Latest news with #alcohol
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Pedal pubs can soon serve alcohol in select Ontario cities, province says
The Ontario government has announced it will allow alcohol to be served on large quadricycles, better known as pedal pubs, starting on July 1. The change would apply to pedal pubs with an alcohol license in Toronto, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ottawa and Windsor with room for 12 or more people, according to a news release from the Attorney General of Ontario issued Friday. Alex Di Lello, the general manager of Pedal Pub Toronto, told CBC Toronto he got emotional hearing the news. "I jumped up out of my chair. I almost started crying," he said, adding that potential customers would often call to ask whether they can bring booze on the bike. "We say, well, there's actually no alcohol on the bike, but we take you to three bars. And before I can finish my sentence, they hang up. So it definitely sounds like having alcohol on the bike is going to be a huge, huge, huge factor for us." Pedal pubs are only able to operate in municipalities with bylaws that allow them, the release said. Municipalities can set local rules, such as having specific routes or hours of operation, to make sure they don't cause disruptions or worsen traffic. Toronto mayor Olivia Chow said she has no concerns about the move at an unrelated event Friday. "People were saying that drinking in parks is going to be terrible. I see no dramatic negative impact, other than people having a good time or that they don't have to hide it in a paper bag," she said, referring to the city's move to permanently allow drinking in some parks last summer. The province launched a 10-year pilot program for pedal pubs back in 2022, but they were not allowed to serve alcohol up until now. The release says the move is meant to support small businesses and encourage local tourism in the face of U.S. tariffs and economic uncertainty "Beginning this summer, Ontario is supporting a unique opportunity that will not only stimulate tourism and bring communities together, but also protect local jobs, our economy and small businesses across the province," Attorney General Doug Downey said in a statement. The alcohol license application process will open next month and is one of several recent moves by the Ford government to boost the alcohol industry. The province allowed alcohol to be sold in convenience stores in September and announced plans in May to spend hundreds of millions to support grape farmers, wineries, distilleries and craft breweries. In an unrelated news conference, Liberal MPP Adil Shamji said the government should care less about alcohol and more on things like the cost of living or health care wait times. "It's perplexing to me that they're choosing to focus on this," he said.
Irish Times
9 hours ago
- Health
- Irish Times
Alcohol labels fool nobody
Sir, – The logic behind placing warning labels on bottles of alcohol seems to be that the product can cause health and other problems and, therefore, people must be told. Apart from the fact that this is condescending – people already know that – it is unwise to take the same approach to alcohol as has been adopted towards tobacco. Alcohol only causes problems in excess, while most people use it in moderation. Last Saturday, for example, in the Drinks section of The Irish Times, there was an article headlined 'Wine shops moonlighting as bars are saving the neighbourhood'. On the opposite page were the four recommended tipples of the week. READ MORE Should that, too, be banned as it encourages dangerous behaviour? There is no evidence that warning labels will have any effect, in particular on problem drinkers. Labelling a bottle of wine 'This could kill you' is an irrelevant message for most people and will be regarded as laughable and therefore ignored. The obvious measure to take is to properly fund addiction treatment and services. That takes time, money and political will. Slapping warning labels on bottles is an exercise in 'Something must be seen to be done. Here is something'. – Yours, etc, DAVE SLATER, Co Kildare.
