NCJ Number
119493
Journal
Contemporary Drug Problems Volume: 15 Issue: 4 Dated: (Winter 1988) Pages: 627-684
Date Published
1988
Length
58 pages
Annotation
This article reviews existing literature on the relationship between the availability of alcohol, alcohol consumption, and alcohol-related problems, focusing on whether increased availability actually leads to more alcohol-related problems.
Abstract
Topics covered in the literature review include the legal minimum drinking age and its possible relation to traffic accidents, juvenile crime, school problems, and non-traffic accident morbidity and mortality; hours and days of sale of alcoholic beverages; numbers and types of alcohol outlets; prohibition; strikes in the alcohol industry; and the introduction of alcohol to dry areas. The article concludes that while some studies argue that legal minimum drinking age laws influence alcohol consumption and alcohol problems among young people, other factors can have positive and negative influences on the effectiveness of minimum drinking age laws. Additionally, it is concluded that liberalized absolute availability laws increase consumption and the occurrence of alcohol-related problems, while laws reducing availability have the opposite effect. However, prohibition, as an extreme measure, does not reduce consumption and alcohol-related problems. Increasing the availability of alcohol through more markets, fewer restraints, and less enforcement results in increased consumption and alcohol-related problems. 183 references.