Alcohol and Drugs History Society

Irish adults third largest per capita drinkers in Europe

Irish adults drink more alcohol per capita than any other Europeans with the exception of those in Luxembourg and Hungary. Although the Irish drink less beer than in the past, beer still comprises about half of Irish alcohol consumption. Perhaps a sign of prosperity in the Irish Republic, the Irish now drink slightly more wine than whiskey. For more, see here. Per capita consumption among Irish adults who drink may be higher than even their counterparts in Luxembourg and Hungary. Traditionally many Irish Catholics are total abstainers, often members of the teetotal Pioneers of the Sacred Heart, founded at the end of the nineteenth century. Or it may be that modernization in Ireland has shrunk the Pioneers to numerical irrelevance.

Germany retreats from smoking ban

The federal government in Germany has retreated from its plan to restrict smoking in restaurants and bars at least in part because the post-war constitution appears to assign such a power to the states. Germany, along with heavy-smoking Denmark and Luxembourg, remains a bastion for smokers in Wesern Europe. For more, see here.

Court rules Europe's 'booze cruises' may continue

European "booze cruises" were saved Thursday by a ruling of the European Union's highest court, but consumers in high-duty countries like Britain and Sweden had their hopes of buying less-expensive alcohol on the Internet dashed.

The IHT reports.

Uganda's dubious boozing record

The East African reports (15 August 2005) that last month, the World Health Organisation ranked Uganda the leading consumer of alcohol in the world. Per capita consumption is 19.5 litres, according to the report, closely followed by Luxembourg at 17.54 litres and the Czech Republic at 16.21 litres. The 2004 Global Status Report says Ugandans spend $145 million on alcohol annually. Find the full story here.

Swiss court checks envoy drugs claim

BBC News reported in July 2002 that Switzerland's highest court  investigated claims that the Swiss ambassador to Luxembourg may have handled drugs money. Find the full story here.

Life sentence for tobacco robbers

BBC News reported in March 2004 that three men from York were sentenced to life imprisonment for carrying out an armed robbery which ended in murder. Christophe Padiglione was shot dead and warehouse owner Francis Lemal seriously wounded in the armed raid on a tobacco warehouse in Esch, Luxembourg, in 2000. Keith Birkinshaw, 50, was found guilty of attempted murder and robbery at the Palais de Justice in Luxembourg City. His son Edward, 29, was convicted of murder and armed robbery, and Glenn Dawson, 27, of murder. Find the full story here.

Britain is the new heroin capital of Europe

Abul Taher reported for the Times Online (27 February 2005) that Britain has become the heroin capital of Europe with the largest number of seizures and one of the highest levels of abuse. The UK accounts for most of the heroin seizures in Europe and, after Luxembourg and Portugal, has the most heroin users. Taher goes on to discuss other findings in the recent report by the International Narcotics Control Board, a body founded by the UN. Find the full story here. Reuters reports on the same story here.