drunk

non-alcoholic beer capable of getting drunk

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Friday. Eight in the afternoon. You are on a terrace in the center with your friends and you want to have a drink a couple of rods (maybe a couple of cupping) to take advantage of the sun of a retreating summer, but the mere idea of the Hangover of the next morning and having alcohol ruin a good part of your weekend puts you back, so you end up ordering a ‘without’ beer. Another one. But… What if there was an IPA or a ‘without’ liquor capable of giving you a touch of euphoria and disinhibition, all without a single drop of alcohol, hangovers or the risk of ending up developing an addiction? That is the curious promise that a British laboratory has launched. What has happened? That at a delicate moment for the alcohol industry, marked by the demand drop in key markets, a generational change clear in the consumption of drinks and a growing interest For ‘without’ beers or wines, there are those who already want to go several steps further and reach the ‘holy grail’ of the drink. Which? Neither more nor less than squaring the circle: liquors and beers that are alcohol-free but capable of intoxicating. Or at least to give those who consume them that point of disinhibition and euphoria that is sought in the bottles. Who is behind? The key name in that race is David Nutta neuroscientist with extensive research experience who has spent decades exploring how drugs, addiction and anxiety affect the brain. Nutt recognize that the drink offers certain advantages on a social level, but hopes that people can enjoy their drinks in a safer and healthier way, avoiding risks such as addiction, cirrhosis or aggressive behavior. Convinced that it can be achieved, years ago he co-founded GABA Labsa firm that starts from an ambitious promise: “Give social drinkers what they want from alcohol without the alcohol.” The team is working to bring a patented molecule called Alcarellean odorless, tasteless, colorless compound that acts as “an ingredient designed to promote socialization and relaxation.” Its purpose, clarify from Bloomberg, is to amplify the effects of gamma-aminobutyric acid, a neurotransmitter that transmits chemical messages to nerve cells to tell the brain to relax. The company has also proposed another ambitious goal: that your creation surpasses traditional alcohol without being addictive. Not only that. In the interviews that Nutt usually talks about effects similar to those of spirits without the hangover the next day. And how are they doing? In your website GABA Labs specifies that its goal is for Alcarelle and derived products to be available in the US starting in 2028, although in an interview granted a few months ago to Bloomberg Nutt confessed that he hopes the compound will be commercially available before the end of 2027. Last January Independent influenced on the same schedule: the idea is that Alcarelle completes its FDA tests this year and can be exploited in 2027. Since it was founded almost a decade ago, GABA Lab has been searching for molecules capable of acting on GABA receptors of the brain to achieve the desired results (and avoid the unwanted ones), which has led them to develop dozens of different options. “It’s about testing and refining,” the scientist acknowledges. Right now the laboratory has three ‘finalist’ molecules and hopes to soon opt for the most promising to advance its research and development. Your work is already generating a huge expectation. Statista chart. Have they released anything yet? Yes. To check the results of GABA you won’t have to wait that long. In 2021, the company launched a drink in small quantities in the United Kingdom and some time later in the United States. Your name: I felt. The brew does not include still the molecule that GABA is pursuing, but it is made with natural ingredients that aim to offer a preview of Nutt’s plans. Its creators they present it as an alternative for customers “tired of choosing between alcohol or non-alcoholic who are looking for a functional beverage that enhances their social connection.” A different ‘without’ beer? That’s the latest promise from the Nutt team. In 2025 the EFE agency echoed of the launch of a ‘without’ beer capable of generating in those who drink it a disinhibition similar to that of the traditional drink. Your business name: Gabyr. “It provides the same effects that people look for in a drink, relaxation, sociability, but with a much lower impact than alcohol,” claims the co-founder of the laboratory from Hemel Hempsetad, on the outskirts of London, which is where the drink is manufactured, according to the agency. The team is also already working on a whiskey and a wine. Why is it important? For several reasons. First, because of what it promises. Although at the moment it is basically about that (promises and declarations of intent), in your interviews Nutt insists that his goal is ambitious: he is pursuing a range of ‘without’ drinks that offer what many social drinkers look for in their drinks: disinhibition and a touch of euphoria. Everything, he insists, with an alternative not addictive neither hangovers. It is drunk and in theory the effects arrive after 20 minutes. That of course leaves some interesting questions raised in different areas. How to deal with it at a regulatory level? How would it influence driving? And how could authorities monitor its use? with breathalyzers? Does it have side effects? In an interview with BloombergKenneth Sher, a professor at the University of Missouri, admits that it is difficult for him to imagine a substitute for alcohol “based exclusively on GABA.” Another academic, Jim Cook, is also wary of possible side effects, such as drowsiness or memory loss. Is there more? Yes. Behind Nutt’s proposal there is more than just scientific interest. The lucrative alcohol industry has experienced important changes over the last decades, and although the trend it’s not the same (not even equally intense) in all markets, there are certain patterns … Read more