The Independent
16 hours ago
- Health
- The Independent
The three lifestyle factors putting a million UK adults at risk of dying early
About a million people in England are putting themselves at risk of dying early because they are overweight and combine drinking too much and smoking, research has found. The 'triple threat' disproportionately raises their risk of diseases including cancer, heart disease, stroke, Type-2 diabetes, liver disease and mental health conditions, experts warn. One doctor said the combination may cut 20 years from someone's life. Analysis of a Health Survey for England by charity Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) found that 22 per cent of adults in England – at least 10 million people – have two or more of the three risk factors. About 2 per cent – a million adults – fall into all three categories. Public-health experts warned two years ago that high levels of obesity, excessive drinking and health inequalities were costing the economy £15bn a year. Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, chairman of the Alcohol Health Alliance, said each of the three habits carried a risk, but when combined the danger is exaggerated. 'These poor health outcomes are not only avoidable, but they also place a huge and growing strain on the NHS and our economy,' he said. "We urgently need a joined-up approach to public health policymaking that tackles these issues together, rather than in isolation, if we are to see the much-needed governmental shift from sickness to prevention.' The combined effects of smoking, drinking and being overweight are often greater than the sum of individual risks, studies have shown. The new analysis of 2021 data also found that: ● 5.9 million people (13 per cent of adults) have factors of being overweight or obesity and drinking ● 2.5 million (6 per cent of adults) are overweight or obese and smoke ● 0.6 million (1 per cent of adults) drink and smoke without being overweight Prof Gilmore, a former president of the Royal College of Physicians, told The Guardian it was likely that smoking, grade three obesity and heavy drinking would reduce life expectancy by at least 20 years. Katharine Jenner, director of the Obesity Health Alliance, said: 'These are not issues of individual behaviour, but issues of industry behaviour or tactics. 'Behind the statistics on smoking, alcohol and unhealthy food-related disease lie multi-million-pound industries that operate in darkly similar ways – producing, marketing and selling products that damage our wellbeing. 'The government will not be able to meet its ambition of shifting from prevention to treatment until it recognises this.' Caroline Cerny, the deputy chief executive of Ash, said the government's forthcoming 10-year plan was an opportunity to 'get a firm grip on the causes of ill health that are shortening the lives of people and placing a huge strain on the NHS'. She called for targets to cut smoking, drinking and excess weight, introducing minimum-unit pricing of alcohol in England and extending the sugar tax. Health secretary Wes Streeting is next week due to unveil his 10-year plan for the NHS, aimed at tackling inequalities through fundamental reforms, and measures such as sending health workers door-to-door. People will be urged to monitor their own health with technology such as smart watches that monitor blood pressure and glucose levels. The Department of Health and Social Care was approached for comment but a spokesperson told The Guardian ministers were committed to tackling obesity through a ban on the advertising of junk food on television before 9pm and a planned new food strategy. They also an extra £310m had been put to treatment of drug and alcohol addiction, while the Tobacco and Vapes Bill phases out the sale of cigarettes.
Irish Times
17 hours ago
- Irish Times
Off-duty garda who assaulted hotel porter while ‘paralytic drunk' spared conviction
An off-duty garda who has represented Roscommon at senior inter-county football level got 'paralytic drunk' after drinking sambucas during an 'alcohol-fuelled' stag weekend before assaulting a hotel porter in Ennis, Co Clare, a court has heard. At Ennis District Court, Judge Alec Gabbett commented: 'It is a shame really that but for the isolated incident on a stag night where Caoileann Fitzmaurice drank sambuca he probably wouldn't be here at all.' The garda was spared a conviction, with the judge imposing the Probation Act instead. He will still face internal Garda disciplinary proceedings. Judge Gabbett said: 'Mr Fitzmaurice had four or five drinks and all of a sudden he was paralytic drunk and he had to be brought home. Then he was confronted by this nice man [Olufegun Lawal] who was trying to direct him to the right place when the melee ensued.' READ MORE Judge Gabbett said that Mr Fitzmaurice was on 'an alcohol-fuelled weekend'. In the case, Mr Fitzmaurice (31), who is stationed at Pearse Street Garda Station in Dublin, pleaded guilty to assaulting Mr Lawal at the Queen's Hotel, Abbey Street, Ennis in Co Clare on January 21st, 2023. Judge Gabbett said that he would not be imposing a conviction on Mr Fitzmaurice for the late-night assault and instead imposed the Probation Act on the man and made a compensation order for €5,000, which was handed over to Mr Lawal. Judge Gabbett said that he was not convicting Mr Fitzmaurice of the offence 'due to the exemplary fashion in which he has engaged with the Probation Services'. He said: 'He has met the case head on, shown remorse, apologised, faced up to it and paid compensation.' Judge Gabbett said: 'He has received significant publicity for this crime, which is very difficult for his family, his club mates and his colleagues.' He said: 'I am very conscious of the notoriety that this case has brought him – unfortunately Mr Google will follow him around for a long time.' Judge Gabbett said that he wouldn't expect to see Mr Fitzmaurice in a court again other than in his role as a State witness. He said that it is never easy for a member of An Garda Síochána to be before the courts. Judge Gabbett said that he was conscious of the internal disciplinary proceedings within An Garda Síochána which, he said, will have to happen because it is an assault. Counsel for Mr Fitzmaurice, Cian Kelly BL, asked that the case be struck out due to the manner in which Mr Fitzmaurice has met the case. Judge Gabbett said that he didn't think it would change the outcome of the disciplinary process if the case was struck out. Mr Kelly said: 'Unfortunately, having dealt with the minutiae of that disciplinary process I am very conscious that minute differences have significant ramifications in that process.' Judge Gabbett said: 'The court has come as much as it can in terms of sanction.' State Solicitor for Clare, Aisling Casey, said: 'From the very outset, the victim wanted an acknowledgement that he had done nothing wrong and the accused was apologetic to him.' Mr Lawal opted not to provide a victim impact statement to the court. On his way out of the courtroom, Mr Fitzmaurice shook hands with Mr Lawal. Mr Kelly previously said that before the Ennis incident Mr Fitzmaurice was a Garda on beat patrol and is currently on Garda office duties Mr Kelly said that Mr Fitzmaurice is heavily involved in GAA and is captain of local senior football team Michael Glaveys in Roscommon.
