James Nicholls

Followers

392

Following

Co-author

Public Views

Alcohol Research UK is an independent charity funding research that increases understanding of alcohol-related harm, promotes effective alcohol policy and develops knowledge about alcohol in society.

As Research Manager, I work with academics, policymakers, and practitioners to ensure Alcohol Research UK support and effectively disseminate the evidence-base on alcohol.

I can be contacted via email or on Twitter:

jamesnicholls@alcoholresearchuk.org

@jamesqnicholls
@AlcoResearchUK
Phone: 0207 821 7880
Address: Alcohol Research UK
4th Floor
Willow House
17-23 Willow Place
London
SW1P 1JH

less

valmore bermudez

University of Zulia (Universidad del Zulia)

ADRIANA M A R C A S S A TUCCI

Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP)

Cynthia Wolle

Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP)

Florence Kerr-corrêa

Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho"

Robin Room

Martha Romero

National Institute of Psychiatry, Mexico

University of Melbourne

InterestsView All (12)

Uploads

Books by James Nicholls

Alcohol, Power and Public Health: A Comparative Study of Alcohol Policies

Alcohol Policy in Global Context

Overview of alcohol policy in global perspectives for the SAGE Handbook of Drug and Alcohol Policy.

The politics of alcohol: a history of the drink question in England

Download

Papers by James Nicholls

Dynamics and typologies of heavy drinking drinking styles in Great Britain 1978-201

Aims: To identify a typology of heavier drinking styles in Great Britain and to identify socio-de... more Aims: To identify a typology of heavier drinking styles in Great Britain and to identify socio-demographic trends in the typology over the period 1978–2010. Methods: We applied multiple correspondence analysis and agglomerative hierarchical clustering to beverage-specific quantity–frequency measures of alcohol consumption in the repeated cross-sectional General Lifestyle Survey of Great Britain, 1978–2010. The cluster analysis focuses on the 60,043 adult respondents over this period reporting average drinking levels above the UK Government guidelines. We projected sex, age, income, education, socioeconomic status and tobacco consumption variables onto the clusters to inspect socio-demographic trends in heavier drinking. Results: We identified four stable clusters of heavier drinking: (a) high volume beer; (b) beer and spirit combination; (c) all beverage and (d) wine and spirit only. The socio-demographic characteristics of the clusters were distinct from both each other and the general population. However, all clusters had higher median incomes and higher smoking rates than the population. Increases in the prevalence of heavier drinking were driven by a 5-fold increase in the contribution of the female-dominated, wine and spirit only cluster. Conclusions: Recent changes in per capita alcohol consumption in Great Britain occurred within the context of a stable typology of heavier drinking styles and shifting socio-demographics. Identifying these trends is essential to better understand how drinking cultures develop over time and where potentially problematic drinking styles may emerge. Our findings suggest that careful attention to patterns and cultures of consumption is more important than relying on headline consumption data, for both understanding drinking behaviours and targeting interventions. Short Summary: This analysis of alcohol consumption survey data identifies four styles of heavier drinking in Great Britain, which remain unchanged over the period 1978–2010. The socio-demographic characteristics of the drinking styles are distinct from both each other and the general population, with increased participation of female and older drinkers over time.

Download

Implementing a Public Health Objective for Alcohol Premises Licensing in Scotland: A Qualitative Study of Strategies, Values, and Perceptions of Evidence

by James Nicholls and Vittal Katikireddi

The public health objective for alcohol premises licensing, established in Scotland in 2005, is u... more The public health objective for alcohol premises licensing, established in Scotland in 2005, is unique globally. We explored how public health practitioners engaged with the licensing system following this change, and what helped or hindered their efforts. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 public health actors, audio-recorded, and analysed using an inductive framework approach. Many interviewees viewed the new objective as synonymous with reducing population-level alcohol consumption; however, this view was not always shared by licensing actors, some of whom did not accept public health as a legitimate goal of licensing, or prioritised economic development instead. Some interviewees were surprised that the public health evidence they presented to licensing boards did not result in their hoped-for outcomes; they reported that licensing officials did not always understand or value health data or statistical evidence. While some tried to give " impartial " advice to licensing boards, this was not always easy; others were clear that their role was one of " winning hearts and minds " through relationship-building with licensing actors over time. Notwithstanding the introduction of the public health objective, there remain significant, and political, challenges in orienting local premises licensing boards towards decisions to reduce the availability of alcohol in Scotland.

