Colin Angus
@victimofmaths.bsky.social
Professor of Alcohol Policy in the Sheffield Addictions Research Group (@SARG-SCHARR), graph drawer, data botherer, cake eater, incompetent cyclist and intermittent birder.
Just had my first encounter with Hong Kong milk tea. Incredible stuff. I might not sleep for a week.
December 22, 2025 at 12:50 PM
Just had my first encounter with Hong Kong milk tea. Incredible stuff. I might not sleep for a week.
We've done a handy summary of all the announcements related to alcohol, tobacco and gambling in the Autumn Budget and what they all mean for public health:
How did the #AutumnBudget2025 impact alcohol, tobacco, vaping and gambling? In this new blog post SARG experts @victimofmaths.bsky.social, @drduncgillespie.bsky.social and Ellen McGrane analyse the key policy decisions and their potential impacts on public health sarg-sheffield.ac.uk/blog/autumn-...
Autumn Budget 2025: Analysis of tax and policy changes across alcohol, tobacco and gambling - Sheffield Addictions Research Group
In this post, SARG experts analyse the impact of the Autumn Budget 2025 on public health. They explore the effects of maintaining inflation-linked alcohol duties and licensing policy changes, new tax ...
sarg-sheffield.ac.uk
December 17, 2025 at 3:11 PM
We've done a handy summary of all the announcements related to alcohol, tobacco and gambling in the Autumn Budget and what they all mean for public health:
New job opportunity:
Come and work with some of my fabulous colleagues developing and applying new models of the links between public health and the labour market to explore the impacts of health and workplace interventions.
Closing data 5th Jan:
jobsite.sheffield.ac.uk/job/Research...
Come and work with some of my fabulous colleagues developing and applying new models of the links between public health and the labour market to explore the impacts of health and workplace interventions.
Closing data 5th Jan:
jobsite.sheffield.ac.uk/job/Research...
Research Associate in Public Health and Labour Economic Modelling
Research Associate in Public Health and Labour Economic Modelling
jobsite.sheffield.ac.uk
December 11, 2025 at 11:00 AM
New job opportunity:
Come and work with some of my fabulous colleagues developing and applying new models of the links between public health and the labour market to explore the impacts of health and workplace interventions.
Closing data 5th Jan:
jobsite.sheffield.ac.uk/job/Research...
Come and work with some of my fabulous colleagues developing and applying new models of the links between public health and the labour market to explore the impacts of health and workplace interventions.
Closing data 5th Jan:
jobsite.sheffield.ac.uk/job/Research...
This is great - a clear overview of key principles in data visualisation, written in a super-accessible and interest way, with great examples throughout.
Big new blogpost!
My guide to data visualization, which includes a very long table of contents, tons of charts, and more.
--> Why data visualization matters and how to make charts more effective, clear, transparent, and sometimes, beautiful.
www.scientificdiscovery.dev/p/salonis-gu...
My guide to data visualization, which includes a very long table of contents, tons of charts, and more.
--> Why data visualization matters and how to make charts more effective, clear, transparent, and sometimes, beautiful.
www.scientificdiscovery.dev/p/salonis-gu...
December 10, 2025 at 3:59 PM
This is great - a clear overview of key principles in data visualisation, written in a super-accessible and interest way, with great examples throughout.
Stocking up on the finest of condiments.
December 7, 2025 at 2:36 PM
Stocking up on the finest of condiments.
Reposted by Colin Angus
Giving licensing officers enhanced powers would hollow out local democratic accountability in licensing decisions.
🎙️Listen to our podcast with Prof Niamh Fitzgerald & Dr James Nicholls🎙️
Links: www.ias.org.uk/podcast/gove...
🎙️Listen to our podcast with Prof Niamh Fitzgerald & Dr James Nicholls🎙️
Links: www.ias.org.uk/podcast/gove...
December 5, 2025 at 11:15 AM
Giving licensing officers enhanced powers would hollow out local democratic accountability in licensing decisions.
🎙️Listen to our podcast with Prof Niamh Fitzgerald & Dr James Nicholls🎙️
Links: www.ias.org.uk/podcast/gove...
🎙️Listen to our podcast with Prof Niamh Fitzgerald & Dr James Nicholls🎙️
Links: www.ias.org.uk/podcast/gove...
