Why Do We Need Alcohol Policies?

Alcohol policies are an effective way of controlling the damage from alcohol and the impact from alcohol on drinkers, other persons and communities (Edwards et al. 1994 ¹ ). They have been shown to be effective in reducing harm at the population and individual level (Babor et al. 2003 ²). Recent estimates emerging from research sponsored by the World Health Organization indicates that alcohol contributes to 9.2% of disease, disability and death (Disability Adusted Life Years or DALYS) in developed countries, just below tobacco (12.2%). And blood pressure.

The contribution of alcohol to the burden of disease in developed countries is higher than cholesterol, body mass index, low fruit and vegetable intake, physical inactivity and illicit drugs³. It is associated with intentional injuries (e.g. assaults) and unintentional trauma (e.g. automobile crashes, fractures) and organic conditions, such as fetal alcohol effects, cancers, neuropsychiatric disease, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and gastrointestinal disease⁴.

In addition to drinkers, others who may not be drinking heavily at the time, nor intoxicated might be impacted from alcohol. A recent report from Ontario, based on 2003 survey data, indicated that 40% of adults survey reported at least one social harm or disruption in the past year due to drinking-related behavours by others (Anglin et al. 2004 ⁵). In many communities residents are regularly disrupted by drinking-related events, particularly if they live near entertainment or night life areas, and late at night when bars are closing.

In light of the contribution from alcohol on disease, trauma and disruption, it is imperative that the most effective interventions are used, and, as noted above, alcohol policies have been shown to be particularly effective in controlling drinking-related damage.

Effective alcohol policies are those that control access to alcohol, how alcohol is distributed and various high-risk activities. An international team examined evaluations of over 30 policies and identified the following 10 policies that have been shown to be effective in controlling drinking and/or related damage (Babor et al.2003 ⁶):

• minimum legal drinking age;
• government monopoly of retail alcohol sales;
• restriction on hours or days of sale;
• outlet density restrictions
• alcohol taxes,
• sobriety check points,
• lowered BAC limits,
• administrative license suspension,
• graduated licensing for novice drivers, and
• brief interventions for hazardous drinkers.

Statistics Canada, 2002. Cat. 63-202, Control and Sale of Alcoholic Beverages in Canada. Table 1.5

See

Xie, X., Mann, R.E. & Smart, R.G. 2000. The direct and indirect relationships between alcohol prevention measures and alcoholic liver cirrhosis mortality. Journal of Studies on Alcohol 61: 499-506.

Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse 2004. Canadian Addiction Survey. Prevalence of Use and Related Harms. Highlights.