New study finds significant differences in alcohol-related harms among racial/ethnic groups Emeryville, CA (June 10, 2020) – Moderate drinkers are not immune from being injured, a new study from senior scientist Cheryl Cherpitel and colleagues found. Results showed that injury risk increased at low levels of exposure, measured by number of hours of having a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08 or higher, and that this risk was greatest for white drinkers compared to black and Hispanic … [Read more...]
Press Release
State Residents Would Change Their Vote on Privatizing Liquor Sales
A new study looks at the shifts in voters’ opinions since privatization in Washington State A new study shows that voters in Washington State would likely reject privatization of liquor sales if the vote was held today. The study from the Alcohol Research Group, a program of the Public Health Institute, found that Washington residents who voted in favor of ending state controls on liquor sales in 2011 were 2.59 times more likely to want to change their vote than residents who voted against it. … [Read more...]
Drinking High Levels of Alcohol Increases the Chance of Developing Hypertension
A new lifecourse study looks at how drinking affects health over a 30-year period Press Release: People who consume high-levels of alcohol may be at an increased risk of developing high blood pressure according to a new lifecourse study from the Alcohol Research Group (ARG), a program of the Public Health Institute. The study, published today in the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, confirms previous research that demonstrated a significant link between hypertension and heavy drinking … [Read more...]
Liquor Prices Continue to Grow in Washington State after Privatization
Press Release Emeryville, CA (December 18, 2019): New follow-up research on Washington State’s privatization of alcohol and its effect on pricing and consumption found liquor prices continued to increase compared to previous analyses conducted in 2014. However, increases varied by brand, container size, and store type. The study, conducted by the Alcohol Research Group (ARG), a program of the Public Health Institute, found that, between 2014 and 2016, prices grew by 3.9% for a 750 mL … [Read more...]
People with AUD may be able to substitute cannabis for alcohol
New study links moderate cannabis use to persistent alcohol problems; finds no association for heavier or lighter use People with a lifetime alcohol use disorder (AUD) who used cannabis moderately had 2.83 times the number of drinks and experienced 6.82 times greater odds of alcohol-related harms than abstainers, according to a new study from ARG biostatistician and lead author Meenakshi Sabina Subbaraman and colleagues. Mid-level cannabis users also had an increased number of heavy … [Read more...]
Recent increases in alcohol consumption may be higher than previously reported
New study finds a more accurate way to measure per capita alcohol consumption that accounts for changes to how much alcohol is in beer, wine, and spirits The way we currently measure how much alcohol each person is consuming may be less accurate than previously thought, according to a new study from the Alcohol Research Group, a program of the Public Health Institute. The study authors offer a new way to determine per capita alcohol consumption that accounts for changes to the alcohol content … [Read more...]
Violent Crime Linked to Liquor Stores
A 10% increase in access to alcohol outlets was significantly associated with a 4.2% rise in violent crime in Baltimore, MD, a new study from ARG postdoctoral fellow Pamela Trangenstein found. Trangenstein and her team from Johns Hopkins also assessed whether the type of outlet made a difference, with results showing that greater access to off-site outlets was associated with a 4.4% increase in violent crime compared to 3% for on-site. This is the first ecologic study in the U.S. to use spatial … [Read more...]
Stricter policies & alcohol-related injuries
Stricter policies linked to lower rates of alcohol-related injuries International study finds government restrictions on drinking curbs injuries despite alcohol use rates and patterns Emeryville, CA (June 27, 2018): Countries with stricter alcohol policies had lower rates of alcohol-related injuries, regardless of individual consumption rates and drinking patterns, and country-level drinking patterns, a new study from the Alcohol Research Group (ARG), a program of the Public Health … [Read more...]
Policies Tied to Worse Birth Outcomes
Policies targeting alcohol use during pregnancy tied to worse birth outcomes New study suggests even “supportive” policies lead women to delay or avoid prenatal care Emeryville, CA (June 18, 2018) – A majority of state-level policies targeting women’s alcohol consumption during pregnancy—even policies designed to support pregnant women—lead to more adverse birth outcomes and less prenatal care utilization, according to a new study from ARG and Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health … [Read more...]
Cannabis Use up Slightly Post Legalization
New study finds only slight increase in cannabis use after legalization Residents of Washington State now seem more likely to report prior use A new retrospective assessment of cannabis use in Washington State by the Alcohol Research Group, a program of the Public Health Institute, found only a 1.2 percentage point increase in past year use after recreational marijuana was legalized, from 24.3% to 25.6%. The new findings published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs suggest that a … [Read more...]