Had a really interesting visit yesterday to The Thistle, the UK's first safe drug consumption room. Fascinating to see all the thought that's gone into its design, including extensive involvement from people with lived and living experience to make the service as accessible as possible.
December 5, 2025 at 10:08 AM
Had a really interesting visit yesterday to The Thistle, the UK's first safe drug consumption room. Fascinating to see all the thought that's gone into its design, including extensive involvement from people with lived and living experience to make the service as accessible as possible.
Reposted by Colin Angus
📢 New on the SARG Blog! Ellen McGrane discusses an @nihr-pruaddictions.bsky.social project exploring how to integrate alcohol dependence into policy modelling. The team worked with policymakers and people with lived experience to develop a roadmap for more equitable models. #AlcoholPolicy
Advancing alcohol policy modelling by integrating alcohol dependence - Sheffield Addictions Research Group
Ellen McGrane shares details of a project led by the NIHR Policy Research Unit in Addictions, exploring how to integrate alcohol dependence into alcohol policy modelling. She explains how the team wor...
sarg-sheffield.ac.uk
December 3, 2025 at 10:21 AM
📢 New on the SARG Blog! Ellen McGrane discusses an @nihr-pruaddictions.bsky.social project exploring how to integrate alcohol dependence into policy modelling. The team worked with policymakers and people with lived experience to develop a roadmap for more equitable models. #AlcoholPolicy
Reposted by Colin Angus
Has alcohol consumption in England returned to pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels? A monthly population study, 2014 to 2024 buff.ly/OQC8Ii3 @melissaoldham.bsky.social @drsarahejackson.bsky.social @lionshahab.bsky.social @victimofmaths.bsky.social @jholmessheff.bsky.social @jamiebrown.bsky.social
December 2, 2025 at 11:33 AM
Has alcohol consumption in England returned to pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels? A monthly population study, 2014 to 2024 buff.ly/OQC8Ii3 @melissaoldham.bsky.social @drsarahejackson.bsky.social @lionshahab.bsky.social @victimofmaths.bsky.social @jholmessheff.bsky.social @jamiebrown.bsky.social
OHID have just updated their Fingertips/Local Alcohol Profiles data with 2024 alcohol mortality figures.
fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/loca...
Good to see things heading in a positive direction for a change.
More details in my thread from a couple of months ago:
bsky.app/profile/vict...
fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/loca...
Good to see things heading in a positive direction for a change.
More details in my thread from a couple of months ago:
bsky.app/profile/vict...
December 2, 2025 at 11:22 AM
OHID have just updated their Fingertips/Local Alcohol Profiles data with 2024 alcohol mortality figures.
fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/loca...
Good to see things heading in a positive direction for a change.
More details in my thread from a couple of months ago:
bsky.app/profile/vict...
fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/loca...
Good to see things heading in a positive direction for a change.
More details in my thread from a couple of months ago:
bsky.app/profile/vict...
As a current Deputy Stats & Methods Editor for Addiction, I can vouch for this being a good way of finding out what cool and interesting stuff people are up to. These are also paid positions.
Also note that the call includes epidemiologists and health economists, not just statisticians.
Also note that the call includes epidemiologists and health economists, not just statisticians.
Addiction is currently seeking to expand its pool of Statistics & Methodology Editors - please see here for more details, including how to apply www.addictionjournal.org/newsroom/dep...
Addiction Journal - Deputy Statistics & Methodology Editor Role with Addiction
www.addictionjournal.org
December 2, 2025 at 9:58 AM
As a current Deputy Stats & Methods Editor for Addiction, I can vouch for this being a good way of finding out what cool and interesting stuff people are up to. These are also paid positions.
Also note that the call includes epidemiologists and health economists, not just statisticians.
Also note that the call includes epidemiologists and health economists, not just statisticians.
