In 1975 when the International Study of the Alcohol Control Experiences (ISACE) was initiated, the experience in many established economies was that of several decades of relaxation of state and informal controls combined with rising rates of alcohol consumption. A parallel development in many jurisdictions was the rise of social, chronic and acute problems related to alcohol consumption.
A unique contribution of the project was the focus on several forces in seven jurisdictions: systems of alcohol production and supply, drinking cultures, state and local controls, and prevention and treatment initiatives. In addition to numerous published papers and working documents, it produced an edited volume of the social history of alcohol control in seven countries (Single et al. 1981) and a synthetic comparative volume (Mäkelä et al. 1981). The project focused on developments in five countries (Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland) and two regional jurisdictions (California and Ontario) for the period 1950–1975. The structure of the comparative volume (Mäkelä et al. 1981) signals the main themes: alcohol consumption, production and trade, alcohol-related problems, alcohol control policies, effects of alcohol control policies, and the post-war era and future. > > > > Read More
