NCJ Number
221123
Journal
Substance Use and Misuse Volume: 42 Issue: 12-13 Dated: 2007 Pages: 2053-2062
Date Published
2007
Length
10 pages
Annotation
This study provides an overview of initiatives which monitor and enforce the provisions relating to the sale of alcohol to minors in New Zealand.
Abstract
Although a wide range of interventions has been implemented across New Zealand’s communities and contributed to the overall success of The Youth Access to Alcohol (YATA), two initiatives were particularly successful: the Think Before You Buy Under 18’s Drink campaign, and the Controlled Purchase Operation Guidelines (CPOs), produced to monitor and enforce the provisions relating to the sale of liquor to minors. Alcohol is one of the most commonly used drugs in New Zealand. One strategy that has been found to be effective against underage drinking is to reduce the supply of alcohol to underage youth. In order to reduce the supply of alcohol to young people it is necessary to address the issue of illegal and irresponsible supply. The Youth Access to Alcohol (YATA) project was implemented in 2002 by the Alcohol Advisory Council of New Zealand (ALAC) in 30 communities to decrease the incidents of adults supplying alcohol to young people. The YATA program has evolved as a result of the collaborative efforts of ALAC and the communities engaged in the project. The development of objectives and strategies was an interactive process based on stakeholder feedback, as well as using evidence to support decisions. While communities have a wide range of strategies that can be implemented, the more frequently used strategy of targeting licensed premises comes with resources and a guide for implementation. Parents, who remain the most frequent suppliers of alcohol to young people have proved a challenging target audience for communities to reach. The project uses a community action approach, which has included setting up collaborative partnerships between key agencies, the delivery of key strategies, and multimedia awareness raising campaigns. Communities were trained to implement several tools to monitor changes in their community over time. The study’s limitations are noted and future needed research is suggested. Notes, references