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PODCAST

The Alcohol Alert Podcast

Institute of Alcohol Studies

A monthly podcast exploring alcohol harm, policy, research, and industry influence — in the UK and around the world. From minimum unit pricing to corporate lobbying, we speak to the people behind the headlines to uncover what’s really going on. instalcstud.substack.com

news news commentary

All Episodes

45:25

Government licensing reform sparks concerns over...

The Alcohol Alert Podcast ·

2025/11/27

In our latest podcast we spoke to Professor Niamh Fitzgerald and Dr James Nicholls of the University of Stirling about the UK government’s recent alcohol licensing Taskforce and its proposed reforms. We discussed the implications of the proposals for public health, local accountability, and the hospitality industry, and explored why economic growth arguments are being prioritised over health considerations.On the episode Dr Nicholls explained that:“This is a pretty unique example of quite

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18:42

Alcohol harm: A hidden productivity crisis in the UK...

The Alcohol Alert Podcast ·

2025/10/30

On this month’s podcast we spoke to Dr Jamie O’Halloran, senior research fellow at the influential progressive think tank IPPR, the Institute for Public Policy Research.We discussed their new report Taking Stock: Counting the economic costs of alcohol harm, which looks at the impact of alcohol harm on people’s productivity at work. We also spoke about why the public health economic arguments can be harder to make than the industry arguments, and what employers and the government can do to reduce

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29:15

Developing a roadmap for tackling alcohol harm in the UK

The Alcohol Alert Podcast ·

2025/10/03

On this month’s podcast we spoke to Dr Katherine Severi, IAS’s Chief Executive, and Karen Biggs, Chief Executive of treatment provider Phoenix Futures, about IAS’s forthcoming report: A healthier future: A long-term vision to tackle alcohol harm in the UK, due to be published in October.We discussed why a long-term strategy is urgently needed, the ambitious targets set out in the report, and how prevention and treatment must go hand in hand. The conversation explored both the opportunities and

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36:45

The missing policies in the UK’s 10-Year Health Plan

The Alcohol Alert Podcast ·

2025/08/28

This month’s episode of the Alcohol Alert Podcast is a special cross-post from The Alcohol Debate Podcast, hosted by alcohol-freedom coach Tabbin Almond. In this episode, Tabbin is joined by Jem Roberts, Head of External Affairs at the Institute of Alcohol Studies, for a wide-ranging discussion on alcohol policy in the UK and Ireland.From Ireland’s world-first alcohol labelling law and its recent delays, to the UK Government’s 10-Year Health Plan and the omission of minimum unit pricing, Jem

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39:35

What are Alcohol Care Teams - and why are they vital...

The Alcohol Alert Podcast ·

2025/07/30

On this month's podcast we spoke to Professor Julia Sinclair and Arlene Copland about Alcohol Care Teams – the small but vital hospital teams supporting patients with complex alcohol problems.They explained how ACTs not only manage alcohol withdrawal, but also build trust with vulnerable patients, advocate across departments, and link people to the wider support they need. Despite clear evidence they improve care and reduce costs, many teams now face closure as funding dries up.We also explored

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49:44

Alcohol Alert June 2025

The Alcohol Alert Podcast ·

2025/06/27

Why are young people drinking less? 🎵 podcast feature 🎵On this month’s podcast we spoke to Professor John Holmes, University of Sheffield, and Amy Pennay, La Trobe University, about their new book: Young People, Alcohol, and Risk: A Culture of Caution.We discussed the decline in young people's drinking; whether this is continuing into adulthood; factors influencing this decline; and a why this has to be understood as a much broader sociological issue of generational change.“It's about this idea

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47:35

Alcohol Alert - May 2025

The Alcohol Alert Podcast ·

2025/05/30

In our latest podcast Dr Will Haydock, Executive Director of Collective Voice, sheds light on alcohol treatment services in England. Representing an alliance of charities supporting people with alcohol and other drug issues, Haydock emphasises that free treatment is available in every local area – yet awareness remains low. He discusses barriers like stigma and the misperception that support is costly or inaccessible. Haydock calls for a whole-system approach, integrating alcohol treatment into

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32:54

Alcohol Alert - April 2025

The Alcohol Alert Podcast ·

2025/04/30

In our latest podcast, Dr Megan Cook of La Trobe University discusses alcohol’s overlooked environmental impact. Dr Cook explores how alcohol production exacerbates climate harms, from water scarcity to packaging waste, and highlights the industry's "greenwashing" through corporate social responsibility campaigns. She argues that:"If we reduce alcohol consumption for health reasons, that’s going to have climate benefits. And if we reduce consumption for climate reasons, that’s going to have health

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34:20

Alcohol Alert - March 2025

The Alcohol Alert Podcast ·

2025/03/28

On this month’s podcast we spoke to Florence Berteletti and Anamaria Suciu, who work for the European Alcohol Policy Alliance, or Eurocare. We spoke about levels of alcohol harm in Europe, the crucial role the EU plays in shaping the alcohol policy landscape, and lessons we can learn from tobacco control about how to counter powerful lobbying by the alcohol industry.“Because even if we are David and Goliath... David wins, but we need a sling. The sling comes from our members, their collaboration and