The most drunk beer brands in each autonomous community of Spain, gathered on this map

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Beer does not pass through his best moment in Spain, but that does not mean that ours continues to be a country of reeds in which per capita consumption exceeds on average 50 liters. Yeah we go down to detail and we analyze what brand those rods or bottles are, however, things change from one community to another. In Galicia and the Balearic Islands Estrella Galicia reigns, in Andalusia Cruz Campo does it, in Catalonia Estrella Damm and in the Valencian Community and Cantabria Amstel. There is, however, one logo that dominates a good part of the map: Mahou. What has happened? That we have a new ‘photo’ of the beer sector in Spain. It does not show us data per capita consumptionevolution of demand or billing of the sector, but it does give us a clue about another equally interesting topic: the struggle between brands at a territorial level. He latest report ‘Brand Footprint’, prepared by Worldpanel by Numerator and published by Mahou San Miguel itself, reveals two interesting facts about the Spanish map. The first is that it remains highly segmented at a territorial level, with brands consolidated by region. The second is that, despite this diverse scenario, there is one brand that clearly leads: Mahou. Worldpanel by Numerator report. What exactly does it show? The Worldpanel by Numerator (formerly Kantar) report basically shows which brand is “the most chosen” in each autonomous community. To find out, the technicians carried out a survey with a “representative” sample of 12,500 homes spread throughout Spain, including the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands. The result, which you can see in the map that heads this post, is that Mahou leads in Asturias, Navarra, Castilla y León, Castilla-La Mancha, Community of Madrid and Extremadura. And the rest of the country? It is dominated by brands that have become strong at a territorial level. Estrella Galicia stands out, for example, in Galicia and the Balearic Islands, Amstel in Cantabria and the Valencian Community, San Miguel in the Basque Country, Estrella de Levante in the Region of Murcia, Cruzcampo in Andalusia, Estrella Damm in Catalonia, Ambar in Aragon and Cerveza Tropical in the Canary Islands. The question remains as to what is happening in La Rioja. There the sample did not allow the authors of the report to reach a clear conclusion. It is not a bad balance for Mahou, who wanted to emphasize that the Worldpanel study proves that the brand has strengthened its presence “throughout the national territory” and maintains leadership in half a dozen regions. If compared with the 2025 study The firm loses the leadership of Cantabria in favor of Amstel and takes over Navarra, a territory that San Miguel controlled last year. The Madrid company also boasts of the weight of its brand in the shopping basket, establishing itself as one of the most popular in its branch. But… And Galicia star? The Worldpanel by Numerator map may catch your attention if you remember another on the same topic published in September and produced by Data Centric. It showed a ‘photograph’ quite differentwith Mahou based mainly in the Community of Madrid and Castilla-La Mancha and Estrella Galicia monopolizing Galicia, Asturias, Castilla y León, Extremadura, Cantabria, the Basque Country, Navarra, La Rioja, the Valencian Community, the Balearic Islands and Melilla. What is the reason for this difference? To focus. Because? Although both reports are based on a quantitatively similar sample (DataCentric conducts 14,053 digital surveys), they do not seek exactly the same thing. The Worldpanel study points to “the most chosen beer” by Spaniards. DataCentric “favorite brands”. In his report he states in fact that the Hijos de Rivera brand receives “42% of the votes” compared to 14% for Mahou and leaves behind a reflection: despite how well positioned both Estrella Galicia and Alhambra are in their ranking, this status of “favorite brands” does not then translate to sales. “Both have significantly lower positions.” If we look at billing, for example, the business ranking of theEconomist shows that Mahou is in the lead, followed by Damm, Heineken and in fourth position Hijos de Rivera, the parent company of Estrella Galicia or 1906. In general, both the DataCentric and Worldpanel reports should be taken for what they are: studies with their strengths and weaknesses that help to better understand a sector that faces a challenging landscape. Although Spain is one of the EU countries that consume more beerthe industry deals with a youth that is changing their consumption habits and approach to alcohol and a market in which they are gaining more and more strength ‘without’ drinks. Via | DAP Image | Mahou-San Miguel In Xataka | Young people are stopping drinking beer like crazy. That’s why Mahou wants to sell you water as cosmetics

