Only drink one glass of wine a year, says researcher
Prof Nutt is a neuropsychopharmacologist and the chairman of the discipline at Imperial College London, as well as a former government drugs adviser.
He clashed with Jacqui Smith, the then home secretary, after comparing the 100 deaths a year from horse riding with the 30 deaths a year linked to ecstasy.
His advisory committee had recommended that cannabis should not be reclassified from Class C back to Class B, leading to heavier penalties, but the recommendation was not taken on board by Ms Smith.
Prof Nutt said there was a 'relatively small risk' of psychotic illness linked to cannabis use, but that to prevent one episode of schizophrenia, it would be necessary to 'stop 5,000 men aged 20 to 25 from ever using' cannabis. He also supported reclassifying ecstasy from a Class A to Class B.
He has been outspoken about the harms of alcohol but has also helped his daughter open a wine bar and admitted that he enjoys a tipple on weekends and special occasions.
Mixed advice on alcohol consumption
Advice on alcohol consumption, and the health benefits and risks of drinking wine in particular, has often been mixed.
One recent study, published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology, suggested that champagne and white wine 'protect' the heart from cardiac arrest. It suggested long-term beliefs about the benefits of red wine may also apply to other varieties of the drink.
Its thought that the polyphenols found in wine, typically associated with red wine, can play a role in lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of heart disease.
These antioxidants can be found in all types of wine but are lower in white varieties, and some experts think they can help to protect the heart and other body cells as well as the brain. However, this research does not take into account the other potential harms that alcohol can cause.
Prof Nutt recommends following the guidelines set out by the NHS, which state that both men and women should not drink 'more than 14 units a week [equivalent to six pints of average-strength beer or 10 small glasses of lower-strength wine] on a regular basis'.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
8 minutes ago
- The Independent
Weight-loss drugs and pregnancy, and do ‘skinny jabs' prevent the pill working
A rising number of patients using weight-loss injections are reporting on social media they are becoming pregnant despite using contraception. The reports have sparked fears of an unplanned-baby boom and given rise to the popular term ' Ozempic babies'. Now the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has urged women having 'skinny jabs' to use another means of contraception to prevent accidental pregnancies. The agency's experts have also stressed that it's not known whether weight-loss drugs could harm a baby - and so they warned they must not be used during pregnancy, while trying to conceive or during breastfeeding. And they say anyone who becomes pregnant while using the weight-loss jabs should stop using them immediately. So-called GLP-1 medicines are known by brand names Ozempic, Mounjaro, Wegovy, Saxenda and Victoza. How do the drugs work? Ozempic, which was introduced into the UK in January 2019, having previously been approved in the US in 2017, is an injectable prescription drug. Ozempic and Mounjaro are used to manage sugar levels of diabetes patients. Weight loss is a side-effect, which has caused it to surge in popularity. The active ingredient is a molecule called semaglutide, which causes feelings of fullness while delaying the emptying of the stomach, making people feel less hungry and therefore less likely to overeat. Wegovy is also based on semaglutide. Some people report suffering bloating and gastrointestinal discomfort while using them. Do weight loss jabs affect fertility? One study found that menstrual cycles became more regular in 80 per cent of women who lost weight with semaglutide. As weight loss itself can improve menstrual irregularities, it may also increase the chance of pregnancy. Some experts have suggested weight-loss drugs may reduce absorption of the contraceptive pill. They believe that because the drugs slow down absorption of food, it may also slow down the absorption of medication, including birth control. "Ozempic may interfere with the absorption of oral contraceptives, which can reduce their effectiveness and lead to an unwanted pregnancy," pharmacist Jamie Winn told Newsweek. Is it safe to take weight-loss jabs while pregnant? Government watchdog the MHRA has warned: 'These medicines must not be taken during pregnancy, while trying to get pregnant or during breastfeeding. 'Anyone who gets pregnant while using them should speak to their healthcare professional and stop the medicine as soon as possible. 'This is because there is not enough safety data to know whether taking the medicine could cause harm to the baby.' It says women should take GLP-1 medicines only if they have been prescribed by a healthcare professional.
