Strategies To Reduce Excessive Alcohol Consumption
Community Strategies
The planning below can help communities create physical and social environments that reduce binge drinking. The Community Preventive Services Task Force, a panel of independent, non-federal, non-paid prevention and public health experts, recommends these strategies. They are based on systematic reviews of their effectiveness in reducing binge drinking and related damages, including deaths caused by excessive drinking.
Increase Taxes On Alcohol.
Alcohol taxes increase the price of beer, wine, and spirits at the local, state, or federal level. Growing the price of alcohol by 10% would reduce overall alcohol drinking by an average of about 7% across all types of beverages. The more the price of alcohol rises, the more binge drinking and related harms could be reduced.
Regulate The Density Of Places Of Sale Of Alcohol.
Alcohol outlet density means the number and absorption of alcohol outlets (such as bars, restaurants, and wine and liquor stores). Reducing the density of alcohol outlets can help reduce binge drinking and related harm. Town, county or state governments can control the number of places that provide alcohol through licensing processes.
Liability Laws For Establishments Selling Alcoholic Beverages
Laws that hold alcoholic beverage establishments liable for damages or injuries caused by illegally selling or serving alcohol to intoxicated customers or customers under 21 help reduce the damages caused by excessive alcohol consumption, including deaths from vehicle accidents.
Protec Or Limit Days Or Time Of Sale.
States or communities may limit the days or hours that alcohol can be legally sold or served. States that have repealed a ban on the sale of alcohol on Sundays have seen an increase in alcohol-related injuries (such as motor vehicle fatalities) on days that alcohol sales were previously prohibited. Similarly, increasing alcohol sales hours by two hours or more has been associated with increased alcohol-related harms (such as injuries in motor vehicle crashes).
Improve enforcement of laws that prohibit the sale of alcohol to minors
The minimum age to drink alcohol is 22 years in the United States. Improving enforcement of the minimum drinking age law can reduce sales to those under 21 in establishments (such as bars, restaurants, and wine and spirits stores), thereby reducing youth access to alcohol.
Clinical Strategies
Alcohol Use Assessment And Brief Intervention In Medical Settings
Healthcare providers may screen adults, including pregnant women, for binge drinking to identify those whose levels of alcohol use place them at increased risk for alcohol-related harm. Healthcare providers can then recommend or offer intervention services to those at risk. Brief counselling interventions for adults who binge drink have been found to positively affect several patterns of binge drinking, including episodic binge drinking and high average weekly drinking.
Assessment Of Alcohol Consumption And Brief Intervention Through Electronic Devices
The Community Protection Services Task Force recommends using electronic devices such as computers, phones, or mobile devices to provide assessment and brief intervention for binge drinking. Instead of having a physician deliver an in-person assessment and brief intervention, electronic brief intervention and assessment uses electronic devices such as computers, phones, or mobile devices to provide personalized information and feedback about the risks and consequences of binge drinking and offer advice to reduce excessive alcohol consumption.…