In 1982, Spain was so drunk on Naranjito that it dedicated an anime to him. And now it’s going to be re-released

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The linear channel of nostalgic series and movies VinTV has announced the re-release of ‘Football in Action’ on June 11, 2026. It is the day that the USA Soccer World Cup., and the recovery has something of an event: it is the first time that the series returns to a Spanish screen since TVE concluded its original broadcast on June 12, 1982, one day before the opening of the World Cup, without there having been reruns or a DVD edition. This curious darkness that surrounds one of our undisputed national icons is what has meant that few know that whoever directed the series would launch ‘Dragon Ball’ five years later. Spain did not encourage. In 1981, when production of the series began to commemorate the World Cup that would be played the following year, Spain did not have an animation series industry capable of undertaking such a project. The first serious attempts to build an industry They begin precisely in those years: There was, of course, Cruz Delgado’s ‘Don Quixote de la Mancha’, and also the studios that worked as subcontractors of Hanna-Barbera. The role of BRB International. It appears in the credits of ‘Football in Action’ as a co-producer, but it was not an animation studio. Founded in 1972 by Claudio Biern Boyd, the company was born as an agency merchandising. His leap into co-production was articulated by associating with studios that provided the technical means. BRB provided the concept, the relationship with TVE and the characters, and the animation was done by others. For ‘Football in Action’, those “others” were Nippon Animation. The Japanese studio, founded in June 1975had already done series like ‘Heidi’, ‘Marco’ and ‘The Dog of Flanders’. BRB and Nippon had already collaborated on ‘Ruy, little Cid’, and the same plan was followed with the Naranjito series. Spanish anime. It cannot be said that it is not noticeable that Soccer in Action is, essentially, an anime. At least aesthetically: hyper-expressive eyes, limited animation, slapstick and physical comedy. Its plots mixed documentary sports history, adventures against the villain Zruspa and visits to the World Cup host cities. Alfredo Di Stéfano participated as a sports advisor and Matías Prats provided the voice of the series commentator. And there was international projection: France 3 broadcast it with the title ‘Onze Une pour Coupe’, Canale 5 in Italy as ‘Naranjito’, and it also reached Portugal and Latin America. Only France published a DVD edition, in 2013, including four episodes in Spanish to replace chapters of the French version that had been lost. The responsible one. The director of ‘Football in Action’ was Minoru Okazaki. He debuted as an anime director in 1964, in the ‘Astro Boy’ series for Mushi Production, the studio that Osamu Tezuka had founded. That is to say, we are facing one of the builders of modern anime, since ‘Astro Boy’ would establish the visual and narrative language of the genre. When Okazaki came to ‘Football in Action’ he had already been in the industry for seventeen years. That same year he also worked on ‘Dr. Slump’ and five years later, in 1986, Okazaki was one of the original directors of ‘Dragon Ball’, produced by Toei Animation. Throughout his career he continued to be linked to other installments of the franchise. The prophecy. One last curiosity: at the end of the series, one of Zruspa’s henchmen warns that they will return “when Spain organizes another World Cup.” Finally, almost five decades later, it will happen (even if only in part: Spain will hold the organization along with Portugal and Morocco) in 2030. What is not so clear is that our future mascot will have a letter of introduction designed by an anime legend. In Xataka | When football wants to be American football: FIFA invents a halftime show with Madonna in imitation of the Super Bowl

the “dopamine parties” where matcha is drunk, poke is eaten and alcohol is prohibited

