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Background: Modelling shows smokefree generation (SFG) policies could effectively reduce smoking rates by banning tobacco sales to those born after a specific year. Little is known about how young people perceive the legitimacy and impact of the planned SFG policy in England., Methods: We conducted 7 semi-structured focus groups with 36 participants aged 12 - 21 (mean = 15) in England over video call and in person. 21 participants were female and 15 male. Participants were purposively sampled to include those from areas of greater deprivation and for use of tobacco or e-cigarettes. Data was analysed using the framework approach., Results: Participants expressed broadly negative perceptions towards tobacco and its manufacturers. Most participants supported SFG policy goals and its focus on freedom from addiction and harm; some believed it should also encompass electronic cigarettes. Many believed the law would only be successful if it included stringent enforcement, accompanying tobacco licensing, and input from young people. A minority raised concerns about the loss of freedom to purchase tobacco., Conclusions: Communication of the freedom-giving nature of SFG is likely to resonate with many young people. Enforcement, communication, and involvement of young people in SFG should be considered carefully to maximise policy impact., Implications: The smokefree generation (SFG) policy's potential to offer freedom from addiction and disease can resonate with young people. Its effectiveness could be maximised through targeted enforcement in areas with high youth smoking rates and low adherence to age-of-sale laws, and through introduction of additional policies that offer restrictive licensing of tobacco retailers. A phased approach to SFG, initially covering tobacco and later incorporating e-cigarettes as smoking prevalence declines, could balance reducing youth vaping and harm reduction; future research could investigate optimal policy conditions for this approach., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco.)

Introduction: The prevalence of daily secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure among pregnant nonsmoking women and children in Egypt is estimated to be about 50% and 55%, respectively. This study aimed to explore barriers to preventing SHS exposure among pregnant women/children and smoking in the home in Egypt., Aims and Methods: Six focus group discussions with pregnant women or mothers of children residing in urban-rural areas (n = 61) were conducted. Data were managed and analyzed using the Framework Method., Results: Sixty-one participants aged 18-49 were recruited. They reported being never smokers and SHS exposure for themselves and their children was mainly at home. Pregnant women or mothers had some general knowledge of the dangers of SHS, but their knowledge appeared incomplete. The most commonly reported barriers to preventing SHS exposure/adopting a smoke-free home or workplace were social acceptance of smoking and SHS exposure, masculinity and gender norms of accepting smoking among men as a normative behavior, fear among women of damaging a relationship with family or even divorce, women resigning themselves to SHS exposure, and doctors not being supportive of smoking cessation. The majority of interviewees' families were reported to allow smoking anywhere in the home. Others implemented some measures to prevent SHS; however, these tended to be inconsistently implemented., Conclusions: Changing the norm of accepting smoking among men as a normative behavior within Egyptian society and better enforcement of smoke-free policies, will help to protect pregnant women and children from SHS., Implications: This study suggests promising approaches to support the promotion of smoke-free homes and the prevention of SHS exposure among pregnant women and children in public places in Egypt. Better enforcement of smoke-free policies is needed. Healthcare professionals should support smoking cessation services in primary health centers. SHS policy, practice, and research should focus on husbands/fathers as they are the main source of SHS. There is a need for denormalization of SHS exposure in Egyptian society., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Introduction: The United Kingdom has achieved reductions in illicit tobacco (IT) market size and share. However, there remains a 17.7% tobacco duty gap, contributing to health inequalities. In January 2024, the UK government announced a new strategy to control IT, along with provision of new funding., Methods: A representative cross-sectional survey of adults in England ran in April 2022 to evaluate attitudes and exposure to IT. Tobacco smokers were asked questions about encounters with IT, while all participants answered questions on knowledge and perspectives on IT., Results: Of 262 tobacco smokers, 18.3% (95% CI 13.8% to 23.6%) had come across IT in the past year. Men had four times the odds of encountering IT recently than women. Among 1767 adults responding to questions on IT, two-thirds agreed IT harmed children, and more than half agreed IT was linked to organized crime. Younger adults, smokers, and those in lower socioeconomic groups were less likely to agree IT was harmful., Conclusions: Exposure to IT, especially among younger males, remains a concern. While most of the public acknowledge its harm, this is not universal, and some population groups are less likely to do so., Implications: The study highlights persistent exposure to IT in England, especially among younger males, and varying perceptions of IT harm across socioeconomic groups. Tackling IT requires collaboration between health and enforcement agencies, independent of the tobacco industry's influence. Strategies should include components that shift demand for IT and denormalize its presence in communities, particularly in lower socioeconomic areas with higher smoking prevalence., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco.)

