ICAP Reviews

First published in 2005, ICAP Reviews examine key issues in the alcohol field. ICAP Reviews are independently authored and peer reviewed.

The summaries of all ICAP Reviews are available in French, Japanese, Russian and Spanish.

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ICAP Reviews 2. Drinking in Context: A Collective Responsibility

by Gerry V. Stimson

November 2006

Summary: In selecting alcohol policies, societies must decide how to encourage some behaviors and discourage others, while maintaining what they perceive as an appropriate balance between state and individual responsibility. This issue of ICAP Reviews proposes a fresh approach to tackling this process in a way that respects the multiplicity of drinking cultures existing around the world and is responsive to the varying needs and resources in different communities, countries, or regions. The Review sets the stage for the recently published book, Drinking in Context: Patterns, Interventions, and Partnerships (Stimson, Grant, Choquet, and Garrison; Routledge, 2007), by outlining the volume’s three key themes. Namely, it is argued that patterns of drinking are the best way to describe drinking behavior and predict both positive and negative outcomes in a given society; that targeted interventions are key in maximizing the benefits and minimizing the harms related to drinking; and that multi-stakeholder partnerships offer an excellent opportunity to promote the complex mix of measures required by each society. In the broadest terms, the purpose of alcohol policy in the countries where alcohol beverages are permitted is to establish appropriate, realistic, and sustainable approaches that will help reduce alcohol-related harms, promote safer drinking behaviors, and enhance the positive function of alcohol consumption for individuals and society.

English 104 KB

French 84.0 KB

Spanish 75.9 KB

Swedish 71.5 KB

Chinese 377 KB

ICAP Reviews 1. Beverage Alcohol Availability Controls

by Lucia Antalova and Marjana Martinic

September 2005

Summary: Many governments implement a range of measures limiting the physical availability and economic accessibility of alcohol. This issue of ICAP Reviews focuses on the former: policy solutions designed to make alcohol available at limited times and in a limited number and type of locations. The rationale behind alcohol availability controls as a policy measure is relatively simple: by making access to beverage alcohol more difficult, consumption will be decreased and with it the incidence of problems. The public health perspective sees curbing alcohol consumption as a means of preventing a range of social and health problems and reducing the alcohol-related burden on society. This paper provides an introductory overview of availability controls and examines case studies of state-run monopolies, policy harmonization, and hours of sale in several countries. Based on the evidence of how such measures have been implemented, several conclusions can be drawn. In general, measures implemented around alcohol policy can only be effective if backed by proper enforcement, education of the general public about drinking patterns and outcomes, the implementation of adequate prevention, and the involvement of the broader community. No policy measure exists in a vacuum. How best to deal with the availability of alcohol is no exception.

174 KB