

    Who doesn’t need a drink (or 700) during the holidays?

    Earlier this year, Amazon added Texas to the list of wine-producing states inside their marketplace.

    If you’re wondering why your state isn’t able to get wine shipments via Amazon’s Wine Marketplace, well, here’s why:

    When you order wine on Amazon.com, you’re ordering directly from a third-party wine seller. Each wine seller operates under its own set of permits and determines which states it will ship to.

    Some states (like mine) do not allow for wine and other alcohol to be shipped directly from producer to consumer. It’s a dumb type of law, really, and it exists in way too many locations. For now, all you can do is call your local representation and get the slow wheels of congressional change a turnin’.

    Image via Thinkstock

  • Jennifer Hudson Sober: Actress Reveals She’s Never Had a Drop to Drink

    Singer and actress Jennifer Hudson shocked Chelsea Handler during an interview on Chelsea Lately with the revelation that not only has she never been drunk, she’s never had so much as a drop of alcohol to drink. Ever.

    That’s hard to believe considering 2 out of 3 adults have an alcoholic beverage on a regular basis, but that’s exactly what the Dreamgirls Oscar winner told Handler while discussing her upcoming movie, The Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete.

    “I love this new movie,” Chelsea Handler said during the interview. “It’s great because you play a heroin addict, which is the only drug I’ve never tried. You’ve never done heroin?” That seems like a strange question to ask, but Handler was curious as to where Hudson drew her acting inspiration.

    “I’ve never done anything, so that was hard to play this role. I’ve never had a drink in my life. I’m sober,” Hudson said.

    Handler, who is quite vocal about her love for vodka and even write a book called Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea, was stunned. “What do you mean you’ve never had a drink?” Handler asked. “What are you waiting for?”

    “I don’t know. I’ve never been interested. Nobody ever believes it,” Hudson said. “When I got this role, I was like, ‘Oh my god, what am I gonna do? What am I gonna pull from to play the role?’ Normally as an actor, you have things to pull from. I was like, ‘I don’t know what it’s like to feel any of that.’”

    While the former American Idol contestant has never done drugs or had any alcohol, she did admit to one source for recreating the feeling of getting high, something that probably resonated well with Chelsea Handler: the feeling she experiences when having sex.

    “They took me through each and every step of what it’s like of how you get addicted to drugs and what it feels like when you are high. She told me it was like an orgasm. I was like, ‘I could do that part,” Hudson said.

    Jennifer Hudson plays a mom who is addicted to heroin and works as a prostitute in the movie The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete, which opened on October 11. Interestingly enough, another American Idol alum, Jordin Sparks, also has a role in the film. Check out the trailer below.

    Image via YouTube

  • Sprite for Hangovers: The Ultimate Cure?

    From hot coffee to cold showers, humans have anxiously sought the mystical remedy that is the perfect hangover cure. However, thanks to a Chinese food study that was published in the September 2013 issue of Food and Function, that painful, drunken search has finally come to an end… in the form of a 12-pack of Sprite from the nearest store.

    While excess alcohol consumption notoriously leads straight to the land of headache and nausea, the chemical breakdown is more responsible for the pain than all that beer and whiskey last night.

    The researchers narrowed down the specific chemical byproduct that’s causing hangovers: acetaldehyde, which eventually becomes acetate when it’s digested by the enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). Acetaldehyde is formed when ethanol is metabolized by alcohol dedhydrogenase (ADH).

    The study’s objective involved finding a method to quickly purge acetaldehyde from the body, and the research team tried 57 different beverages, teas, and carbonated drinks to see their effect on ADH and ALDH metabolism rates. Herbal teas tended to slow down the process, which would probably leave one feeling hungover for a longer period, while carbonated drinks like Sprite and soda water sped up the ALDH activity. In theory, increased ALDH would speed up the conversion process, shortening the length of a hangover.

    An expert in medical science from the University of Exeter in the UK, Edzard Ernst, commented to ChemistryWorld that, while interesting, “These results are a reminder that herbal and other supplements can have pharmacological activities that can both harm and benefit our health.”

    The Daily Mail was told by consultant hepatologist Dr. Rajiv Jalan of University College Hospital in London that young people produce more ADH than their elders, leaving them feeling more chipper after a weekend bender. However, as we age, our brains shrink into the hollow chasm of our skulls, allowing more room for the alcohol-induced swelling that causes hangover-related headaches.