Introduction: Providing access to a vape shop-based smoking cessation intervention may simultaneously increase e-cigarette use and increase the effectiveness of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation. The aim of this study was to identify the most important elements of vape shop-based smoking intervention to stakeholders who would be involved in delivering or accessing such an intervention., Aims and Methods: We conducted a three-round Delphi study of vape shop staff (n = 40), stop smoking professionals and tobacco control leads (n = 30), and smokers, vapers, and dual users (n = 30) in the United Kingdom in May-August 2021. In each round participants were asked whether they agreed or disagreed with statements related to vape shop-based interventions., Results: Forty-six of 95 statements reached consensus in round 1, 29 out of 49 in round 2, and 8 out of 20 in round 3. There was support for a vape shop-based intervention across stakeholder groups (96%). There was consensus that the service should comprise both product (98%) and behavioral support (97%), and that quitting vaping should not be a goal of the service (79%). Although there was consensus that there should be some free product provision, there was less consensus as to what this should involve. Views were mostly consistent across stakeholder groups., Conclusions: There was broad consensus on how to deliver a vape shop-based smoking cessation intervention, providing a strong basis for future intervention development and implementation. Challenges around misuse of the service and misperceptions about vaping would need to be addressed for such an intervention to be feasible and effective., Implications: Many smokers who make a quit attempt using e-cigarettes purchase their vaping products in vape shops. Delivering vape-shop-based smoking cessation interventions could help to maximize the effectiveness of e-cigarettes for quitting smoking. This study used a Delphi approach to identify the most important elements of a vape shop-based intervention among stakeholders. The findings could be used to help develop future interventions., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Introduction: Encouraging smokers to quit smoking tobacco using e-cigarettes could substantially reduce smoking-related diseases. Vape shops (VS) therefore have the potential to play an important role in supporting smoking cessation. The aim of this study was to explore how to deliver a vape shop-based smoking cessation intervention in the United Kingdom., Methods: Semistructured telephone interviews were undertaken with four stakeholder groups: 20 stop smoking service (SSS) providers, seven tobacco control leads, seven smokers/vapers, and five vape shop staff. Interviews were analyzed thematically., Results: Stakeholder groups were positive about the idea of delivering a vape shop-based intervention. Themes that were identified were the characteristics of the intervention (duration and timing; delivery; style and content; and product provisions); barriers to the intervention (challenges for new vapers; false information; tobacco company involvement; and conflicts of interest); facilitators to the intervention (positive views on vaping; cost-effectiveness; popularity; and accessibility); and considerations for the intervention (data protection and privacy; aesthetics; and regulation and management). The results suggest that the intervention should be delivered by vape shop workers with mandatory training with the support of SSS. Most stakeholders agreed quitting vaping was not a priority, but that information on how to reduce nicotine use should be given. Concerns around privacy, General Data Protection Regulation, misinformation about vaping, and tobacco company involvement would need to be addressed., Conclusions: Stakeholders agree that VS should offer stop smoking interventions and hold similar opinions on how this should be delivered., Implications: This study suggests that smokers, vapers, and other key stakeholders are positive about the idea of a stop-smoking vape shop-based intervention and that they hold similar opinions on how this should be delivered. Most participants felt that this should be primarily delivered by trained vape shop staff and run with support from SSS. Participants agreed that a stop-smoking vape shop-based intervention should be flexible in terms of the type, duration, and frequency of support provided, and that the intervention should comprise both technical guidance on using a vape and behavioral support to prevent a return to smoking., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Aims: To explore the effect or potential effect of alcohol marketing in people with an alcohol use disorder, in recovery from an alcohol use disorder, and hazardous and harmful drinkers., Methods: Relevant literature was identified by searching Medline (OVID), EMBASE (OVID), and PsycINFO (OVID) and relevant websites. Both quantitative and qualitative studies were eligible for inclusion. A narrative approach was used to synthesize the findings., Results: The review included 10 studies. Two quantitative and three qualitative studies focused on participants recovering from