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38:31

Alcohol Alert - February 2025

The Alcohol Alert Podcast ·

2025/02/27

On this month’s podcast we spoke to Tabbin Almond, alcohol-freedom coach and author of the recent book: ‘Bottling Up Trouble: How alcohol is harming your business... and what to do about it’. Tabbin shares insights from her work helping people change their relationship with alcohol. We discussed the pro-alcohol workplace culture, its impact on employees and businesses, and the need for structural change. We also delved into her new podcast, The Alcohol Debate.“We are pretty much the only country in

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37:28

Alcohol Alert - January 2025

The Alcohol Alert Podcast ·

2025/01/31

In this episode, we dive into the history, structure, and impact of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). Our guests, Tim, a long-standing member and trustee on the General Service Board, and Dr Kieran Moriarty, founder of Alcohol Care Teams and AA trustee, share their insights into the organisation’s role in supporting individuals struggling with alcohol dependence.Tim outlines AA’s origins in 1935, its foundational principles, and how it operates as a fellowship rather than a governing body. Kieran discusses

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28:47

Alcohol Alert - November 2024

The Alcohol Alert Podcast ·

2024/11/28

On this month’s podcast we spoke to Will Prochaska, Leader of the Coalition to End Gambling Ads and former Chief Executive of the charity Gambling with Lives. We discussed:* What the gambling world looks like.* The harms associated with gambling.* Why New Labour’s liberalisation of gambling was "one of the worst things we did as a government" according to Alastair Campbell.* The many similarities in how the alcohol and gambling industries behave.* And the pros and cons of a levy on the gambling

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27:09

Alcohol Alert - October 2024

The Alcohol Alert Podcast ·

2024/11/01

On this month's podcast we spoke to Dr Aveek Bhattacharya about the decisions taken on alcohol duty in Labour's first Budget in 14 years. We discussed the positives and negatives of the decisions, whether Labour could and should have been more radical, how duty should be structured to cover the cost of alcohol harm, and whether public health groups should have welcomed the decision. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes,

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47:28

Alcohol Alert - September 2024

The Alcohol Alert Podcast ·

2024/09/26

False equivalence and ‘empty rhetoric’ 🎵 podcast feature 🎵The Institute of Alcohol Studies (IAS) was established in 1983 by the United Kingdom Temperance Alliance, UKTA, previously the United Kingdom Alliance. The UKTA changed its name to the Alliance House Foundation (AHF) in 2003, from which IAS receives most of its funding. IAS has always been transparent about its background and funding. There are several other alcohol control organisations that also have historical links to temperance

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31:12

Alcohol Alert - August 2024

The Alcohol Alert Podcast ·

2024/09/03

In this month's podcast we spoke to Alfie Slade, Government Affairs Lead at the Obesity Health Alliance (OHA), about a new report called Killer Tactics. The report was developed by the OHA alongside the Alcohol Health Alliance and Action on Smoking and Health, and calls for MPs to reject corporate hospitality from these unhealthy product industries.The report shares the common tactics used by these three industries in order to protect industry profits at the expense of public health. This is a

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30:57

Alcohol Alert - July 2024

The Alcohol Alert Podcast ·

2024/07/31

On this month's podcast we spoke to Lisa Erlandsen, the Policy and Advocacy Manager at the Alcohol Health Alliance.We discussed reasons to be cautiously optimistic with the new government regarding public health, what could prevent progress from being made, why the alcohol industry needs to be removed from health policy-making, and what the AHA will be focusing its attention on in the coming months. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to

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24:35

Alcohol Alert - June 2024

The Alcohol Alert Podcast ·

2024/06/28

In our podcast this month we spoke to liver doctor Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, who is also chair of the Alcohol Health Alliance and current president of the BMA, as well as Suzanne Wood, Head of Population Health at the BMA. We discussed the BMA's recent consensus statement calling on the government to reduce the drink driving limit, what else would need to be introduced for the policy to reduce harm, and Sir Ian's words of wisdom to the next BMA president. This is a public episode. If you would like

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13:42

Alcohol Alert - May 2024

The Alcohol Alert Podcast ·

2024/05/30

On this month's podcast we spoke to IAS's Chief Executive, Dr Katherine Severi, about our new research that found that alcohol harm costs society £27.4 billion a year. We discussed the cost to various elements of society, why it is important to understand the cost, why reducing harm and supporting the hospitality industry are not mutually exclusive, and what an incoming government should focus on to reduce alcohol harm and its cost. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with

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35:49

Alcohol Alert - April 2024

The Alcohol Alert Podcast ·

2024/04/29

In this month's podcast we spoke to Dr Katherine Severi about the rise in alcohol deaths, and Dr Nason Maani, about his latest research paper that looked at correspondence between Public Health England (PHE), The Portman Group, and Drinkaware, in the run up to and launching of the Drink Free Days campaign, which ran in 2018-2019. The paper, which was featured in Private Eye, highlights the collegial relationship between senior figures at PHE, The Portman Group, and Drinkaware, and also show how The

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26:17

Alcohol Alert - March 2024

The Alcohol Alert Podcast ·

2024/03/28

In this month’s podcast we spoke to John Holmes, Professor of Alcohol Policy at the University of Sheffield, about no and low alcohol products. We discussed the project the Sheffield Alcohol Research Group is running on the topic, why these products are gaining attention, who consumes them, the concerns among public health groups, and what the market for such products will look like in the coming years. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access

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114 results

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