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A nightclub, during the day, without alcohol, full. It’s the kind of image that until recently would have seemed extraordinary. However, the fact that more and more city life includes healthy and alcohol-free options leads to the creation of leisure plans that mimic nighttime ones, but in abstemious mode. A few days ago, in Madrid, one of these plans brought together 700 people. What happened. On Saturday, March 28, 2026, the Fitz Club in Madrid (a space on Princesa Street originally designed to operate from midnight to six in the morning, with an LED dome and all the usual gadgets in nightclubs) opened at eleven in the morning. Inside, 700 people danced without alcohol in a party that ended at four in the afternoon. The event was covered by international media, but it is not something we invented here. Whose idea was it? The party was organized by Revel, a community founded by Rafael Aguayo that started as a runners’ club and evolved into something more difficult to classify. Your Instagram profile defines it as “the purpose driven movement”: real dopamine experiences with unprocessed food, electronic music, ice baths and promoting social contact. This recent Revel Party, with admission at 15 euros, included a prior running session, DJs, healthy food and a tattoo corner. And without a bar, of course, comparable to coffee party phenomenon or the daytime ravesbut with more sweat. The London precedent. Morning Gloryville was born in London in 2013 as a morning rave for those who wanted to start the day with energy and who would soon expanded to New York, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo, Sydney and Montreal before arriving in Spain. In Seoul, the matcha raves They start at seven in the morning with tickets of about 14 dollars in exchange for a party without alcohol and caffeine, among many other variants. For example, in Paris, the collective Bakery Session has been filling bakeries with DJs and croissants for years. In the United Kingdom, the historic Ministry of Sound announced its first series of raves alcohol-free daytime in 2025. Increasingly. What has changed in the last two years is that these parties are becoming more frequent. Events accompanied by low or no alcohol They grew globally by 73% between January and September 2023 compared to the same period in 2022. Alcohol-free clubbing is definitely on the rise. Spain drinks, Spain takes drugs. Spain’s relationship with alcohol has functioned for decades as part of the basic social fabric. However, there are statistics that are beginning to change: 53% of young people between 18 and 30 years old recognize have reduced consumption. The Ministry of Agriculture registers a sustained decline in sales of spirits. Being teetotal is fashionable. Because the change is not only in volume, but in identity. Generation Z is incorporating sobriety into its public image in a way that previous generations have rarely known. On Tinder, the trend of not drinking on first dates gains weight among the youngest. More Revel. The dominant age group at Revel events ranges from 24 to 32 yearsin line with this generational change. Admission to the Revel Party x Fitz cost 15 euros. For a party that does not bill at the bar, the business model relies entirely on the entrance and the community image, which raises a question with no easy answer: to what extent can this format grow without becoming an aspirational event. In Xataka | The end of the open bar: how weddings are leaving behind their only ‘collective consolation’

A Chinese driver rigged his car to drive alone while he was drunk. It wasn’t the best idea

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The Supreme People’s Court of China has had to come out to clarify what may have already seemed obvious: a driver cannot delegate all of his actions to a car with level 2 autonomy. Much less if that driver is traveling drunk and in the passenger seat, leaving the driver’s seat completely empty. As? Yes, you read that right. To Justice. History brings it CarNewsChinawhere they cover the case of a driver who was arrested for drunk driving… more or less. Because, really, he wasn’t the one driving. He was traveling in the passenger seat, with the small detail that no one sat in the driver’s seat. Wang Mouqun, a resident of Linping (a suburb of Hangzhou, a city with almost 12 million inhabitants), has been tried by the Supreme People’s Court of the People’s Republic of China, the most important court in the country, in the first case dealing with behavior related to road safety. The detainee has been punished with 45 days in jail for testing positive in the alcohol test. The decision comes after the driver had also received another sanction for the same reason in less than two years, which has aggravated the punishment. Nobody at the wheel. The truly curious thing about the case is that Mouqun had rigged the car so that the driving assistance system worked even if there was no one at the wheel. Thus, the owner of the car was able to sit in the passenger seat and sleep peacefully while the vehicle was driving without anyone at the wheel. In the Chinese media They talk about “an accessory installed to fool the system” but it is not clear exactly how it did it. What is clear is that the vehicle, a Aito M9drove with adaptive cruise control down the road without ever detecting that there was no human at the wheel. It is not the first case that has occurred in China either. of a driver who activates the driving assistance assistants to avoid driving under the influence of alcohol. What is new is that the Supreme People’s Court of the People’s Republic of China is in charge of handling the case. Level 2 autonomy. Cars like this Aito M9, with a autonomy level 2can circulate without human intervention but require a person to remain attentive to what is happening around them to take the reins at any time. In addition, they require keeping your hands on the wheel. Level 3 autonomy cars can drive without human intervention but, in Europe, only Mercedes is allowed to do so and in very specific circumstances. In fact, the system is so useless at the moment that the company has stopped offering it in the new Mercedes S Class. Between both levels there is an intermediate step known as autonomy level 2+, which does allow for some license. These systems are those that equip cars that, in addition to maintaining the adaptive cruise control system, can overtake cars on their own, just by activating the turn signal or even looking to the sides like BMW. Ford is the only company in Europe with which You can drive without hands on the wheel although the system monitors that the driver keeps his eyes forward. Responsible. What the Chinese Justice has decreed is that in any case, the driver is responsible, even if he was traveling in the co-pilot system and with the driving assistance systems activated. And although no risk situations derived from this way of acting were detected. In fact, the vehicle was kept in operation between 1:15 in the morning and 1:37 when the vehicle detected the trick and stopped the car by itself on the shoulder of the road. It was then that other drivers detected that something was happening and called emergency services. They tested the driver, who tested 114.5 mg/100 ml of alcohol in his blood. in Chinaexceeding 0.80 mg/100 ml of blood alcohol is punishable by a fine and exceeding 150 mg/100 ml is an aggravating circumstance. Above 180 mg/100 ml of blood alcohol is punishable by a prison sentence without parole, with exceptions. The Chinese court considers that Mouqun was ultimately responsible for what happened behind the wheel and that, therefore, he is guilty of both hacking the car and “driving” under the influence of alcohol. Added to a previous withdrawal of his driving license in 2024, the driver has received the aforementioned penalty of 45 days in jail and a fine of 4,000 yuan (about 490 euros at direct exchange rate). Photo | XHBY.NET In Xataka | Fine of up to 1,000 euros for a beer: the DGT prepares the definitive attack against alcohol and it is called rate 0.2