Reposted by Colin Angus
From now on, when discussing the budget, please use “is this measure bigger than the cost to the exchequer of gen Z drinking less” as your metric for assessing whether something actually raises or costs a significant sum
November 26, 2025 at 12:28 PM
From now on, when discussing the budget, please use “is this measure bigger than the cost to the exchequer of gen Z drinking less” as your metric for assessing whether something actually raises or costs a significant sum
Come and join our lovely team in Sheffield:
✨ SARG Internship opportunity ✨ We're currently looking for a part-time Quantitative Research Intern to undertake a three-month research project mapping the type of advice that alcohol treatment and recovery services give to clients on the use of alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks. Find out more 👇
Quantitative Research Intern (P/T) at University of Sheffield
An opportunity for an academic position as a Quantitative Research Intern (P/T) is available, as advertised on jobs.ac.uk. Apply now and explore other academic job openings.
www.jobs.ac.uk
November 25, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Come and join our lovely team in Sheffield:
Another new @addictionjournal.bsky.social paper out today looking at trends in alcohol consumption in England and trying to answer the important question as to whether this has returned to pre-pandemic levels after rising during the first lockdown.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
November 24, 2025 at 3:38 PM
Another new @addictionjournal.bsky.social paper out today looking at trends in alcohol consumption in England and trying to answer the important question as to whether this has returned to pre-pandemic levels after rising during the first lockdown.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
We've got a new paper out in @addictionjournal.bsky.social led by @drsarahejackson.bsky.social looking at trends in cost as a motivating factor for people looking to reduce their alcohol consumption.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
November 21, 2025 at 9:43 AM
We've got a new paper out in @addictionjournal.bsky.social led by @drsarahejackson.bsky.social looking at trends in cost as a motivating factor for people looking to reduce their alcohol consumption.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
I had a wide-ranging chat with journalist David Hillier the other day about alcohol prices, deaths data and licensing reforms:
In the run-up to the Budget – and with booze in a weird place (high deaths, sober curiosity, £7 pints, pubs shutting) – I had a long chat with @victimofmaths.bsky.social about the true cost of alcohol: to drinkers, and everyone else.
🍺 whatareyouon.substack.com/p/britain-bl...
🍺 whatareyouon.substack.com/p/britain-bl...
Britain bleeds cheap Booze
As the Budget looms, here's the true cost of our drinking habit
whatareyouon.substack.com
November 21, 2025 at 9:16 AM
I had a wide-ranging chat with journalist David Hillier the other day about alcohol prices, deaths data and licensing reforms:
A few thoughts on alcohol duty ahead of the budget (and an excuse to update some old graphs).
These two show the important of accounting for inflation - in cash terms alcohol duty rates are higher than ever before, but in real terms they are at historically low levels.
These two show the important of accounting for inflation - in cash terms alcohol duty rates are higher than ever before, but in real terms they are at historically low levels.
November 13, 2025 at 12:05 PM
A few thoughts on alcohol duty ahead of the budget (and an excuse to update some old graphs).
These two show the important of accounting for inflation - in cash terms alcohol duty rates are higher than ever before, but in real terms they are at historically low levels.
These two show the important of accounting for inflation - in cash terms alcohol duty rates are higher than ever before, but in real terms they are at historically low levels.
Does anyone know what health data they are proposing to cut here, and whether it's the underlying data, or just the reports summarising some aspects of that which are under threat?
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
ONS to cut reports on health and crime to improve quality of core data
UK’s statistics agency announces ‘recovery’ plan after concerns raised over reliability of its data
www.theguardian.com
November 12, 2025 at 1:22 PM
Does anyone know what health data they are proposing to cut here, and whether it's the underlying data, or just the reports summarising some aspects of that which are under threat?
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Really interesting opinion piece in @addictionjournal.bsky.social here from some of my colleagues looking at the potential benefits and risks/challenges of no/lo alcohol products for very heavy drinkers and those in recovery:
doi.org/10.1111/add....
doi.org/10.1111/add....
Zero tolerance for 0%? How should clinicians and other practitioners respond to the use of alcohol‐free and low‐alcohol products in higher risk groups
Alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks (no/lo drinks) are now widely available and popular with consumers in high-income countries; however, it is unclear whether clinicians and others working to preven...
doi.org
November 12, 2025 at 10:14 AM
Really interesting opinion piece in @addictionjournal.bsky.social here from some of my colleagues looking at the potential benefits and risks/challenges of no/lo alcohol products for very heavy drinkers and those in recovery:
doi.org/10.1111/add....
doi.org/10.1111/add....
Reposted by Colin Angus
Clinicians: Should patients at high risk of alcohol harm use no and low-alcohol drinks?
