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Change Policies: Introduction

Strategies and Approaches to Change Policies

  1. Raise alcohol taxes

  2. Require graduated
    licensing for novice drivers

  3. Apply administrative sanctions rather than criminal penalties

  4. Enforce zero tolerance laws for underage drinking and driving

  5. Increase number of alcohol-free settings, events, and activities

  6. Promote social host liability laws

  7. Write zoning ordinances to manage retail alcohol outlets

  8. Controls on hours of sale

What Communities Can Do

What Parents Can Do

What Agencies Can Do

What Schools Can Do

Strategies & Approaches › Change Policies

Change Policies: Introduction

The most documented principle in alcohol use prevention is: Make it harder for young people to get alcohol, and they will drink less. Policymakers at the local, state, or national level, can help enact and support policies that prevent the availability of alcohol to young people who are below the minimum drinking age.
In 1984, Congress enacted the National Minimum Drinking Age Act. This law requires that a portion of Federal highway funds be withheld from any States that do not prohibit persons under 21 years of age from purchasing or publicly possessing alcoholic beverages. The U.S. Supreme Court held in 1987 that Congress was within constitutional bounds in attaching such conditions to the receipt of Federal funds to encourage uniformity in States' drinking ages. By 1988, every State had passed legislation to meet the Federal funding requirements.

In addition to minimum drinking age laws, States have adopted a variety of policies to address underage drinking. Some of these policies apply to youth directly, while others apply to those individuals or establishments that may furnish alcohol to underage youth.

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) notes that these and other underage drinking strategies demonstrate a broad societal commitment to reduce underage drinking. The IOM further notes that "the effectiveness of laws to restrict access to alcohol by youths can be increased by closing gaps in coverage, promoting compliance, and strengthening enforcement."

The following strategies and approaches are highlighted in this section:

For more information on policy strategies to reduce underage and binge drinking, see the link below:

Hoover, S.A. 2005. Policy Strategies to Reduce Underage and Binge Drinking. Community Prevention Institute (CPI) & Center for Applied Research Solutions (CARS).  http://www.ca-cpi.org/tarp/Policy_final.pdf

The purpose of this publication is to assist prevention professionals in developing policy strategies to address the problems associated with high-risk and underage drinking in their communities. This paper provides an overview of policy strategies, current research on their effectiveness, and their application in the community as part of an environmental prevention systems approach.

For additional strategies and approaches for changing policies, see the following:

What You Can Do: Community
What You Can Do: Parents
What You Can Do: Agencies
What You Can Do: Schools

References:
Bonnie, R.J. & M.E. O’Connell (eds). 2003. Reducing Underage Drinking: A Collective Responsibility. The National Academies Press, Washington, D.C.

Bonnie, R.J. & M.E. O’Connell (eds). 2003. Reducing Underage Drinking: A Collective Responsibility. The National Academies Press, Washington, D.C.

A Guide to Zero Tolerance and Graduated Licensing: Two Strategies that Work. Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation. Available at:  http://www.udetc.org/documents/Guide2zero.pdf#search=%22a%20guide%20to%20zero%20tolerance%20and%20graduated%20licensing%22. Accessed on [09/06/06]

Office of Applied Studies. 2004. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. NSDUH Report: Alcohol Dependence or Abuse and Age at First Use. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

A Guide to Zero Tolerance and Graduated Licensing: Two Strategies that Work. Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation. Available at:  http://www.udetc.org/documents/Guide2zero.pdf#search=%22a%20guide%20to%20zero%20tolerance%20and%20graduated%20licensing%22. Accessed on [09/06/06]

A Guide to Zero Tolerance and Graduated Licensing: Two Strategies that Work. Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation. Available at:  http://www.udetc.org/documents/Guide2zero.pdf#search=%22a%20guide%20to%20zero%20tolerance%20and%20graduated%20licensing%22. Accessed on [09/06/06]

A Guide to Zero Tolerance and Graduated Licensing: Two Strategies that Work. Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation. Available at:  http://www.udetc.org/documents/Guide2zero.pdf#search=%22a%20guide%20to%20zero%20tolerance%20and%20graduated%20licensing%22. Accessed on [09/06/06]

Underage Drinking Prevention Action Guide and Planner. 2001. Center for Substance Abuse Prevention. Available at: http://media.shs.net/prevline/pdfs/phd858.pdf#search=%22underage%20drinking%20prevention%20action%20guide%20and%20planner%22. Accessed on [08/25/06]

A Guide to Zero Tolerance and Graduated Licensing: Two Strategies that Work. Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation. Available at:  http://www.udetc.org/documents/Guide2zero.pdf#search=%22a%20guide%20to%20zero%20tolerance%20and%20graduated%20licensing%22. Accessed on [09/06/06]

Environmental Strategies to Prevent Alcohol Problems on College Campuses. 2005. Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation. Available at: http://www.udetc.org/documents/EnviroStrat.pdf#search=%22strategies%20to%20promote%20alcohol%20free%20events%22. Accessed on [08/29/06]

Johnson, K.D. Underage Drinking: Problem-Oriented Guides for Police Problem-Specific Guides Services. U.S. Dept. of Justice. Available at: http://www.popcenter.org/problems/PDFs/underage.pdf#search=%22statistics%20on%20alcohol%20free%20events%20and%20underage%20drinking%22. Accessed on [09/01/06]

Drinking in America: Myths, Realities, and Prevention Policy. U.S. Dept. of Justice. Available at: http://www.udetc.org/documents/Drinking_in_America.pdf. Accessed on [09/05/06]

The Relationship Between Alcohol Availability and Injury and Crime. Available at: http://www.alcoholpolicymd.com/alcohol_and_health/alc_availability.htm. Accessed on [01/09/06]

Bans of Off-Premises Sunday Sales. Alcohol Policy Information System. Available at: http://www.alcoholpolicy.niaaa.nih.gov/index.asp?Type=BAS_APIS&SEC={1215CDC3-980E-4868-87FB-524C3A1EC415}. Accessed on [09/28/06]
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