an alcohol use disorder and five quantitative studies on those with hazardous or harmful consumption levels of alcohol. The effect of alcohol advertising on alcohol use was only assessed in one study, a small experimental study of young adult heavy drinkers, which found no significant association. Studies looking at other outcomes found that people with or at risk of alcohol problems were likely to notice alcohol advertisements and find them appealing, and that advertisements may have an effect on positive alcohol-related emotions and cognitions. Among people in recovery from an alcohol use disorder, findings suggested that there could be an effect on craving, and that alcohol marketing may be perceived to trigger a desire to drink., Conclusions: Alcohol marketing is likely to have an effect on alcohol consumption in people with, or at increased risk of, an alcohol problem. Studies have also found that alcohol marketing is perceived to act as a trigger by people in recovery from alcohol problems., Summary: A rapid review explored the effect of alcohol marketing in people with an alcohol use disorder, in recovery from an alcohol use disorder, and hazardous and harmful drinkers. The findings of the 10 included studies suggest that an effect of alcohol marketing in these populations is likely., (© The Author(s) 2024. Medical Council on Alcohol and Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: Existing evidence suggests that while the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic triggered quit attempts among many smokers, it led some to smoke more and others to relapse back to smoking. These diverse effects have the potential to have a long-term impact on individuals' smoking and vaping behaviors., Aims and Methods: This study explored the effect of COVID-19 on smokers and vapers, vape shops (VS), and stop smoking services (SSS). A total of 39 semi-structured interviews were conducted with stop-smoking practitioners, tobacco control leads, smokers and/or vapers, and vape shop owners. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed thematically., Results: Four themes were identified: Lockdown as a barrier to becoming or remaining smoke-free; COVID as a catalyst for quitting and remaining smoke-free; changes in vaping and challenges for vapers and VS; and changes and challenges for stop smoking support. Fear of COVID resulting in severe health implications for smokers facilitated behavior change; however, the boredom and monotony of lockdown and associated stress created difficulties in remaining a smoke free. Results showed that the enforced switch from face-to-face to the remote provision of SSS was beneficial for improving engagement, particularly for vulnerable groups such as pregnant women. Stop smoking professionals and vapers disagreed with the forced closure of VS because it created unnecessary difficulties for vapers to access supplies., Conclusions: COVID-19 was both a barrier and facilitator for smoking cessation. Remote provision of SSS implemented due to lockdown was beneficial for hard-to-reach groups; services should look to incorporate these changes into day-to-day practice., Implications: This study is one of the first to explore how the COVID-19 pandemic directly affected smokers, vapers, SSS, tobacco control leads, and VS. It provides evidence for the continued use of the remote provision of smoking cessation services to increase engagement among hard-to-reach groups and provides information on how pandemics can be a catalyst for health behavior change. This study is unique in that it incorporates the views of different stakeholders., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: Osteoporosis is common in older adults leading to fragility fractures at enormous individual and economic cost. Improving long-term adherence with bisphosphonate treatments reduces fracture risk, but adherence rates for first-line oral bisphosphonate alendronate remains low. Although alternative treatment regimens, including annual intravenous infusions are available, patient acceptability remains unclear. Therefore, understanding patients' acceptability and engagement in different bisphosphonate regimens is important to ensure optimal treatment benefits., Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 78 patients with a mean age of 69.9 years, who had taken or received bisphosphonates for osteoporosis within the last 24 months. Data analysis included iterative categorisation and used the theoretical framework of acceptability (TFA) to compare the acceptability of treatments regimens., Results: Treatment acceptability and engagement were influenced by the extent to which patients understood the prescribed treatment, and evidence of the treatment working. Acceptability and engagement were compromised when treatment was perceived as burdensome, personal costs were incurred, and patients' values were incompatible with the regimen. The balancing of these factors contributed to patients' ability to cope with the treatment and their emotional responses. Intravenous treatment was generally perceived as easier to understand, more effective, less burdensome with fewer opportunity costs, and a preferable regimen compared with oral bisphosphonates., Conclusions: Annual intravenous zoledronate bisphosphonate treatment was generally more acceptable to patients, perceived as more straightforward to engage in, although a small portion of patients on oral bisphosphonates were satisfied with treatment. Further research is needed to identify how acceptability and engagement can be optimised., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Geriatrics Society. