A youth panel is to call on the Government to ban alcohol advertisements from public places in a bid to "change Scotland's culture of alcohol misuse". Scotland's first Youth Commission on Alcohol will make the recommendations to Public Health Minister Shona Robison after a year-long investigation into alcohol abuse. Representatives will also recommend increasing alcohol education within the school curriculum, carrying out more research into the impact of passive drinking and providing leisure activities for children that don't involve drinking - PA
Pub chain JD Wetherspoon, which has 15 branches across in Sussex, has announced plans to open almost all of its bars from 7am next month and bartenders will start pouring pints of beer from 9am from April 28. Three of the pubs wanting to open their doors two hours early fall within the area that could be covered by an extended alcohol crackdown zone - The Argus
Despite a number of reports showing the devastating effect of alcohol on the Lothians population, figures are said to be moving in the right direction thanks to a new scheme.NHS Lothian is in the middle of a major project to grill more than 20,000 people about their drinking. The "brief intervention" initiative sees GPs select patients who they feel may be suffering from the impact of too much alcohol - The Scotsman
New bars, pubs and clubs could be banned from opening in a road that is home to two theatres in a bid to combat alcohol-fuelled crime. Council chiefs are worried about noise and violence near the Old and Young Vic theatres at Waterloo after a spate of problems. They said they have been inundated with complaints from residents after pubs, clubs and bars opened in the area - Evening Standard
Drivers could be prosecuted after drinking less than a pint of beer or a glass of wine under a shake-up of drink-drive laws. Transport Secretary Lord Adonis expects an official review of the law to recommend cutting the legal limit from 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood to 50mg, as on much of the Continent - Daily Mail