Alcohol and me: 10 years sober
Andy Mayer has been clear of alcohol for 10 years, and it keeps getting better. Here, he writes about the paradox of addiction: that getting clean is something no one can do for you - and yet you can't do it alone
MPs call for two alcohol-free days each week and clearer guidelines on drinking
Committee suggests health benefits oversold, while doctors say putting a minimum price per unit would prevent 10,000 deaths
Are you a fan of the ‘Janopause’ detox?
Open thread: The British Liver Trust has poured cold water on the practice of giving up alcohol for January. Tell us your thoughts
UK’s oesophageal cancer rate is worst in Europe
Cancer charity attributes Britain's poor global placing – equal with Rwanda – to high alcohol intake and growing obesity
Heavy drinking in pregnancy can alter unborn babies’ brains, study shows
People born to alcoholic mothers at risk of problems ranging from poor brain development to loss of hearing and vision
Smoking and drinking in pregnancy ‘harms 10,000 babies in UK each year’
Newborns suffer permanent harm, including brain damage, disability or physical deformity, says top children's doctor
Comment is free readers on… giving up an unhealthy habit
The people's panel: Five readers share their thoughts on who or what pushed them to change their addictive behaviour
Tough action needed for better public health
Nudging people towards healthier lifestyles has been shown to be unlikely to work. So it's time for some radical action by ministers
Dr Luisa Dillner’s guide to . . . drink and drugs in old age
Up to one third of older people with alcohol problems develop them later in life – often in response to loss and stress
Drinks firm sponsors midwife training on dangers of alcohol in pregnancy
Scheme aims to help one million expectant mothers but the public-private initiative has been criticised as a conflict of interest
NHS reforms: Mutuals will give staff ‘right to provide’
Move to establish social enterprises which could be contracted to provide care likely to be seen as step towards privatisation
Dr Luisa Dillner’s guide to . . . Marriage and health
Studies show that being in a happy marriage is good for your health
Alcohol abuse: More aid for sufferers could save NHS £1.7bn
Report calls for counsellors and advisors in hospitals, claiming presence would save £3 for every £1 invested
Dr Luisa Dillner’s guide to . . . Teenage drinking
Talk to children about alcohol when they are 11 or 12 and provide them with lots of practical information
The misery of the detox
January is a miserable month and yet so many make it even more miserable by trying to give up some of life's great pleasures – such as alcohol. Three weeks in, how's it going?