Download

The alcohol harm paradox: using a national survey to explore how alcohol may disproportionately impact health in deprived individuals

BMC Public Health, 2015

Internationally, studies show that similar levels of alcohol consumption in deprived communities ... more Internationally, studies show that similar levels of alcohol consumption in deprived communities (vs. more affluent) result in higher levels of alcohol-related ill health. Hypotheses to explain this alcohol harm paradox include deprived drinkers: suffering greater combined health challenges (e.g. smoking, obesity) which exacerbate effects of alcohol harms; exhibiting more harmful consumption patterns (e.g. bingeing); having a history of more harmful consumption; and disproportionately under-reporting consumption. We use a bespoke national survey to assess each of these hypotheses. A national telephone survey designed to test this alcohol harm paradox was undertaken (May 2013 to April 2014) with English adults (n = 6015). Deprivation was assigned by area of residence. Questions examined factors including: current and historic drinking patterns; combined health challenges (smoking, diet, exercise and body mass); and under-reported consumption (enhanced questioning on atypical/special occasion drinking). For each factor, analyses examined differences between deprived and more affluent individuals controlled for total alcohol consumption. Independent of total consumption, deprived drinkers were more likely to smoke, be overweight and report poor diet and exercise. Consequently, deprived increased risk drinkers (male &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;168-400 g, female &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;112-280 g alcohol/week) were &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;10 times more likely than non-deprived counterparts to drink in a behavioural syndrome combining smoking, excess weight and poor diet/exercise. Differences by deprivation were significant but less marked in higher risk drinkers (male &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;400 g, female &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;280 g alcohol/week). Current binge drinking was associated with deprivation independently of total consumption and a history of bingeing was also associated with deprivation in lower and increased risk drinkers. Deprived increased/higher drinkers are more likely than affluent counterparts to consume alcohol as part of a suite of health challenging behaviours including smoking, excess weight and poor diet/exercise. Together these can have multiplicative effects on risks of wholly (e.g. alcoholic liver disease) and partly (e.g. cancers) alcohol-related conditions. More binge drinking in deprived individuals will also increase risks of injury and heart disease despite total alcohol consumption not differing from affluent counterparts. Public health messages on how smoking, poor diet/exercise and bingeing escalate health risks associated with alcohol are needed, especially in deprived communities, as their absence will contribute to health inequalities.

United Kingdom

The SAGE Encyclopedia of Alcohol: Social, Cultural, and Historical Perspectives, 2015

Alcohol problems and policies: Historical and contemporary perspectives

Drugs: education, prevention, and policy, 2015

Addiction: Not just brain malfunction

Nature, 2014

ABSTRACT Irrespective of the animal-rights issues you discuss, we disagree with your one-dimensio... more ABSTRACT Irrespective of the animal-rights issues you discuss, we disagree with your one-dimensional view that addiction is a disease, and with your claim that this view is not particularly controversial among scientists (Nature 506, 5; 2014). Neuroscience has been widely documented as just one of many important influences in drug addiction. Substance abuse cannot be divorced from its social, psychological, cultural, political, legal and environmental contexts: it is not simply a consequence of brain malfunction. Such a myopic perspective undermines the enormous impact people&amp;#39;s circumstances and choices have on addictive behaviour. It trivializes the thoughts, emotions and behaviours of current and former addicts. It also belittles the significant impact that public-health campaigns and legislation are exerting on curbing substance abuse. The many facets of addiction are too complex to be fought on a medical research front alone. A variety of approaches based on diverse levels of analysis are required.

The Government Alcohol Strategy 2012: Alcohol policy at a turning point?

Drugs: Education, Prevention, and Policy, 2012

In March 2012, the UK Coalition published The Government’s Alcohol Strategy (hereafter GAS). It i... more In March 2012, the UK Coalition published The Government’s Alcohol Strategy (hereafter GAS). It is the third such strategy to be published in just eight years, and marks a significant change in approach. The Alcohol Harm Reduction Strategy for England (2004) and Safe, Sensible, Social: The Next Steps in the National Alcohol Strategy (2007) both emphasised partnership working with industry, education and improved data collection. By contrast, the GAS focuses on strengthening supply-side controls, most notably through the introduction of minimum unit pricing for alcohol (MUP) and greater powers for licensing authorities. There are points of continuity, particularly around support for identification and brief advice, and all three documents identify binge drinking as the core problem associated with alcohol. However, the 2012 Strategy may signal the moment when, in England and Wales, public health perspectives began to make a tangible impact on core policy framing.