There are people capable of testing positive in a breathalyzer test without having drunk a drop of alcohol. And we already know why

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Although it may seem crazy, failing a breathalyzer test after drinking only water and a plate of pasta is possible. And while explaining it that way to a police officer may raise questions about a poor excuse, The truth is that it is a medical reality for those who suffer from the known self-fermentation syndrome. The investigation. Until now we attributed this problem to yeast, but a team of researchers from UC San Diego and Massachusetts General Hospital has identified specific strains of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae as those responsible for generate intoxicating levels of ethanol in the intestineopening the door to treatments as surprising as fecal transplantation. That is, there are bacteria that can literally make us drunk without drinking a drop of alcohol. The metabolic storm. To reach this conclusion, the study analyzed to 22 patients diagnosed with this metabolic problem, comparing them with 21 healthy relatives. In this case, the results were quite compelling, because fecal samples from patients in the midst of the outbreak were capable of endogenously producing ethanol at alarming levels. In order to know much more, These samples were cultured and an ethanol concentration of up to 136 mg/dl was observed.. To put it in context, in many countries the legal limit for driving around 50 mg/dl in bloodso these patients without drinking would be doubling the level of alcohol permitted while driving. An alcohol factory. The novelty of this study is that it shifts the focus from yeast to bacteria, since genomic analyzes showed a massive enrichment of genes related to mixed acid fermentation. But we must not fall for the statement that these bacteria are ‘bad’, but rather that the ecosystem is broken to give rise to this problem. And what is the trigger? The antibiotics. And the use of these drugs can sweep away the balanced flora, allowing opportunistic pathogens to take control of the intestine and begin to metabolize sugars into alcohol. The treatment. Logically, this is a serious problem, not because of the fact of testing positive in the alcohol test, but because of the toxicity that the body faces. That is why the objective right now is on the treatment that now has the focus on a fecal microbiota transplant. For this study, the donor of his fecal microbiota was a personal trainer with enviable intestinal health. And the result was incredible, since the patient with this problem saw these problems disappear permanently, and his ability to “self-produce” alcohol disappeared after repopulating his intestine with the healthy bacteria of another person. Beyond getting drunk. As we have said before, it may seem ideal to have a feeling of intoxication without having to spend a single euro on a drink, but the reality is that this problem also leads to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. And constantly producing alcohol can cause very serious liver damage. But on the social issue, this endogenous overproduction of ethanol has led people to lose their driving license or face labor problems unfairly. All for a problem that may seem like the perfect excuse, but is actually a major medical problem. Images | Lawrence Krowdeed In Xataka | There is an age at which we should stop drinking alcohol forever. Neuroscience is clear why