    [Image via Wikimedia Commons]

  • Alcohol-Preferring Gene Found in Rats

    Alcohol-Preferring Gene Found in Rats

    The National Institutes of Health this week announced that it has discovered a gene link in rats selectively bred to prefer alcohol. Researchers believe the new findings could eventually help reveal the genetic component of alcoholism in humans.

    The study‘s findings have been published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The study looked at special breeds of rats, some bred to prefer alcohol and others bred to avoid it. Using genome sequencing, the researchers found a “dysfunctional” gene in the alcohol-preferring rats related to brain signaling. To test whether this was related to alcohol preference researchers then gave rats medication to block that same gene. The found that blocking the gene increased alcohol consumption in rats.

    “We’ve long known that genes play an important role in alcoholism,” said Dr. David Goldman, chief of the National Institutes on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism’ (NIAAA) neurogenetics lab. “However, the genes and genetic variants that cause alcoholism have remained largely unknown. This first discovery of a gene accounting for alcohol preference in a mammalian model illustrates that genomic analysis of a model organism is a powerful approach for a complex disease such as alcoholism.”

    Goldman and his colleagues hope that the research could lead to alcoholism-treating drugs for humans. The technique of comparing rat strains with different alcohol preferences in particular could lead to identifying more genetic links to alcoholism in the near future.

    “I commend Dr. Goldman and his NIAAA colleagues on this important study,” said Dr. Ting-Kai Li, former NIAAA director and a psychiatry professor at the Duke University School of Medicine. “It is gratifying to see that the alcohol-preferring/non-preferring model continues to provide a foundation for advancing the search for solutions to alcohol problems.”

  • Zac Efron Completed Stint in Rehab

    Zac Efron, the former teen idol, and now an up-and-coming star, finished a stay in rehab earlier this year. It was initially reported that he had entered rehab due to alcohol abuse, but sources have informed TMZ that Efron had a serious problem with Cocaine.

    The star’s addiction got increasingly worse during the filming of his movie, “Neighbors”.
    “Sources tell us Zac … was a no-show on a number of days,” TMZ says. “It was common knowledge he was struggling with cocaine,” according to a source.

    “We’re told … early this year, Zac and some friends went on a coke rager in a room at the SkyLofts at the MGM Grand in Vegas … and caused around $50,000 in damage. No word on who took care of the bill,” said TMZ.

    Several other sources confirmed that Efron had tried the new party drug, “Molly”. “Molly” has made recent headlines after several people have died after using it.

    Efron’s reps were contacted but did not comment on the rumors.

    Efron was seen at the Toronto Film Festival for the premiere of his newest movie, “Parkland”. At the festival, Efron said: “I’m good, real good”. Sources say he is doing much better. “He’s healthy, happy and not drinking,” says a source. “He’s taking time to focus on working.”

    “Parkland” is a film that is about the three days that surrounded JFK’s death. “The three days are really shrouded in so much mystery and controversy with conspiracy theories,” Efron said. “Growing up, I didn’t know what was fact or fiction. But the simple truths of what transpired that we know for a fact are all in this movie.”

    Efron will be releasing another movie in January called “That Awkward Moment”, about a group of boys that vow to stay single.

    Image via Twitter

  • Amy Winehouse Statue Unveiling Delayed

    Mitch Winehouse, father of Amy Winehouse, has delayed the unveiling of the much anticipated statue of his daughter in Camden, England. Even though the statue was finished and approved by May of this year, Mitch Winehouse states that there are several blemishes with the bronze statue created by London artist Scott Eaton. Amy Winehouse’s former boyfriend, Reg Traviss, told the British newspaper Mail that “He doesn’t want anything to go up that he’s not completely satisfied with. But obviously it’s never going to look exactly like her.”

    The statue depicts Amy Winehouse in a retro dress with a beehive hairstyle, which had become her iconic look. It is to be placed on a balcony at the Roundhouse, the venue where Winehouse gave her final performance, three days before her death. The statue is part of a larger project called #Amys30, which is a month-long celebration in September to commemorate what would have been Winehouse’s 30th birthday. The event is being put on by the Amy Winehouse Foundation. Founded by her father after her death, the Amy Winehouse Foundation seeks to help those who have addiction problems and has donated over 600,000 pounds to charities since its inception in 2011.

