Cut Down on Drinking : The Community

by National Institute of Health

(Page 3 of 4)

Alcohol is a regular feature of leisure activities in most communities. Alcohol ads and billboards commonly display attractive, youthful models. Neighborhoods allow alcohol companies to sponsor local fairs, races, sports activities, and other family-focused events. And communities often turn a blind eye to underage drinking and sales to minors. In all these ways, society tells children that alcohol use is accepted, expected, and even essential to having a good time. Many communities are using a variety of strategies to control the visibility and availability of alcohol in their children's environment.

For example, in an experimental program funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, seven participating communities made changes in local alcohol-related policies and practices when compared to eight nonparticipating communities. The changes involved local institutional policies as well as practices of law enforcement agencies, licensing departments, community and civic groups, houses of worship, schools, and the local media. The direct impact of this program, called Communities Mobilizing for Change on Alcohol (CMCA), required more checking of age IDs by alcohol retailers, resulting in fewer purchases of alcohol by 18- to 20-year-olds. CMCA shows that changing the alcohol-related social and policy environment in communities is essential to long-term prevention.

Volunteers win vote to eliminate alcohol establishments

In Chicago, Illinois, a neighborhood study showed that 60 percent of the area's crimes revolved around liquor stores and bars. In response to these findings, volunteers, under the leadership of their church pastor, gathered statistics about the spread of liquor stores in their neighborhood. They even mapped their locations to help people see the full extent of the problem. Committed volunteers went door-to-door to win neighbors over to the cause. They circulated petitions and registered voters, resulting in a community vote to close a number of alcohol establishments. But progress sometimes happens in small steps. Opponents to the ban legally overturned votes to close certain bars. Nevertheless, the community has closed some bars and is united to keep on in its efforts.

Reduce Availability

Raise the Price of Alcoholic Beverages - Higher prices can reduce alcohol purchases, particularly those by minors. Most studies have found that when the price of alcohol goes up, consumption by young people goes down. In addition, research shows that an increase in the price of alcohol is linked to reductions in alcohol-related problems among adolescents. The most efficient means of increasing the price of alcohol is by increasing taxes.

Control the Number of Alcohol Outlets - Studies show that the more alcohol outlets there are in a community, the more citizens drink and the greater the probability of alcohol-related problems. Large numbers of alcohol outlets make it easier to buy alcohol and make it a more visible part of the community. Large numbers of outlets can also stretch the resources of enforcement agencies, making it harder to enforce minimum age laws. Communities can control the number of alcohol outlets through planning and zoning ordinances and conditional use permits.

Train and License Servers and Sellers - In many States and jurisdictions, alcohol licensees and their employees must be trained before they can do business. Training may cover the importance of checking IDs, how to identify false IDs, how to refuse politely to sell to underaged persons, and who is liable (sellers or employees) when sales are made to minors. This training is more effective when alcohol managers and owners are also trained in how to establish alcohol policies and practices for their businesses. Some States and jurisdictions are also setting a minimum age for servers and sellers of alcohol and requiring them to be licensed or certified.

Liquor license denied due to citizen action

In Salinas, California, a small group of citizens was concerned about the concentration of alcohol outlets in their primarily Hispanic neighborhood. They urged others in the community to oppose plans granting a liquor license to a proposed supermarket in a new shopping mall. They persuaded the city council to deny the liquor license and to lease the property to a daycare center. At the groundbreaking ceremony, the image of a young child with a shovel breaking ground for the new center captured the spirit of a community that cares about a healthy environment for its children.

About the Author

NIH is the nation's medical research agency - making important medical discoveries that improve health and save lives. The National Institutes of Health (NIH), a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the primary Federal agency for conducting and supporting medical research.