a star that moves like it’s drunk

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Astronomers love mysteries, and Kepler-56 has been one of the great puzzles of our galaxy for years. This red giant, located about 3,000 light years from Earth, rotates too fast and with its internal structure literally twisted. Now, we have an explanation. A star that spins wrong. To understand why Kepler-56 is so strange, just compare it with any similar star in its old age. When a star like the Sun runs out of fuel, it expands and becomes a red giant. Typically, as it increases in size, its rotation slows down, like a skater extending his arms. However, Kepler-56 does the opposite: its outer shell rotates at an absurd speed, 10 times faster than normal for a red giant of its type. And the strangest thing is that the core of the star and its outer envelope rotate with axes inclined in different directions. Something didn’t add up. Kepler-56 has two confirmed planets orbiting it (Kepler-56 by Kepler-56 c), gas giants that orbit very close to their host star. Until now, the theory trying to make sense of Kepler-56’s strange movements was that these two planets pulled on the star using tidal forces, accelerating its spin. But Takato Tokuno, a researcher at the University of Tokyo, He realized that this explanation did not hold up.. For those planets to be responsible, the tidal efficiency would have to be orders of magnitude higher than what physics dictates. Another actor was needed in this crime scene. It was bad digestion. He study led by Tokuno seems to have reconstructed what happened: the Kepler-56 system had a third planet, but the star ate it. This third planet, a hot Jupiter, orbited dangerously close to the star, closer than the two planets we see today. So much so that, when the star began to age and expand, it was absorbed. It was not a smooth process. Tokuno explains the effect with a clear analogy: like a giant meteorite hitting the Earth glancingly. The planet would absorb the energy of the impact and accelerate its rotation. As it was engulfed, the planet transferred its angular momentum to the star’s atmosphere, causing it to spin at full speed. When hit at an odd angle, the star’s outer shell ended up spinning on a different axis than its core. The planetary life cycle. According to mathematics, the engulfed planet must have had a mass between 0.5 and 2 times that of Jupiter, and a frenetic orbital period of between one and six days. Its end was not unusual for a planet. We know that stars devour planets. In fact, our own Sun is expected to engulf Mercury, Venus and probably Earth within about 5 billion years. But catching a star still digesting is extremely difficult. And that’s what we’re apparently seeing. Image | David A. Aguilar (CfA) In Xataka | What is the Fermi paradox and why the architect of the atomic bomb gave a twist to the search for extraterrestrial life

If the question is why we continue to be drunk on airplanes, the answer is simple: because it is a business.

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We may all be more sensitive to flying from 9/11 attacksbut so is the feeling that every time there are more altercations inside airplanes with a common denominator: the alcohol. Scenes of drunk passengers causing delays, fights, vomiting or even attempts to open doors in mid-flight they are already part of the collective imagination of air travel. The question is almost obligatory: is there really no solution? An increasingly visible phenomenon. They remembered on CNN the recent case of the man who, completely intoxicated, forced to evict a plane in Chicago after vomiting during filming is just one example among hundreds of incidents documented year after year. In the United States alone, a review of more than 1,600 reports from the federal system revealed an incontestable pattern: alcohol in almost all levels of bad behavior, from arguments and disobedience to physical and sexual attacks. And although public perception confirms the problem (more than half of passengers in the United Kingdom claims to have dealt with with drunk travelers), there is still no consensus on how to stop it. Safety in the air. Plus: cabin crews operate in a space that is, by definition, a metal tube thousands of meters above the ground. They are the ones who must manage both the emotional tension of passengers and the consequences of alcohol mixed with fear of flying, long delays or increasingly narrow cabins. Without the ability to expel anyone mid-flight and with companies that do not always support their decisions, the attendants become in the first and last containment line. Although they receive de-escalation training, they face a type of passenger that did not exist a decade ago: the traveler who mixes alcohol with medications, stimulants or recreational substances, generating episodes of aggressiveness that are difficult to predict and control. Distribution of blame. And here comes the crux, because no one wants to assume the root of the problem. Airlines blame airports for allow consumption unlimited in bars and restaurants prior to boarding, pointing that they hardly sell alcohol on board, especially on short flights. The airports, in turn, point out that their role is commercial, not disciplinary, and that responsibility falls on the air operators. And within the flights themselves, the auxiliaries They blame gate agents for not blocking access to obviously intoxicated passengers, while pilots denounce that insufficient disciplinary measures are taken against repeat offenders. The fragmentation between ground and air causes each party to offload the problem on another, creating an operational vacuum that allows the situation to repeat itself flight after flight. The economic dimension. Behind the debate lies a factor that possibly outweighs any security protocol: alcohol, whether we like it or not, is one of the most lucrative businesses of the aeronautical industry. In airports it generates large margins for shops and restaurants, while in the cabin it is used as an incentive in higher categories. Precisely for this reason, rarely clear data is provided on income derived from its sale, and any attempt to limit consumption before boarding is met with resistance from both airport operators and airlines. The result is a permanent contradiction: The industry recognizes that alcohol causes problems, but depends on it financially. In other words, alcohol (and as a consequence, drunks) “interest(s)”, but with a small mouth. Public pressure. The number of passengers support restrictive measures It grows as incidents go viral and attract media attention. Some proposals already have a favorable majority: drinking limits at airports, breathalyzer controls before boarding or even total restrictions on certain routes. Meanwhile, regulators are toughening penalties: the FAA imposed its largest fine in history (more than $80,000) to an extremely violent passenger, and the airlines are expanding their ban lists to repeat travelers. However, the approach remains reactive, not preventive, and each solution encounters resistance in the chain of interests that sustains global air tourism. Between I want and I don’t want. Thus, the problem of the drunk passenger does not arise only from alcohol, but from a fragmented system where no one wants to bear the cost of controlling it. Airports that maximize profits, airlines that fear losing revenue, overloaded crews, regulators who act after the fact and frustrated passengers who see a drink as the instant answer to discomfort. Everyone agrees that there is a problem, but no one wants to be who imposes the solution. The result is a sky increasingly tensewhere safety depends on the professionalism of the crews and a kind of unstable balance that is broken too easily. Image | Instagram, X In Xataka | “This is the last time I pay 10 euros for a gin and tonic”: the anger of British tourists at the price of alcohol in Spain In Xataka | The “tourist cages” arrive in Valencia: holiday gentrification in Spain goes up a gear