The politics of addiction: Medical conflict and drug dependence in England since 1960, by Sarah G. Mars

Drugs: Education, Prevention, and Policy, 2013

Alcohol Policy in Global Context

Chapter 10 in the Kolind, T., Thom, B. and Hunt, G. eds. (2017) SAGE Handbook of Drug and Alcohol... more

Download

A new approach to measuring drinking cultures

Holidays, celebrations and commiserations: measuring drinking during feasting an fasting to improve national and individual estimates of alcohol consumption

Public health and alcohol licensing in the UK: challenges, opportunities and implications for policy and practice

Contemporary Drug Problems, Apr 21, 2015

This article discusses the role of public health in alcohol licensing in the UK, with a particula... more This article discusses the role of public health in alcohol licensing in the UK, with a particular focus on the implementation of national legislation and guidance in local regulatory environments. It identifies a number of practical and theoretical challenges through an analysis of historical trends in licensing practice, recent policy developments, and key licensing decisions and appeals. There are strong historical precedents for a focus on strategic harm reduction in UK licensing; however, because licensing primarily addresses the proximate effects of retail, the incorporation of health considerations presents novel difficulties. These center on the identification and deployment of data, the attribution of population-level harms to individual outlets, alcohol industry resistance, local authority risk aversion, and epistemological tensions between public health and licensing. The conclusion proposes that for public health perspectives to gain traction in the licensing environment, clear and realistic goals need to be established, research needs to emphasize local data, and there needs to be a better understanding of the approaches to evidence, knowledge and decision-making that characterize licensing and other local regulatory services.

Download

National and local: policy lessons from the history of alcohol

The importance of long histories. Many problems and policy responses in the present have their ro... more

Download

What is the problem?: Evidence, politics and alcohol policy in England and Wales 2010-14

This paper considers alcohol policy development in England and Wales under the Coalition governme... more This paper considers alcohol policy development in England and Wales under the Coalition government after 2010. With a particular focus on minimum unit pricing, it examines why policy departures based on supply-side controls drawn from public health models were abandoned in favour of a restoration of policy equilibrium. The paper adopts a historically-informed political science perspective, drawing upon insights from John Kingdon’s policy streams approach, with a focus on how the ‘alcohol problem’ is defined and framed by policy actors. It argues that while the restoration of policy equilibrium was significantly attributable to industry lobbying, also important were the inconsistent framing of policy proposals, lack of departmental synergy, ideological tensions and a lack of coherence in the communication of evidence.

Download

Sales to drunk customers: policy, enforcement and responsibility

Review of research, legislation and practice on sale to drunk customers in the UK. Contains recom... more

Download

The impact of spatial and temporal availability of alcohol on its consumption and related harms: a critical review in the context of UK licensing policies

This paper presents a critical review of empirical spatial and temporal availability research to ... more

Download

Time for reform?: alcohol policy and cultural change in England since 2000

British Politics 7.3, Sep 2012

Throughout history, alcohol policy has been tied to ideas of cultural change. In 2000, the New La... more Throughout history, alcohol policy has been tied to ideas of cultural change. In 2000, the New Labour government proposed deregulatory legislation that was designed, in part, to change British drinking cultures. However, implementation of the subsequent 2003 Licensing Act coincided with developments in alcohol retail and drinking behaviours which created widespread public concern. Government alcohol policy was also criticised by public health advocates who rejected the model of cultural change which underpinned it. Focussing on England and Wales, this article considers how an emphasis on culture-change outcomes undermined the political success of New Labour's alcohol policy; how media responses reinforced problematic ideas around British drinking culture; and how public health policy lobbying on alcohol has exposed a marked political divide over the role of legislation in shaping public attitudes and behaviours.

Download

Alcohol, Power and Public Health: A Comparative Study of Alcohol Policies

Alcohol Policy in Global Context

Overview of alcohol policy in global perspectives for the SAGE Handbook of Drug and Alcohol Policy.

The politics of alcohol: a history of the drink question in England

Download

Dynamics and typologies of heavy drinking drinking styles in Great Britain 1978-201

Download

Implementing a Public Health Objective for Alcohol Premises Licensing in Scotland: A Qualitative Study of Strategies, Values, and Perceptions of Evidence

by James Nicholls and Vittal Katikireddi

Download

The alcohol harm paradox: using a national survey to explore how alcohol may disproportionately impact health in deprived individuals

BMC Public Health, 2015

United Kingdom

The SAGE Encyclopedia of Alcohol: Social, Cultural, and Historical Perspectives, 2015

Alcohol problems and policies: Historical and contemporary perspectives

Drugs: education, prevention, and policy, 2015

Addiction: Not just brain malfunction

Nature, 2014

The Government Alcohol Strategy 2012: Alcohol policy at a turning point?