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Bisphosphonates have been found to be effective in preventing fragility fractures. However, their comparative effectiveness in populations at risk has yet to be defined. In light of recent clinical trials, we aimed to compare four bisphosphonates (alendronate, ibandronate, risedronate, and zoledronate) and to identify which are the most effective for the prevention of fragility fractures. This is an update of a systematic review previously published as part of a NICE HTA report. We conducted a systematic review and network meta-analysis, updating the estimates regarding the comparative effectiveness of the aforementioned bisphosphonates. Studies identified from published and unpublished sources between 2014 and 2021 were added to the studies identified in the previous review. Screening, data extraction and risk of bias assessment were independently undertaken by two reviewers. Outcomes were fractures, femoral neck bone mineral density (BMD), mortality, and adverse events. We identified 25 additional trials, resulting in a total population of 47,007 participants. All treatments had beneficial effects on fractures versus placebo with zoledronate being the most effective treatment in preventing vertebral fractures (hazard ratio [HR] 0.38; 95% credibility interval [CrI], 0.28-0.49). Zoledronate (HR 0.71; 95% CrI, 0.61-0.81) and risedronate (HR 0.70; 95% CrI, 0.53-0.84) were found to be the most effective treatments in preventing nonvertebral fractures. All treatments were associated with increases in femoral neck BMD versus placebo with zoledronate being the most effective treatment mean difference (MD 4.02; 95% CrI, 3.2-4.84). There was a paucity of data regarding hip and wrist fractures. Depending on its cost-effectiveness, zoledronate could be considered a first-line option for people at increased risk of fragility fractures. © 2022 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research., Competing Interests: All other authors have nothing to declare., (© 2022 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.)

Background: The evaluation of large-scale public health policy interventions often relies on observational designs where attributing causality is challenging. Logic models-visual representations of an intervention's anticipated causal pathway-facilitate the analysis of the most relevant outcomes. We aimed to develop a set of logic models that could be widely used in tobacco policy evaluation., Methods: We developed an overarching logic model that reflected the broad categories of outcomes that would be expected following the implementation of tobacco control policies. We subsequently reviewed policy documents to identify the outcomes expected to result from the implementation of each policy and conducted a literature review of existing evaluations to identify further outcomes. The models were revised according to feedbacks from a range of stakeholders., Results: The final models represented expected causal pathways for each policy. The models included short-term outcomes (such as policy awareness, compliance and social cognitive outcomes), intermediate outcomes (such as changes in smoking behaviour) and long-term outcomes (such as mortality, morbidity and health service usage)., Conclusions: The use of logic models enables transparent and theory-based planning of evaluation analyses and should be encouraged in the evaluation of tobacco control policy, as well as other areas of public health., (© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Introduction: The objective of this study is review the evidence on the health risks associated with smoking kretek cigarettes compared with not smoking or smoking regular cigarettes., Methods: We conducted a systematic literature search in five electronic databases: EMBASE (Ovid), ASSIA, PubMed and Scopus. Since kretek use is largely restricted to Indonesia, we identified additional studies using an online search for grey literature and studies in Indonesian journals and the National Library of Indonesia. We included relevant search terms in English ("kretek" and "clove cigarettes") and Bahasa ("rokok" and "merokok"). We selected studies which compared any health outcome between smokers of kretek cigarettes and non-smokers or smokers of regular cigarettes. We included studies in any smokers compared to non-smokers in Indonesia, since most Indonesian smokers use kretek, but analysed these separately. Study data were extracted by a single reviewer and checked by two reviewers. Methodological quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale., Results: We identified 32 studies, all from Indonesia. There were 31 cross-sectional studies and one case control study. This systematic