Alcohol without drunk

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Friday. Eight in the afternoon. You are on a terrace of the center with your friends and you want to take A couple of reeds (Maybe a couple of Copazos) to take advantage of the sun of a summer in retreat, but the only idea of the Hangover From the next morning and alcohol ruins you a good part of the weekend, so you end up asking for a ‘without’ beer. Another one. But … what if there was an IPA or a liquor ‘without’ capable of giving you the tip of euphoria and disinhibiting you, all without a single drop of alcohol, hangover or risk of ending up developing an addiction? That is the curious promise that a British laboratory has launched. What happened? That in a delicate moment for the alcohol industry, marked by the demand drop In key markets, a generational change clear in the consumption of glasses and a growing interest For the beers or wines ‘without’, there are those who already want to go several steps further and reach the ‘Holy Grail’ of the drink. Which? Neither more nor less than achieving the quadrature of the circle: liquors and alcohol -free beers but capable of drunk. Or at least give to whoever consumes them that disinhibition and euphoria point that is sought in the bottles. Who is behind? The key name in that career is that of David Nuttneuroscientist with a long experience in research and that has been exploring how drugs affect the brain, addiction or anxiety. NUTT Recognize That the drink offers certain advantages at the social level, but aspires that people can enjoy their glasses more safely and healthy, avoiding risks such as addiction, cirrhosis or aggressive behaviors. Convinced that it can be achieved, years ago he co -founded GABA LABSa firm that starts from an ambitious promise: “to provide social drinkers what they want from alcohol without alcohol.” The team works to launch a patented molecule called ALCARELLEa toilet, tasteless and colorless compound that acts as “an ingredient designed to promote socialization and relaxation.” Its purpose, They clarify From Bloomberg, it is to amplify the effects of gamma-aminobutiric acid, a neurotransmitter that transmits chemical messages to nerve cells to indicate to the brain that relaxes. The company has also proposed Another ambitious goal: That its creation exceeds traditional alcohol without being addictive. Not just that. In The interviews that Nutt grants usually speaks of some effects similar to those of the spirits without the hangover of the next day. And how are you doing? In Your website GABA LABS points out that his goal is for Alcalle and the products derived from being available in the United States from 2028, although in an interview with Bloomberg In July NUTT confessed that he hopes that the compound will be commercially available before the end of 2027. Since it was founded, almost a decade ago, Gaba Lab has been looking for molecules capable of acting in GABA receptors of the brain to achieve the desired results (and dodge the unwanted), which has led them to develop dozens of different options. “It’s about trying and refining,” recognizes the scientist. Right now the laboratory has three ‘finalist’ molecules and hopes to bet soon for the most promising to advance its research and development. Statista graph. Have you launched something already? Yes. To check Gaba’s results, we will not have to wait so long. In 2021 the company launched a drink in small quantities in the United Kingdom and later did it in the US. His name: I felt. THE BREBAJE Does not include Even the molecule that Gaba pursues, but is made with natural ingredients that aspire to offer an advance of NUTT’s plans. Its creators They present it as an alternative for customers “tired of choosing between alcohol or without alcohol that seek a functional drink that improves their social connection.” A “without ‘beer? That the last promise of the Nutt team. A few days ago the EFE agency It echoed of the launch of a ‘without’ beer capable of generating in who ingested it a disinhibition similar to that of the traditional drink. Your commercial name: Gabyr. “It provides the same effects that people seek in a drink, relaxation, sociability, but with a much lower impact than alcohol,” claims The co -founded of the laboratory from Hemel HempStad, on the outskirts of London, which is where the drink is manufactured as the agency requires. The team is also working on A whiskey and A wine. Why is it important? For several reasons. First, for what it promises. Although for now it is basically that (promises and statements of intentions), in your interviews Nutt insists that his goal is ambitious: he pursues a range of drinks ‘without’ that offers what many social drinkers in the glasses, disinhibition and a point of euphoria are looking for. Everything insists, with an alternative Not addictive neither hangover. The effects are drunk and the effects come after 20 minutes. That of course leaves some interesting questions in different fields. How to face it at the regulatory level? How would it influence driving? And how could authorities supervise their use? With alcoholic? Do you have side effects? In An interview With Bloomberg, Kenneth Sher, a professor at the University of Missouri, acknowledged that it is difficult for him to imagine a single substitute for GABA -based alcohol. Another academic, Jim Cook, also shows his suspicion in the face of possible side effects, such as drowsiness or memory loss. Is there more? Yes. After NUTT’s proposal there is more than scientific interest. The lucrative alcohol industry has experienced Important changes Throughout the last decades, and although the trend is not the same (or just as intense) In all markets, there are certain guidelines that are affecting large brands: generation Z seems less interested Because of the alcohol that their predecessors gain strength trends such as “Dry January” And much more about the beers or the wines ‘without’which already represent … Read more