New research highlights the need for nuanced guidance beyond zero-tolerance, considering non-abstinence goals and harm reduction:
New research highlights the need for nuanced guidance beyond zero-tolerance, considering non-abstinence goals and harm reduction:
Zero tolerance for 0%? How should clinicians and other practitioners respond to the use of alcohol‐free and low‐alcohol products in higher risk groups
Alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks (no/lo drinks) are now widely available and popular with consumers in high-income countries; however, it is unclear whether clinicians and others working to…
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
November 11, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Clinicians: Should patients at high risk of alcohol harm use no and low-alcohol drinks?
New research highlights the need for nuanced guidance beyond zero-tolerance, considering non-abstinence goals and harm reduction:
New research highlights the need for nuanced guidance beyond zero-tolerance, considering non-abstinence goals and harm reduction:
Reposted by Colin Angus
The latest publication from our evaluation of the QUIT hospital-based tobacco dependence treatment service is now available. It investigates patient flows from hospital to community stop smoking services and subsequent quitting outcomes. Find out more about this work at quit.sites.sheffield.ac.uk
Smoking cessation after referral from hospital to community stop smoking services: an observational study
Introduction In England, acute National Health Service (NHS) hospitals routinely ask patients about smoking status on admission, offering in-hospital treatment for tobacco dependence and support for q...
bmjpublichealth.bmj.com
November 11, 2025 at 11:25 AM
The latest publication from our evaluation of the QUIT hospital-based tobacco dependence treatment service is now available. It investigates patient flows from hospital to community stop smoking services and subsequent quitting outcomes. Find out more about this work at quit.sites.sheffield.ac.uk
A nice primer here (ft. @sarg-scharr.bsky.social research) on no/lo alcohol prices and whether they really are more expensive than their alcoholic equivalents.
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
Why are alcohol-free drinks so expensive? Some fake spirits cost over £25 a bottle!
In this new series, our money and consumer editor considers the often perplexing reasons items cost what they do. As a new report suggests booze-free booze can cost 25% more than the alcoholic equival...
www.theguardian.com
November 6, 2025 at 12:31 PM
A nice primer here (ft. @sarg-scharr.bsky.social research) on no/lo alcohol prices and whether they really are more expensive than their alcoholic equivalents.
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
Reposted by Colin Angus
A new @addictionjournal.bsky.social commentary warns of regulatory capture in UK alcohol licensing
The ‘Licensing Taskforce’ - led by industry figures - could weaken democratic accountability & redefine licensing as business promotion, not public protection
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
The ‘Licensing Taskforce’ - led by industry figures - could weaken democratic accountability & redefine licensing as business promotion, not public protection
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Regulatory capture in UK alcohol licensing policy: The 2025 ‘licensing taskforce’ report
Click on the article title to read more.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
October 27, 2025 at 12:03 PM
A new @addictionjournal.bsky.social commentary warns of regulatory capture in UK alcohol licensing
The ‘Licensing Taskforce’ - led by industry figures - could weaken democratic accountability & redefine licensing as business promotion, not public protection
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
The ‘Licensing Taskforce’ - led by industry figures - could weaken democratic accountability & redefine licensing as business promotion, not public protection
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Alcoholic drinks, along with fruit and fish, are the only food and drink category to have got cheaper, in real terms, since the start of the cost-of-living crisis.
Beer has got slightly more expensive in real terms since the end of 2022, but wine and spirits remain at late 2022 prices.
Beer has got slightly more expensive in real terms since the end of 2022, but wine and spirits remain at late 2022 prices.
October 24, 2025 at 12:33 PM
Alcoholic drinks, along with fruit and fish, are the only food and drink category to have got cheaper, in real terms, since the start of the cost-of-living crisis.
Beer has got slightly more expensive in real terms since the end of 2022, but wine and spirits remain at late 2022 prices.
Beer has got slightly more expensive in real terms since the end of 2022, but wine and spirits remain at late 2022 prices.
Reposted by Colin Angus
Happy to see this commentary come out - some thoughts on the limited implementation of the alcohol floor price in the Northern Territory, and the impact of inflation on the $1.30 price point with no indexation.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
The Cost of Poor Policy Implementation and Maintenance: The Northern Territory's Alcohol Floor Price
Click on the article title to read more.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
October 22, 2025 at 4:37 AM
Happy to see this commentary come out - some thoughts on the limited implementation of the alcohol floor price in the Northern Territory, and the impact of inflation on the $1.30 price point with no indexation.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...