CTV News
18 hours ago
- Politics
- CTV News
Legal alcohol drinking coming to some Ottawa parks this summer, including Great Lawn at Lansdowne and Minto Park
You will be allowed to enjoy an alcoholic beverage on the Great Lawn at Lansdowne Park, in Minto Park in Centretown and at Champlain Park this summer, but legal drinking will not be permitted in many suburban neighbourhoods. Starting July 1, alcohol consumption will be allowed in designated areas of Ottawa parks. Under the plan, councillors will work with the general manager of Recreation, Cultural and Facility Services and their constituents to select parks for alcohol consumption. The alcohol in parks pilot project will have the following rules: No alcohol consumption before 11 a.m. and after 9 p.m. or hours designated by the general manager. No person shall possess or consume alcohol within a five-metre radius of a playground or playground equipment, wading pools or splash pads or outdoor pools, beaches, parking lots, natural or artificial ice rinks, and at sports fields, sports courts and ball diamonds. Signs will be installed in selected parks before July 1 with information on: Details about when and where alcohol can be consumed Public health messaging A reminder to take empty alcohol containers home reached out to Ottawa councillors on Friday to ask if they will designate a park in their ward for legal alcohol consumption. Twelve councillors have said their wards will not be participating in the alcohol in parks pilot project. Here is a look at where alcohol consumption will be allowed in parks this summer. Great Lawn at Lansdowne Capital Ward Coun. Shawn Menard says the Great Lawn at Lansdowne is the 'main' park in his ward for legal alcohol consumption under the pilot project. Menard says he would also like to include the Brewer Park open sports fields for the pilot project. Minto Park, McNabb Park Somerset Coun. Ariel Troster says two parks have been selected for legal alcohol consumption in parks – Minto Park on Elgin Street and McNabb Park at Bronson Avenue and Gladstone Avenue. Champlain Park Kitchissippi Coun. Jeff Leiper said in a letter to constituents that Champlain Park will be recommended for the pilot project. 'Champlain Park strikes me as a low-stakes way to see how this will work. I'll say that I'm reasonably confident that permitting the consumption of alcohol in the park is unlikely to increase its occurrence. I'm quite certain that nearby residents are already enjoying alcoholic beverages responsibly in the park today,' Leiper said. 'I'm not particularly concerned that the park will become a destination for drinking. I've tried to imagine a scenario in which people make drinking the focus of an excursion to Champlain Park and simply can't.' Queenswood Ridge Park Orléans East-Cumberland Coun. Matthew Luloff says Queenswood Ridge Park has been selected for the alcohol in parks pilot project. No alcohol in parks Twelve councillors told CTV News Ottawa Friday morning they would not be recommending a park for the alcohol in parks pilot project. The wards are Barrhaven West, Kanata North, Stittsville, Bay, Beacon Hill-Cyrville, Gloucester-Southgate, River, Alta Vista, Knoxdale-Merivale, Barrhaven East, Kanata South and Orléans South-Navan. 'River Ward will not be participating in the pilot. I will yield to my colleagues who wanted the pilot and will learn from it before any local park is proposed,' River Coun. Riley Brockington said in an email. Stittsville Coun. Glen Gower said there was 'not much interest' from residents for a park to be selected for the pilot project. Gloucester-Southgate Coun. Jessica Bradley said she would wait to see how it goes with the pilot project this summer before making any future decisions. Barrhaven West Coun. David Hill said, 'based on the recommendation/advice from my community associations and residents, I opted not to participate in the pilot.' Knoxdale-Merivale Coun. Sean Devine told CTV News Ottawa, 'For the time being, and until we see what comes of this pilot project, I've decided not to add any parks in Ward 9 to the project. There's been absolutely no requests from Ward 9 residents in support of seeing local parks added.'