review identified a relatively limited number of studies, and most of these were of poor quality as assessed by the Newcastle Ottawa score. They were generally cross-sectional, small and lacking justification for sample size, had high potential for selection bias because of lack of data on non-respondents or those lost to follow up, and missing information about the statistical analysis. Fourteen studies looked specifically at kretek exposure and eighteen looked at any type of cigarette exposure but were conducted in Indonesia are therefore likely to predominantly reflect kretek exposure. Kretek were found to be associated with oral cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic health disease, myocardial infarction, asthma, and oral diseases., Conclusions: Although existing studies are of poor quality, kretek are likely to be at least as harmful as regular cigarettes., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: The World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) is the first international health treaty and has now been ratified by 181 countries. However, there are concerns that in many countries, particularly in sub-Saharan African countries, FCTC legislations and implementation are weak. In this study, we report a qualitative study undertaken to assess policy makers' awareness of the FCTC and national tobacco control policies, and assessed the achievements and challenges to the implementation of the FCTC in the Gambia., Methods: The study involved semi-structured one-to-one interviews with 28 members of the National Tobacco Control Committee in the Gambia, which is responsible for formulating tobacco control policies and making recommendations for tobacco control. We used the Framework method and NVivo11 software for data analysis., Results: Our findings demonstrate that the Gambia has made modest progress in tobacco control before and since ratification of the FCTC, particularly in the areas of policy formulation, bans on tobacco advertising and promotion, smoke-free laws, and tobacco taxation. Although several pieces of tobacco control legislation exist, enforcement and implementation remain a major challenge. We found that policy makers' awareness of polices covered in the FCTC was limited., Conclusion: Our findings highlight several challenges to the FCTC implementation and the need to step up efforts that will help to accomplish the obligations of the FCTC. To achieve the obligations of the FCTC, the Gambia should develop specific public awareness interventions, establish cessation services, mobilize adequate resources for tobacco control and strengthen tobacco surveillance and research., (© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco.)

Introduction: Smoking is the biggest preventable cause of death and kills about seven million people annually. As smoking prevalence is falling in developed countries, tobacco businesses are turning to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to generate new tobacco markets. To prevent young people from initiating smoking and becoming regular smokers, it is important to understand the causes of susceptibility to smoking. In this study, we report a nationwide survey of the prevalence and risk factors of smoking susceptibility among students aged 12-20 years in The Gambia., Methods: We used two-stage cluster random sampling to select students in secondary schools throughout The Gambia and questionnaire to collect data on demographic characteristics and indicators on susceptibility to initiating smoking., Results: Among the total sample of 10289 students, 9831 (96%; 55.6% girls and 44.4% boys, aged 12-20 years) nonsmokers were included in the analysis. Of these, 3333 (33.9%) were found to be susceptible to smoking. Smoking susceptibility was more common among students attending grant-aided schools, non-Muslims, who had smoking allowed at home, had family members or friends who smoke, were sent to purchase cigarettes, had poor knowledge of the harmful effects of smoking, noticed point-of-sale tobacco advertisements, and who had positive attitudes towards smoking., Conclusions: This study shows that susceptibility to smoking is common among students and associated with preventable exposures. Although based on cross-sectional data, these findings suggest that raising students' awareness of the harmful effects of smoking and reducing the prevalence of adult smoking, extending tobacco advertising restrictions to include point-of-sale, are all important to preventing the uptake of smoking among students., Implications: This is the first study to provide detailed data on smoking susceptibility and risk factors in a nationally representative sample of young people in The Gambia. Our findings show that susceptibility to smoking is relatively high and associated with preventable measures. Our results also identify an urgent need to broaden the ban on tobacco advertising to explicitly include point-of-sale advertisements. These findings provide valuable information for tobacco control policies and evidence to enable targeted intervention for young people most at risk of initiating smoking., (© The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco.)

