Current Awareness

A man has been given a suspended jail sentence for attacking two Star Wars fans while dressed as Darth Vader.”

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BBC News, 13th May 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

” New London Mayor Boris Johnson today announced an alcohol ban on transport in the capital.”

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The Independent, 7th May 2008

Source: www.independent.co.uk

“A drinker who injured a woman police officer while resisting arrest was given an Asbo banning him from all pubs and clubs - except when he wants to go to bingo.”

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Daily Telegraph, 24th April 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

“Drink drivers would no longer automatically lose their licences under government plans to lower the alcohol limit for motorists to the equivalent of less than a pint of beer or glass of wine.”

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The Times, 21st April 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

“Only one person has been found guilty of selling alcohol to a drunk person since the 2003 Licensing Act was introduced, a minister has admitted.”

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The Times, 25th March 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

“Hard drug use and heavy drinking have been highlighted as key problems for Britain in a study by the Government’s Strategy Unit.”

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The Times, 24th March 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

“Ministers are to give the police and local authorities powers to create ‘alcohol-free zones’ through the wholesale withdrawal of licences from pubs and clubs in city-centre problem areas.”

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The Guardian, 5th March 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

“Drink-drivers could be prosecuted on the basis of a roadside breath test for the first time as the Government considers dropping the need for motorists to face a back-up test at a police station.”

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Daily Telegraph, 1st March 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

“The scale of youth binge drinking was exposed yesterday by a single day’s hearings in one court where a dozen teenagers claimed that their separate crimes were all drink fuelled.”

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The Times, 26th February 2008

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

“Super-strength lager and cider could be cleared from the shelves under council plans to curb binge drinking across England and Wales.”

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Daily Telegraph, 26th February 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

“An attempt to create a Continental-style cafe culture by letting pubs and clubs open for longer will be branded a failure in a major Government review, with people drinking more and committing crimes late into the night.”

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Daily Telegraph, 25th February 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

“The majority of Britain’s 13-year-olds have drunk alcohol, marking a worrying ‘tipping point’ for underage drinking, the home secretary, Jacqui Smith, warned yesterday as she promised to step up enforcement action.”

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The Guardian, 7th February 2008

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

“Police officers will get new powers to confiscate alcohol from children caught drinking under plans to be announced by the Home Secretary later this week.”

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The Independent, 4th February 2008

Source: www.independent.co.uk

“The UK’s first family drug and alcohol court is due to open in London with the aim of helping parents beat addictions so they can keep their children.”

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BBC News, 28th January 2008

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

“Ministers are threatening to change the law to stop supermarkets advertising beer and wine at bargain prices in a bid to tackle the epidemic of binge drinking sweeping Britain.”

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Daily Telegraph, 17th January 2008

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

“Three London councils have combined to set up the UK’s first Family Drug and Alcohol Court.”

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BBC News, 26th November 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

“A generation of British “tweenagers” - children aged between eight and 13 - are at risk of losing interest in school and experimenting with drugs and alcohol as the problems traditionally associated with teenagers come into effect earlier, a minister warned yesterday.”

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The Guardian, 20th November 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

“Alcoholic workers could receive protection from the Disability Discrimination Act despite the fact that alcoholism is specifically barred from protection, employment experts have said.”

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OUT-LAW.com, 16th November 2007

Source: www.out-law.com

“The government should consider making alcohol more expensive and reassess its 24-hour drinking laws to curb serious health problems related to excessive drinking, according to a group of experts.”

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The Guardian, 13th November 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk  

“Binge drinkers arrested for alcohol-related offences in four areas across the country may be compelled by police to face up to the consequences of their drinking after they have been arrested, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith announced today.”

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Home Office press release, 16th October 2007

Source: www.homeoffice.gov.uk

“Alcohol support workers have been allowed to interview suspects in police cells in a bid to combat binge drinking and alcohol-related crime.”

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BBC News, 26th September 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

“There must be greater urgency behind the fight to tackle knife crime and anti-social behaviour, the innovation, universities and skills secretary says.”

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BBC News, 19th August 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

“Celebrity booze culture came under fire from the Government yesterday as a Home Office minister gave the clearest signal yet that tax on alcohol will be raised to curb drinking problems among young people.”

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The Independent, 16th August 2007

Source: www.independent.co.uk

“A senior policeman has called for the legal drinking age to be raised to 21 to tackle the ’scourge of anti-social behaviour’ that has blighted many areas.”

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Reuters, 15th August 2007

Source: www.reuters.com

“Gordon Brown yesterday burnished his moral credentials further when he ordered a Home Office review of legislation permitting 24-hour drinking.”

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The Guardian, 24th July 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

“The introduction of 24-hour drinking laws may have trebled alcohol-related admissions to A&E departments in inner city areas at night, researchers say.”

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BBC News, 18th July 2007

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

“Drivers face a drastic reduction in the drink-drive limit and the introduction of random roadside breath tests in a government crackdown on alcohol-related road deaths.”

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The Guardian, 15th June 2007

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

“The government will unveil a new alcohol strategy on Tuesday expected to focus on how to counter binge-drinking by changing young people’s attitudes and behaviour.”

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Reuters, 5th June 2007

Source: www.reuters.co.uk