What the papers say - June 6, 2007

Visa, the credit card brand and Olympic sponsor, has given a ringing endorsement to the London 2012 logo, which made its first commercial appearance yesterday in spite of calls for it to be scrapped. It is understood that Coca-Cola, another global IOC sponsor, has prepared a version of the logo with the drink brand's distinctive stripe running through it - The Financial Times​

The nicotine buzz that seems to lift your mood wears off more quickly than you might think. A new study suggests that persistent smokers may have a higher risk of depression than people who've never smoked. The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Helsinki, also found that smokers who quit have an elevated risk of depressive symptoms in the short term - The Financial Times​

Hotelier Richard Balfour-Lynn last night sought to rescue the initial public offering of Vector, Britain's first hotel Reit, by cutting the target price range. The offer was set to close yesterday but will now be extended to 4.30pm today after insufficient interest from institutional investors. Vector's progress has been watched closely as it is the first example of a hotel business taking advantage of the Reit legislation, introduced on January 1, which allows property companies to trade free of tax - The Financial Times​

The government yesterday launched a strategy to tackle more than 7 million "hazardous and harmful" drinkers in the UK, but was immediately criticised for soft-pedalling by postponing action to deal with cut-price alcohol promotions - The Guardian​

Police have linked full moons to a rise in aggressive behaviour among drinkers on the streets of Brighton. Senior officers have decided to deploy more police this summer to counter trouble they believe is linked to the lunar cycle. Another monthly factor which police chiefs identified as fuelling violence in pubs and nightclubs in Brighton and Hove was pay days - The Guardian​

Supermarkets and pubs could face restrictions on the sale of cheap alcohol after ministers claimed that Britain has 8.2million problem drinkers. This figure would mean that one in every six adults is either dependent on alcohol or rated a "hazardous or harmful" drinker - Daily Mail​

Drunken yobs are to be let off with a caution if they agree to attend a counselling course. Instead of facing a court charged with being drunk and disorderly, they will be given advice on reducing how much they drink. They will attend "alcohol referral schemes" at which counsellors will explain the link between their binge drinking and bad behaviour - Daily Mail​

Pressure has been mounting for restrictions on supermarkets which sell discount alcohol. Plans have already been announced to curb cheap drink promotions in Scotland and experts have called for promotions to be outlawed across Britain to reduce the number of alcohol-related deaths - The Telegraph​

No-one under the age of 18 will be able to buy cigarettes in Scotland from October 1 this year. This is the day cigarette sales will be banned for under-18s in England and Wales - The Scotsman​