Alcohol: No Ordinary Commodity is a collaborative effort by an
international group of addiction scientists to improve the linkages
between addiction science and alcohol policy. It presents, in a
comprehensive, practical, and readily accessible form, the accumulated
scientific knowledge on alcohol research that has a direct relevance to
the development of alcohol policy on local, national, and international
levels. It provides an objective basis on which to build relevant
policies globally and informs policy makers who have direct
responsibility for public health and social welfare. By locating alcohol
policy primarily within the realm of public health, this book draws
attention to the growing tendency for governments, both national and
local, to consider alcohol misuse as a major determinant of ill health,
and to organize societal responses accordingly.
The scope of the book is comprehensive and global. The authors describe
the conceptual basis for a rational alcohol policy and present new
epidemiological data on the global dimensions of alcohol misuse. The
core of the book is a critical review of the cumulative scientific
evidence in seven general areas of alcohol policy: pricing and taxation,
regulating the physical availability of alcohol, modifying the
environment in which drinking occurs, drinking-driving countermeasures,
marketing restrictions, primary prevention programs in schools and other
settings, and treatment and early intervention services. The final
chapters discuss the current state of alcohol policy in different parts
of the world and describe the need for a new approach to alcohol policy
that is evidence-based, global, and coordinated.
A valuable resource for those involved in addiction science and drug
policy, as well as those in the wider fields of public health, health
policy, epidemiology, and practising clinicians.
