A Century of Dissonance and Harmony in Swedish Intoxication Policy

The traditionally strict alcohol policies of the Nordic countries have all been liberalized. This leads to an increasing policy gap in relation to the drug policies. A prognosis is made about the future of drug policy in Sweden based on the development of alcohol policy – the market will ultimately decide.

Improving Campus Alcohol Policies Through Assessment and Scoring

Excessive alcohol consumption is responsible for more than 1,500 deaths annually among college students, of whom more than one in three report having been drunk during the past 30 days. Campus alcohol policies offer a first line of defense against excessive alcohol use but have received little systematic attention in the research literature. The research team previously developed a taxonomy of campus alcohol policies and sanctions, ranked in order of effectiveness, and assessed the accessibility, clarity, and effectiveness of policies at 15 post-secondary educational institutions. Herein we describe the process of reporting those assessments back to the 15 institutions, providing them with recommendations and technical assistance on how to improve their policies, and then re-assessing school alcohol policies for effectiveness and clarity. Conversations with primary points of contact at each school provided further insight into the process of assessing and improving campus alcohol policies. Of the 15 schools assessed, 11 added more effective policies, and four added more effective consequences during the 2 years following receipt of reports on the assessment. Campuses have control over their own policies, and greater attention to them from researchers and practitioners could better maximize their potential for enhancing student health and safety and supporting student success.

Local Alcohol Policies in New Zealand: An overview of their implementation and effects on crime

We document the implementation of local alcohol policies in New Zealand and then study their impacts on crime. A key contribution of our study is that we construct a detailed data set on local alcohol policies applicable across territorial authorities between July 2014 and January 2019. To our knowledge, we are the first ones to provide such a comprehensive overview. In a subsequent analysis, we find that local alcohol policies as recently implemented in New Zealand do not appear to have reduced crime. This result holds for specific policy dimensions and their stringency (e.g., closing times and geographic restrictions on issuing new licences), and is reasonably robust across crime types, days/times of occurrence, and socioeconomic subgroups. Our failure to identify significant reductions in crime following the imposition of local alcohol policies may partly reflect the policies being non-binding in some cases: for example, licensed premises had sometimes already operated within the restricted trading hours specified by a local alcohol policy.

Framing Responsible Drinking Messages in Nigeria: An Empirical Examination

Nigeria ranks first for per capita consumption and heavy episodic drinking prevalence in Africa. Yet, there are no alcohol policies, standard drinks measurements, or low-risk drinking guidelines in the country. We explored the awareness and understanding/interpretations of the alcohol industry-sponsored ‘‘drink responsibly’’ message (DRM) among Nigerian youths. Data were elicited through semi-structured interviews and focus groups, and we also observed product labels and industry websites. Undergraduate participants were aware of the DRM, but some out-of-school participants with low-level education did not know it existed. This is likely because the DRM is promoted in the English language without any indigenous language alternatives. It is embedded in conventional advertisements that glamorize drinking without stand-alone public health messages encouraging low-risk drinking behaviours. Participants shared divergent but subjective interpretations of the DRM, but none associated it with abstinence. Some associated the DRM with the ability to hold one’s drink, stating that it means: ‘drinks very well, but don’t get drunk’, and ‘drink to your satisfaction, but don’t misbehave’. Other interpretations included: ‘know your limit’ and ‘drink in moderation'. Alcohol companies in Nigeria redirect consumers to Drinkaware’s and DrinkIQ’s websites in the UK but use inconspicuous fonts to inscribe the DRM on product labels. By design, alcohol companies frame the DRM to promote drinking and individual responsibility. Thus, it engendered subjective interpretations, including high-risk drinking behaviours. Policymakers should jettison self-regulation, implement alcohol policies and introduce low-risk drinking guidelines to encourage low-risk drinking. Also, Drinkaware’s and DrinkIQ’s websites should be avoided. To be effective, all RDMs should include the indigenous language versions.

Present scenario of policies & hazards related to alcohol in India

Although the use of various psychoactive substances such as alcohol, cannabis and opioids has been observed in India for centuries. Use of psychoactive substances impacts on academic, social, psychological, economical and physiological development of people with their families negatively. Alcoholic beverages are the most important product of global addiction demand, which is a reason of many deaths and diseases worldwide. Alcohol consumption is a major problem in India because of the various reasons like socio-cultural, difference in alcohol policies and practices state wise, lack of awareness of alcohol related problems, false mass media propaganda, various patterns of alcohol consumption and as a symbol of status both in urban and rural areas across the country. As per people’s opinion, they consumes it because it induces feeling of relaxation and tranquility, suppress anxiety and increases confidence. However with increasing dose, pleasant euphoric starts which means they feels that they are in heaven and that gives way to feelings of depression. That’s why this is called as substance of abuse. This review article focuses on ethyl alcohol (alcohol),its pharmacology,policies in India, different patterns of drinking, prevalence of alcohol consumption globally and nationally, medical and other consequences like suicide and road accidents, harmful effects on the mental, physical and social health with treatment options for alcoholism.