Aims: To assess the effectiveness of mass media messages to reduce alcohol consumption and related harms using a systematic literature review., Methods: Eight databases were searched along with reference lists of eligible studies. Studies of any design in any country were included, provided that they evaluated a mass media intervention targeting alcohol consumption or related behavioural, social cognitive or clinical outcomes. Drink driving interventions and college campus campaigns were ineligible. Studies quality were assessed, data were extracted and a narrative synthesis conducted., Results: Searches produced 10,212 results and 24 studies were included in the review. Most campaigns used TV or radio in combination with other media channels were conducted in developed countries and were of weak quality. There was little evidence of reductions in alcohol consumption associated with exposure to campaigns based on 13 studies which measured consumption, although most did not state this as a specific aim of the campaign. There were some increases in treatment seeking and information seeking and mixed evidence of changes in intentions, motivation, beliefs and attitudes about alcohol. Campaigns were associated with increases in knowledge about alcohol consumption, especially where levels had initially been low. Recall of campaigns was high., Conclusion: Mass media health campaigns about alcohol are often recalled by individuals, have achieved changes in knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about alcohol but there is little evidence of reductions in alcohol consumption., Short Summary: There is little evidence that mass media campaigns have reduced alcohol consumption although most did not state that they aimed to do so. Studies show recall of campaigns is high and that they can have an impact on knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about alcohol consumption.

Aim: To evaluate temporal changes in recorded alcohol consumption in Sri Lanka during and after the armed conflict 1998-2013., Methods: District level alcohol sales, and mid-year population data for the whole study period (1998-2013) were consistently available from the Department of Excise and the Department of Census and Statistics for 18 of 25 districts. These data were used to estimate the recorded per capita consumption for the areas that were not directly exposed to the armed conflict. An interrupted time series design was employed to estimate the impact of the end of the armed conflict on recorded adult per capita alcohol consumption of population lived in the 18 districts., Results: Adult per capita recorded alcohol consumption among Sri Lankans living in the 18 districts was 1.59 l of pure alcohol in 1998. This increased up to 2.07 l in 2009 and 2.55 l in 2013. Prior to the end of the conflict in 2009 adult per capita recorded consumption increased by 0.051 l of pure alcohol per year (95% CI: 0.029-0.074, P < 0.001); after 2009 this was 0.166 l per year (95% CI: 0.095-0.236, P < 0.001). Beer consumption showed the highest per capita growth compared with other beverages., Conclusions: Adult per capita recorded alcohol consumption among Sri Lankans living in areas that were not directly exposed to the conflict increased markedly after the end of the conflict. Rapid socio-economic development, alcohol industry penetration and lack of alcohol control strategies during the post-conflict period may have driven this increase., Short Summary: Adult per capita recorded alcohol consumption among Sri Lankans living in 18 districts that were not directly exposed to the armed conflict increased markedly after the end of the conflict in 2009, with a dramatic acceleration in the trend of per capita beer consumption., (© The Author 2017. Medical Council on Alcohol and Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.)

Aims: To review the international guidelines and recommendations on survey instruments for measurement of alcohol consumption in population surveys and to examine how national surveys in England meet the core recommendations., Methods: A systematic search for international guidelines for measuring alcohol consumption in population surveys was undertaken. The common core recommendations for alcohol consumption measures and survey instruments were identified. Alcohol consumption questions in national surveys in England were compared with these recommendations for specific years and over time since 2000., Results: Four sets of international guidelines and three core alcohol consumption measures (alcohol consumption status, average volume of consumption, frequency and volume of heavy episodic drinking) with another optional measure (drinking context) were identified. English national surveys have been inconsistent over time in including questions that provide information on average volume of consumption but have not included questions on another essential alcohol consumption measure, frequency of heavy episodic drinking. Instead, they have used questions that focus only on maximum volume of alcohol consumed on any day in the previous week., Conclusions: International guidelines provide consistent recommendations for measuring alcohol consumption in population surveys. These recommendations have not been consistently applied in English national surveys, and this has contributed to the inadequacy of survey measurements for monitoring vital aspects of alcohol consumption in England over recent years., (© The Author 2015. Medical Council on Alcohol and Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.)