    This is not the first time controversy has arisen over the proposed statue. In March of this year, London officials finally gave clearance for the project to be constructed after several issues were raised by local authorities. The main concern was that this statue would cause people to gather in the street near it. However, the project was passed by the council after it was agreed that the statue would not be lit up at night, hopefully deterring those who sought to view the statue as a shrine.

  • Women Who Drink Before Bearing Children Have Higher Breast Cancer Risk

    Drinking has become a pastime at some U.S. universities, but women who drink heavily in the years leading up to motherhood could be putting themselves at risk. A new study has linked drinking before childbirth to an increased risk of breast cancer.

    The study, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, has shown that women who drink more in the time between puberty and their first pregnancy have a significantly higher risk of developing breast cancer. Researchers looked at over 91,000 mothers in a study spanning the years 1989 to 2009.

    “More and more heavy drinking is occurring on college campuses and during adolescence, and not enough people are considering future risk,” said Dr. Graham Colditz, a co-author the study and an associate director for cancer prevention and control at the Washington University School of Medicine. “But, according to our research, the lesson is clear: If a female averages a drink per day between her first period and her first full-term pregnancy, she increases her risk of breast cancer by 13 percent.”

    The study also found that drinking the equivalent of one drink per day increased the risk of non-cancerous breast disease lesions, which also increase breast cancer risks. Researchers were not able to determine whether the risk still increases for women who do not go on to have children, as too few women in the study were non-mothers.

    The researchers stated that female breast tissue is “particularly susceptible” to carcinogens as they go through puberty and early adulthood. They recommend reducing alcohol consumption to cut breast cancer risks later in life.

    “Reducing drinking to less than one drink per day, especially during this time period, is a key strategy to reducing lifetime risk of breast cancer,” said Colditz.

  • Alcoholism, Eating Disorders Genetically Linked, Shows Study

    Alcoholism and eating disorders have both been found to have a genetic component for those at risk. Now, a new study has shown that these diseases may actually be linked to each other genetically.

    The study, published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, shows that alcoholics are “more genetically susceptible” to some eating disorders, and that the opposite is true as well. Researchers at Washington University looked at around 6,000 twins, using statistics to chart out the odds for gene traits. The traits for identical and fraternal twins were then compared. The study found that alcoholism and behavior such as binging and purging were genetically related.

    “By comparing the findings in identical and fraternal twins, we can develop estimates of how much of the difference in particular traits is due to genes or environment,” said Melissa Munn-Chernoff, lead author of the study and a researcher at Washington University. “We found that some of the genes that influence alcohol dependence also influence binge eating in men and women.”

    The study surveyed the twins about their alcohol use and eating practices. It found that 25% of the men and 6% of the women had been or were alcohol dependent. 11% of the men and 13% of the women had practiced binge eating, while 14% of the women had also practiced purging. Though a statistically significant link between alcohol dependence and disordered eating behaviors was found for both genders, women were found to have a higher correlation.

    “Those numbers suggest that there are shared genetic risk factors for these behaviors, such as purging and fasting,” said Munn-Chernoff. “It appears that some genes that influence alcohol dependence also influence binge eating in men and women, and compensatory behaviors in women.”

  • Binge Drinking Costs Billions, Says CDC

    Americans love their beer, and the recent rise in specialty spirits and microbreweries means more choices than ever. However, alcohol consumption could be costing U.S. states billions in healthcare and other costs.

    The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today released estimates showing that “excessive” alcohol consumption cost U.S. states a median of $2.9 billion in 2006. Binge drinking, which the CDC’s report states accounts for 70% of these costs, is defined by the CDC as five or more drinks on a single occasion for men and four or more drinks on a single occasion for women. The overall costs for excessive drinking in the U.S. totaled $223.5 billion in 2006.

    California had the highest excessive alcohol-related costs, paying $32 billion in 2006. North Dakota was the lowest, paying $420 million. The CDC estimates that, nationwide, the average cost for a state is around $1.91 per drink. The associated costs come from a variety of sources, mainly lost productivity, court costs, healthcare costs, and property damage. The CDC also stated that these costs may be underestimates, since they do not take into account the affects of excessive drinking on the people who are caused “pain and suffering” by those who drink to excess.

