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Alcohol policy and the public good
1National Addiction Centre, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK.
Addiction (Abingdon, England)
|March 1, 1997
Summary
A unified public health approach to alcohol problems is emerging, supported by international research. This perspective emphasizes preventing and alleviating population-wide alcohol-related issues through evidence-based policies.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Alcohol Policy Research
- Social Science
Background:
- Diverse cultural, social, and economic experiences with alcohol exist globally.
- A growing consensus on addressing alcohol-related problems is evident.
- International research efforts underpin the alcohol problems perspective.
Purpose of the Study:
- To outline the emerging alcohol problems perspective.
- To highlight the role of public policy in addressing alcohol-related issues.
- To summarize key conclusions from the WHO report 'Alcohol Policy and the Public Good'.
Main Methods:
- Review of international research on alcohol problems.
- Analysis of the "Alcohol Policy and the Public Good" report.
- Synthesis of evidence supporting a public health approach to alcohol policy.
Main Results:
- A unified purpose is emerging within the alcohol problems perspective.
- The WHO report provides empirical support and focus for this perspective.
- Public policy should target the prevention and alleviation of population-wide alcohol-related problems.
Conclusions:
- The alcohol problems perspective is rational, empirical, and rooted in public health traditions.
- Alcohol-related problems are not uncontrollable and can be ameliorated with public will and evidence.
- European nations are encouraged to respond positively to the challenge of reducing alcohol-related harm.