No abstract

A 1985 general population survey was conducted by Gallup in Great Britain. Subjects (4,148) were questioned about their use of benzodiazepines of whom 1,284 were also questioned about their alcohol, cigarette and caffeine consumption. Data were examined to find possible multiple substance misuse. No strong evidence could be found. People taking benzodiazepines at the time of the survey consumed significantly less alcohol than nonusers or past users. Cigarette consumption was found to be increased in current and past benzodiazepine users. Subgroups of bemodiazepine users, defined as 'high users', 'dosage escalators' or 'chronic users' were also examined. Again no strong evidence of multiple substance misuse could be found. However, high users and dosage escalators did smoke more than others. Concurrent misuse of benzodiazepines and other legally available psychoactive substances is not common in the general population.

SUMMARYThe line-source sprinkler irrigation system provides a continuously variable water application rate, which depends on distance from the line-source. The system is simple to set up and minimizes the amount of land required for experimental work. As the irrigation treatments are allocated systematically, the assumptions of analysis of variance are not satisfied. It is proposed that the effects of irrigation treatments be assessed using analysis of covariance, with distance from the sprinkler line as covariate, thus adjusting for a linear fertility trend. This method of analysis provides an approximate residual mean square for the fitting of response curves, but could be vulnerable to a quadratic fertility trend.

No abstract

Overall alcohol consumption remained virtually unchanged. Men showed little difference in drinking habits, except for the 18-24 age group, who seemed to be drinking less. For women mean alcohol consumption in 1985 was similar to that in 1978, but more women were not drinking at all so the mean alcohol consumption per drinker had risen. As with earlier work, this study showed that social class had little influence on alcohol consumption, while being married seemed to have a moderating effect. A variable regional pattern ofalcohol intake was found. In -a separate analysis underage drinking was common among 16-17 year olds (65%). Their pattern of drinking was similar to that of other age groups, except for those over 65 years, who drank less.Change in alcohol intake in the UK over the seven years was in the middle of the range of values for other European countries. The stable UK overall consumption was perhaps due to the constant relative price of alcohol.