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Monday, July 13, 2009

Public opinion and community-based prevention of alcohol-related harms
Addiction Research & Theory, Volume 17, Issue 4 August 2009 , pages 360 - 371

This article looks at alcohol policy opinions from the point of view of the possibilities and frames for creating local alcohol control policy. Local action against harms related to drinking is a compromise between different points of view, and the question of public support is important for community-based prevention.

The wide majority of the population supported such measures suitable for community-based prevention as enforcement of the minimum legal age to purchase alcohol, surveillance of restaurants and shops, and the ban to sell alcohol to a drunken person. Decreasing numbers of outlets of restaurants or their opening hours were least popular.

There was a relationship between drinking habits and alcohol policy opinions. Abstainers and moderate drinkers were most likely to support all alcohol policy measures examined, whilst heavier drinkers were least likely to support them.

There was a connection between awareness of alcohol problems in one's locality, and favourable opinions on alcohol control measures. The result is similar with the ones found earlier in other countries.

Potential members of local alcohol policy coalitions seem to have some similarities in different countries.


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