BBC News
18 minutes ago
- BBC News
Hospital neglect a factor in girl's meningitis death
The death of five-year-old girl who was sent home from hospital with suspected tonsillitis hours before dying from meningitis was contributed to by neglect, an inquest jury has Marsland was examined by various medics over several hours at Tameside Hospital in Ashton-under-Lyne, Tameside, on 27 December despite displaying several warning signs of meningitis no one began the treatment which could have saved her life, Manchester South Coroner's Court mother Rachael Mincherton said lessons must be learned from her death. The trust which runs the hospital said it "accepts the findings and apologises unreservedly". Ms Mincherton, of Hyde, Greater Manchester, described her as "a lively and vibrant little girl" who was thriving at school and enjoying time with her friends. She took her to the hospital's A&E after finding her lethargic, with a headache and a worryingly fast heartbeat, the inquest mother, who was a nurse at the same hospital at the time, said she queried whether Lila could have jury heard her neck was so stiff and painful that various clinicians over several hours were unable to complete a standard test which would have pointed towards meningitis. Another test on her legs should have raised warning signs but failed to do so and medical staff thought she had tonsillitis, the court was nine hours after she had arrived, Lila was discharged from the observation ward and sent home with her over seven hours after that she was pronounced dead by paramedics after her mother woke to find her witness Dr Philip Chetcuti previously told the court had Lila been given intravenous antibiotics in the first three hours of her time there, she would probably have inquest heard Lila was never fully examined for a rash - only her chest and back - and the test on her neck was never fully carried out, partly because each person assumed that someone else had already done she went from clinician to clinician, her notes were recorded on different systems, some paper, some electronic and this meant vital information was not properly passed on, the inquest heard. 'Devastating loss' There was a fundamental misunderstanding early on, too, that she had been examined by a senior doctor in adult A&E, when in fact he had never seen her, the jury was told. He was relying on a nurse's examination when he had decided she was well enough to be transferred, and that her elevated heart rate was probably anxiety, the court was this misunderstanding led other clinicians to believe her case was not urgent and when she was sent home they believed she had jury returned a narrative conclusion, finding that Lila died of natural causes and the cause of death was meningitis. They also decided her death was contributed to by Christopher Morris said to Lila's family: "I can't even begin to imagine how difficult it must have been sitting through evidence and having to relive the events." He said he hoped it gave some answers to the events leading to her death and offered his coroner made several prevention of future death reports and recommendations to the trust. Missed opportunities Ms Mincherton said it was "vital that lessons are learned to improve patient safety".Speaking outside court, she said: "Throughout this process we have faced a number of defences to the care Lila received."We got the outcome today that we believed we should have but hearing the word 'neglect' is something a parent should never have to hear."We are now left with the devastating loss of our daughter for the rest of our lives."Tameside General Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital, released a statement offering their condolences to Lila's family. "It is clear from the independent investigation that there were missed opportunities in Lila's care. We accept the coroner's findings and apologise unreservedly," a statement read."As a trust we have made and will continue to make improvements to ensure we learn from this case." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
The Independent
31 minutes ago
- The Independent
New Covid variant cases discovered in England
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has confirmed the detection of 13 cases of the new Covid -19 variant NB.1.8.1 across England, with additional cases in other parts of the UK. The NB.1.8.1 variant, an Omicron subvariant, accounts for just over 10 per cent of global infections and has been designated a 'variant under monitoring ' by the World Health Organization. Symptoms of the NB.1.8.1 variant are similar to other Omicron subvariants, including fatigue, fever, muscle aches, and a sore throat. Health officials believe current Covid-19 vaccines are expected to remain effective against the NB.1.8.1 variant, protecting against severe illness. UKHSA deputy director Dr Gayatri Amirthalingam stated that there is no evidence suggesting the new variant causes more severe disease than previous variants.
