Confused as to whether any amount of alcohol is safe for an expecting mom to drink? You’re not alone. Recent, well-publicized studies from researchers in Denmark downplay the risks of consuming alcohol during pregnancy. Such a suggestion is wrong, according to Dr. Susan Astley, a University of Washington fetal alcohol syndrome expert and […]
Is it Autism or FASD?
Autism or FASD? Autism and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders are different disabilities with some similar symptoms. The causes of autism are not fully known, though most scientists agree genetics plays a role. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, including fetal alcohol syndrome, can only be found in children whose mothers drank during pregnancy. The […]
Alcohol & Me: Five things you should know about FASD
If you think FASD doesn’t affect you and your family, Deb Evensen wants you to think again. Evensen has been educating Alaskans about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders for more than 30 years. She works with school districts and organizations across Alaska and the U.S. to address the issue. In this video, she explains the five […]
“It’s not something that can be fixed”
Lounging by the pool on a cruise along the Mexican Riviera, sipping rum and Coke, in 2004, Heidi Case didn’t know she was pregnant. Like nearly half of all pregnancies in the U.S., hers was unplanned. It wasn’t until her son, Jacob, was 7 years old that she realized her drinking had damaged his brain. […]
“My goal in life is to give her the best life she can have”
Helen Benson changed her life while staying at a shelter for abused women. Pregnant with her daughter, Serenity, she turned away from a lifestyle of alcohol and drugs that she was desperate to overcome. Now sober for seven years, other challenges remain. In 2012, Serenity was diagnosed with partial Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. For Helen it […]
Our View: Alcohol sensors make a sobering, constant companion
In Alaska’s long struggle with alcohol misuse, we’ve learned that we need to confront the problem on multiple fronts — education, treatment and counseling, tough enforcement and effective alternatives to jail time. For repeat DUI offenders, being married to a 24/7 Breathalyzer covers several of those fronts. That’s the message in Kyle Hopkins’ Jan. 5 […]
MADD scores Alaska 4 of 5 stars on DUI prevention, calls for checkpoints
Mothers Against Drunk Drivers today scored Alaska four out of five stars in a state-by-state ranking of DUI prevention across the country. In its “2014 Report to the Nation,” the non-profit outline five actions each state should take to curb drunken driving. Alaska has already enacted most of those steps, including: – Requiring ignition interlock […]
What happens when it’s the state selling the booze?
States that directly control their own alcohol sales through state-run liquor stores get more revenue from booze than states like Alaska that issue liquor licenses to private retailers, the University of Michigan has found. Unlike Alaska, which takes its cut of the alcohol business through high taxes, some states also directly handle wholesale and/or retail […]
Family sues Chilkoot Charlie’s after daughter killed in DUI crash
Lanita Sweatt-Sanders says goodbye to her daughter, Citari Townes-Sweatt. Police say the 20-year-old was struck and killed by a drunk driver. Sweatt-Sanders has filed a wrongful death lawsuit in Anchorage court, accusing Chilkoot Charlie’s of liability in the death. […]