Barriers to the Implementation of Alcohol Policies in Jayapura City

Background: Basic Health Research (RISKESDAS) in 2018 found as many as 15 provinces out of 35 provinces had a prevalence of alcohol consumption above the national prevalence, and Papua was reportedly in the top 15 of the prevalence of high alcohol consumption (alcohol) as much as 4.6%. Objective: To describe the obstacles to the implementation of local government policies in curbing the circulation of alcohol in Jayapura City. Method: This is a descriptive study using a qualitative single instrumental case study design in Jayapura City from May to September 2020. Purposive sampling technique was employed to determine participants who consisted of an integrated team of alcohol control and supervision (n =6). Data collection was using in-depth interviews and non-participant observation. Result: Communication between the integrated team was not optimal. National Food and Drug Agency (BPOM) had not routinely conducted sample tests as the majority of traditional alcoholic beverages sold in shops such as local liquors were illegal. The division of duties and responsibilities by the integrated team was good, but the execution in the field was not as agreed upon. There were alcohol traders who have not applied for licenses to sell alcohol because the process to get license permits was too complicated. The content of Perda No.8 of 2014 weakened the police because they could not give punishment like Satpol PP, however, Satpol PP did not have an investigating team. Conclusion: The lack of commitment from the control and supervision team of alcohol circulation in carrying out their duties. The resources involved were lacking. Coordination among the integrated teams was not going well thus the division of tasks and authorities with implementation actions in the field did not work according to the policy enforce in Jayapura City. Evaluation of work programs by policy implementers could be carried out to increase the success of implementation.

Government Options to Reduce the Impact of Alcohol on Human Health: Obstacles to Effective Policy Implementation

Evidence for effective government policies to reduce exposure to alcohol’s carcinogenic and hepatoxic effects has strengthened in recent decades. Policies with the strongest evidence involve reducing the affordability, availability and cultural acceptability of alcohol. However, policies that reduce population consumption compete with powerful commercial vested interests. This paper draws on the Canadian Alcohol Policy Evaluation (CAPE), a formal assessment of effective government action on alcohol across Canadian jurisdictions. It also draws on alcohol policy case studies elsewhere involving attempts to introduce minimum unit pricing and cancer warning labels on alcohol containers. Canadian governments collectively received a failing grade (F) for alcohol policy implementation during the most recent CAPE assessment in 2017. However, had the best practices observed in any one jurisdiction been implemented consistently, Canada would have received an A grade. Resistance to effective alcohol policies is due to (1) lack of public awareness of both need and effectiveness, (2) a lack of government regulatory mechanisms to implement effective policies, (3) alcohol industry lobbying, and (4) a failure from the public health community to promote specific and feasible actions as opposed to general principles, e.g., ‘increased prices’ or ‘reduced affordability’. There is enormous untapped potential in most countries for the implementation of proven strategies to reduce alcohol-related harm. While alcohol policies have weakened in many countries during the COVID-19 pandemic, societies may now also be more accepting of public health-inspired policies with proven effectiveness and potential economic benefits.

Association between self-reported binge drinking and absenteeism in the Baltic countries

Objective: Substantial loss of productivity due to absenteeism is associated with alcohol use. This study examined the associations between absenteeism in the workplace and in schools and binge drinking across various beverage types in the Baltic countries. Methods: We utilised a dataset of 3,778 individuals compiled from 2015 to 2016 and performed multiple negative binomial regression analysis with multiple imputations to deal with missing data. Self-reported measures were used for both absenteeism and binge drinking. Results: We found evidence to support the claim that absenteeism, in terms of self-reported absence days, is positively associated with self-reported binge drinking, specifically with beer bingeing. On average, beer bingers reported 49% ( p < .05) more absences than people who drink alcohol but do not binge on beer. For wine and spirits variables, the estimates indicated positive but statistically insignificant associations. No group differences were identified across gender and education. Conclusions: A considerable proportion of days absent from work and from school can be associated with beer bingeing. Therefore, it should be acknowledged that beverage-specific alcohol policies that are more lenient toward beer than other types of alcohol can inadvertently increase absenteeism and decrease workplace productivity.

Questioning policy representations of women’s alcohol consumption: Implications for social work

This study draws on Carol Bacchi’s What’s the problem represented to be? (WPR) framework, to deconstruct policy discourses of women’s alcohol consumption. It examines Australian policies such as in the National Alcohol Strategy (2019–2028) and Australian Guidelines to Reduce Health Risks from Drinking Alcohol ( NHMRC, 2009, 2020 ). It found that policy discourses particularly focus on the effects of women’s alcohol consumption as ‘harms’ to unborn children, by emphasising women’s assumed reproductive roles, such in pregnancy and when breastfeeding. Social policy tends to reproduce medicalising and normative gendered discourses about women’s alcohol consumption, with disempowering effects on women. This discourse analysis of drug and alcohol policies can contribute to broadening how social workers understand policy representations and the effects of policy discourses on women. The disciplinary power of the medicalisation and acceptable/unacceptable categorisation of women’s alcohol consumption means that women can internalise shame and stigma, which is often an obstacle for women attempting to seek assistance. More research is needed about how social workers can co-design policies and research projects with women of diverse sexualities and cultural backgrounds who have been subjugated by these policy discourses.