Manufacturers have drunk attendee cars for our safety. We do not use them and (worse) we don’t understand them either

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“We know that many people deactivate the lane maintenance assistant. Why should we sell it?” With these words, Denis Le Vot, CEO of Dacia, attacked the European Union and his commitment to adas systems for driving in 2022. What defended the head of the company is that most users They deactivate these aid Security and that, therefore, I did not understand why manufacturers were forced to include them in their cars. Years later, it seems that time is giving the reason to vote. They are neither appreciated nor used Since 2022, All cars approved in Europe They are obliged to set up a series of ADAS aids to driving, including emergency braking, lane output alert or controversial speeding warning that works hand in hand with signal recognition. These aid are, since 2024, mandatory series in every new car sold in Europe. That is, regardless of when any new car that has been bought or is about to be bought has been approved for a year. This, without a doubt, is one of the reasons that cars have increased. Therefore, we must understand that the CEO of Dacia had reasons to attack the European Union. For a brand that has always fought for price, including more starting equipment makes it difficult to. It is, of course, part interested in the debate. However, the data seems to give the vote right. At least that is what those who take the temperature of the conductors say. In JD Power they assured A few months ago that one in four buyers From a car in the United States he had reported a problem with ADAS systems in the first 90 days after buying the car. These problems do not refer exclusively to faults or system failures, they also refer to the inconveniences that users have found because they do not understand the systems or are not very clear how they can deactivate or configure them. Frictions have also increased, according to the study. In the last five years, the technology of the manufacturers in this area has been fired (much guilt has the security regulations), which has made more and more people who choose to deactivate these alerts. “They are too annoying and intrusive,” They point out from JDPOWER. The solution, they say, should go through more detailed explanations by the dealers to explain how these systems work and how they can take advantage of. In part, what happens in Europe is moving to other regions of the world. In the United Kingdom, the ADAS systems that are in the European Union are not mandatory but companies include them by cost savings. However, the data says that Most of them deactivate aid and that the ISA speeding system is the most affected. In a 2020 survey conducted by Erie Insuranceit was stressed that the second help system that was most deactivated after the alert for speed was the maintenance of lane. However, The European Commission points that between the lane output notice can reduce accidents between 10 and 21% and that lane maintenance can reduce the severity of the wounds suffered in an accident by up to 30% of the cases. There is, therefore, a disconnection between regulators and users. Keep in mind that not only the European Union demands these security measures. Euro NCAP, in their studies, punishes the companies that do not offer passive security systems that expand mandatory serial coverage. Euro NCAP is an independent study and cars that are homologated and sold in Europe They are not obliged to undergo their evidence. However, they have achieved quality status for the public that is rare who does not appear to them. This costs Dacia to receive a score of only three stars even though they are regular. It is not the shock tests that they have their safety levels in case of accidentthey penalize very basic adas systems equipment that is barely Leave Dacia Duster in an approved justito. And what happens in Spain? That we feel the same as Americans and British, according to A study of Fesvial entitled “Knowledge of the ADAS systems by the Spanish population” that was published in 2022. It indicated that “70% are not clear that the ADAS are intelligent enough to guarantee the safety of the person who conducts” and “30% are not convinced that the ADAS contribute to reduce collisions or their severity.” Data that exemplify the aforementioned gap between regulators and users. Photo | In Xataka | We are forgetting to drive. It has no importance and DGT exams know

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