What is Alcohol Policy

APN defines alcohol policy very simply as "what governments and institutions do or don't do about alcohol and the conditions and problems associated with its misuse." This definition recognizes that policy is not only restricted to the purview of public institutions such as parliament, cabinet and government ministries and agencies. Policy can and should also be the responsibility of places where we live, work, play and study.

The definition acknowledges inaction (or the perpetuation of the status quo) as policy. It acknowledges that some policy decisions may increase risk of harm from alcohol, even it that was not their explicit intent. It recognizes that alcohol-related problems arise out of a complex relationship between the individual, the drug-in this case, alcohol- and the broader cultural, political, social, economic and physical environment.

Alcohol-related problems are not confined to the minority of "alcoholics" in our society. Non-drinkers can be victims of a the harmful effects of alcohol in numerous ways, such as being injured by a drinking driver, being assaulted by an inebriated person, or being kept awake nightly by nearby night-life areas.

Moderate drinkers who occasionally misuse alcohol, while individually responsible for fewer harms than their harder-drinking counterparts, greatly outnumber heavy drinkers within the general population and are therefore collectively responsible for a larger share of alcohol's burden on society. That is where policy initiatives come in.

To be effective, alcohol policy must include not only measures to educate the public about the consequences of alcohol misuse, or interventions that focus primarily on treating or punishing those who may be putting at risk their own or others' health and and safety. Regulatory and other environmental supports that promote the health of the population as a whole are essential to an effective policy-based prevention program.

Alcohol taxes, limits on days, hours, places and conditions of alcohol sale and service, drinking and driving countermeasures, minimum legal drinking age, have all been shown to reduce alcohol-related problems.

Restrictions on alcohol advertising and promotion encourage a responsible approach to alcohol marketing.

Also of note are efforts to improve access to employment, health care, education, housing, recreation and political decision-making.. However, while some of these measures are more effective than others, it is the policy "mix" that is important. As the authors of the landmark publication Alcohol Policy and the Public Good (1995) observed:

"As alcohol problems arise in many different situations and affect diversities of people, there is no one policy panacea: inevitably, the needed policies will be a mix rather than a master stroke."

Confirming the importance of matching policies with prevailing circumstances, Babor et al. (2003, p. 10) write:

"…alcohol policy is an ever-changing process that needs to constantly adapt to the times if it is to serve the interests of public health."

Policies are dynamic and often being modified or debated. It is crucial to keep informed bout emerging and priorty issues. See also Key Players in Alcohol Policy for a summary of institutions and organizations that have a stake or interest in alcohol policy.