    “Excessive alcohol use has devastating impacts on individuals, families, communities, and the economy,” said Dr. Tom Frieden, director of the CDC. “In addition to injury, illness, disease, and death, it costs our society billions of dollars through reduced work productivity, increased criminal justice expenses, and higher healthcare costs. Effective prevention programs can support people in making wise choices about drinking alcohol.”

    The CDC estimates that 80,000 people in the U.S. die each year due to excessive alcohol consumption. It also estimates that 2.3 million years of “potential life” are lost each year due to the practice.

  • New Study: Men Drink Less When Smokes Cost More

    In the quest to further understand human behavior and substance use, a team of researchers from Yale, Stanford, and the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, NY has found an interesting correlation: when analyzing data from over 21,000 drinkers who took part in a National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism study, increased cigarette taxes were associated with “modest to moderate reductions in drinking among ‘vulnerable groups.’” Their findings are published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.

    The drinkers who were analyzed were compared between 31 states that increased cigarette taxes, while some people from 15 states where taxes remained the same represented a control group. NBC News says that states with tobacco tax hikes saw 10 percent less alcohol consumed at a time and about 7 less instances of binging when compared with the states with unaffected taxes. Unfortunately, the study’s applications seem limited to only males.

    Sherry McKee, associate professor of psychiatry at Yale University School of Medicine, has said in a journal news release that smoking and heavy drinking very typically occur simultaneously. Tobacco is known to enhance the effects of alcohol and increase the risk of problem drinking, and according to WebMD the study results suggest that increased “cigarette taxes were associated with reductions in alcohol consumption over time among male smokers.

    McKee notes that cigarette taxes are an excellent method to reduce smoking to encourage smokers to reduce their use or quit while adding financial incentive to prevent new smokers from picking up the habit.

    The chairman of the department of behavioral and social sciences at Brown School of Public Health, Christopher Kahler, said that the “findings suggest that if states increase taxes on cigarettes, they are not only likely to reduce smoking — based on a large body of literature — but they also may have a modest impact on heavy drinking rates among men, those with lower income and those who drink most heavily… In other words, policies that target one specific health behavior may have broader benefits to public health by affecting additional health behaviors that tend to co-occur with the targeted health behavior.”

    Laboratory studies have proven that tobacco and alcohol combined have effects in how rewarding the booze feels. Although the link seems concrete, the differences between how these substances affect men and women seem strangely mysterious, like how men produce more dopamine in response to alcohol than women do.

    For readers who use an e-cig for nicotine vapor in place of a cigarette, Sherry McKee cautions that although the connection between vaporous nicotine and alcohol is not one that has been explored, any form of nicotine administered will have an effect on drinking behavior.

  • Beer Contest Winner Drinks 1.6 Gallons in 20 Minutes, Dies

    A beer drinking contest in Spain’s Murcia region ended in tragedy this week when the contest winner, Joaquin Alcaraz Garcia, died of cardiac arrest.

    The rules of the contest were simple: Consume as many 1-liter glasses of beer as possible in 20 minutes. Garcia consumed 6 liters (roughly 1.6 gallons or 200 ounces) of beer during that period. He was declared the victor, raised the trophy overhead, and began to vomit.

    At first, those present assumed Garcia would be fine. Witness Santiago Garcia was one of the attendees who tried to help the champ. “He started to vomit in his chair. I was one of the people who held him upright,” he said. “He vomited a lot but I sat with him for ten minutes, and he was sleeping and snoring away,” municipality vice president Pedro Rodríguez told a local newspaper.

    Emergency officials described the man as obese, which might have encouraged those present to assume Garcia would be able to shake off the binge.

    But he wasn’t merely sleeping, as Rodríguez assumed. Emergency medical personnel were called to the scene and took Garcia to the hospital, but he died shortly thereafter.

    Despite the tragedy, the town’s mayor, José Manuel Gracia, defended the contest, noting that the official cause of death was not yet identified and that the contest had a “long tradition” in the community. Even so, further festivities have been halted and local authorities have called for a three-day period of mourning in honor of the champ.

    While statistics for Spain are hard to come by, stateside, approximately 50,000 Americans suffer alcohol poisoning annually, and alcohol abuse takes the lives of 1.8 million people worldwide each year.