A Dad Debates Introducing Wine

'Alcohol abuse stem from other drinks,' he says

(NEWSER) - In order to combat alcoholism, Dmitry Medvedev would like Russia to push people to drink more wine. That is not a joke ... and neither is Russia's battle with alcoholism . Medvedev believes that encouraging people to put down the vodka bottle and pick up a nice chardonnay is one way to win the war. "Countries where this sector is strong have no problems with alcohol abuse: problems with alcohol abuse stem from other drinks," he explained. More»

Unnamed child the youngest on record for alcohol abuse

(NEWSER) - A 3-year-old child in England has been treated for alcoholism, after apparently receiving alcohol regularly for six months, reports the Telegraph . "It is a truly horrifying case and raises very serious child protection issues," said a spokesman for an alcohol abuse group. The unnamed child is the youngest person in Britain ever to receive treatment for alcohol addiction, but the youngster was hardly alone—another report by a British research group found four 5-year-olds treated for alcohol and drug problems over the past five years. More»

Study of kids finds strong tie between R-rated flicks, booze

(NEWSER) - Watching R-rated movies may encourage kids to start drinking alcohol at an earlier age, a new study suggests. Researchers surveyed 3,600 middle-school children about their movie-watching habits, then followed up 2 years later with questions about alcohol consumption. Only 3% of those who were never allowed to watch R-rated movies said they had started drinking alcohol, HealthDay reports. More»

(NEWSER) - It’s easy to condemn Diane Schuler—the mom who drove drunk and stoned the wrong way on a highway and killed herself, four children, and three others—writes Susan Cheever on Salon. But “for those of us who have ever driven a car after having a few beers, and for mothers who have driven in cars with too many small children, the story is more complicated." The real evil is alcoholism, writes Cheever, herself a former alcoholic, and judging one person won’t help a bit. More»

More research needed into effects of fathers' mental health, experts say

(NEWSER) - With modern fathers often more directly involved in parenting than previous generations, researchers say it’s time to pay closer attention to the impact of paternal mental health on children, the BBC reports. Existing evidence suggests that children of alcoholic or depressive fathers are likely to suffer psychiatric or behavior problems, too—especially sons. More»