Drugs: Education, Prevention, and Policy, 2012

The politics of addiction: Medical conflict and drug dependence in England since 1960, by Sarah G. Mars

Drugs: Education, Prevention, and Policy, 2013

Alcohol Policy in Global Context

Chapter 10 in the Kolind, T., Thom, B. and Hunt, G. eds. (2017) SAGE Handbook of Drug and Alcohol... more

Download

A new approach to measuring drinking cultures

Holidays, celebrations and commiserations: measuring drinking during feasting an fasting to improve national and individual estimates of alcohol consumption

Public health and alcohol licensing in the UK: challenges, opportunities and implications for policy and practice

Contemporary Drug Problems, Apr 21, 2015

Download

National and local: policy lessons from the history of alcohol

The importance of long histories. Many problems and policy responses in the present have their ro... more

Download

What is the problem?: Evidence, politics and alcohol policy in England and Wales 2010-14

Download

Sales to drunk customers: policy, enforcement and responsibility

Review of research, legislation and practice on sale to drunk customers in the UK. Contains recom... more

Download

The impact of spatial and temporal availability of alcohol on its consumption and related harms: a critical review in the context of UK licensing policies

This paper presents a critical review of empirical spatial and temporal availability research to ... more

Download

Time for reform?: alcohol policy and cultural change in England since 2000

British Politics 7.3, Sep 2012

Download

Alcohol licensing in Scotland: a historical overview

Addiction 107.8, Aug 2012

This paper provides a historical overview of licensing law in Scotland. It seeks to put important... more This paper provides a historical overview of licensing law in Scotland. It seeks to put important contemporary policy developments in their historical context and to draw attention to key themes in licensing policy debates across the United Kingdom. Based on a survey of statutes, commissions of enquiry and consumption and retail data, this article draws together historical evidence to present a synopsis of Scottish licensing history.

Download

Everyday, everywhere: alcohol marketing and social media - current trends

Alcohol and Alcoholism 47.4, Jul 2012

""Aims: To provide a snapshot content analysis of social media marketing among leading alcohol br... more ""Aims: To provide a snapshot content analysis of social media marketing among leading alcohol brands in the UK, and to outline implications for both regulatory policies and further research. Methods: Using screengrab technology, the complete Facebook walls and Twitter timelines for 12 leading UK alcohol brands in November 2011 were captured and archived. 701 brand-authored posts were identified and categorised using a thematic coding frame. Key strategic trends were identified and analysed in the light of contextual research into recent developments in marketing practice within the alcohol industry. Results: A number of dominating trends were identified. These included the use of real-world tie-ins, interactive games, competitions, and time-specific suggestions to drink. These methods reflect a strategy of branded conversation-stimulus which is favoured by social media marketing agencies. Conclusions: A number of distinct marketing methods are deployed by alcohol brands when using social media. These may undermine policies which seek to change social norms around drinking, especially the normalisation of daily consumption. Social media marketing also raises questions regarding the efficacy of reactive regulatory frameworks. Further research into both the nature and impact of alcohol marketing on social media is needed.
Everyday, everywhere: alcohol marketing and social media – current trends""

Download

UK news reporting of alcohol: an analysis of television and newspaper coverage

Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy. , 2011

Aims: To identify patterns in the representation of alcohol-related stories in the UK news media.... more Aims: To identify patterns in the representation of alcohol-related stories in the UK news media. To consider what kind of stories are reported and how reports are framed through thematic focus, imagery and the selection of sources by journalists.

Methods: Quantitative content analysis of seven daily newspapers and four television news programmes over two sample periods: 20 December 2008–2 January 2009 and 15–22 March 2009.

Findings: News reporting strongly emphasizes negative outcomes, especially violence, drink-driving and long-term health impacts – specifically liver disease. Reports of celebrity drinking are commonplace. Public health perspectives play a central role in the framing of alcohol-related stories. There is a clear gender divide: male drinking is associated with violence, while female drinking is associated with simply appearing drunk. Supermarkets are identified as a central cause of problem drinking, and cheap alcohol is seen as a greater threat than relaxed licensing laws.

Conclusions: Compared to previous studies, the ‘normalization’ of drinking in news reporting has declined. Public health advocates have successfully established themselves as key sources for alcohol stories. However, there remains no consensus on public health policy initiatives.

Liberalism and the politics of drink in the 19th century