Evidence-based alcohol policy in the Americas: strengths, weaknesses, and future challenges

Abstract

The objectives of this article are to describe the evidence base for alcohol policy in the Americas, to Policy efforts in the developing countries of Latin America should focus on improving countermeasures against driving while intoxicated, measures that alter the drinking context, and limits on physical availability. For the developed, high-income countries of North America the goal should be to prevent deterioration of current drinking patterns and to reduce the overall volume of drinking. Given the low to moderate cost of many of the policies reviewed in this article, it now seems possible for communities and nations to substantially reduce the alcohol-related burden of illness in the Americas.Alcohol drinking, alcoholic intoxication, evidence-based medicine, policy making, Americas. ABSTRACTAlcohol policy is broadly defined as any purposeful effort on the part of governments or nongovernment groups to minimize or prevent alcoholrelated consequences. Policies can involve the implementation of a specific strategy with regard to alcohol problems (e.g., age restrictions on alcohol sales) or the allocation of resources that reflect priorities with regard to prevention or treatment intervention efforts. Among the various strategies and interventions that have been used as a basis for alcohol policy are: taxation and pricing, regulating the physical availability of alcohol, Key wordsBabor TF, Caetano R. Evidence-based alcohol policy in the Americas: strengths, weaknesses, and future challenges. Rev Panam Salud Publica. 2005;18(4/5):327-37.

Appraisal of risky behaviour of youth populace and ndash; a vulnerable venture

“…[6][7][8][9][10][11] Similarly in another study conducted on college going adolescents in South Delhi reported that 23.3% of the students never wore a helmet and 20% of them rode with a driver who had consumed alcohol before driving and also was similar to other study conducted in Pune. 12,13 So to conclude the risk behaviors among the youth population is increasing rapidly which is a danger sign to the society.…”

Políticas para prevenir los daños causados por el alcohol

“…Elaboración propia a partir de las referencias 1-5. puntos de venta y servicio de bebidas alcohólicas, la diferente disponibilidad de las bebidas alcohólicas según su concentración de alcohol y en la existencia de restricciones en el acceso al alcohol en determinadas situaciones (especialmente para jóvenes) 16 .…”

Patrones de consumo de alcohol y problemas asociados en Brasil

“…Recently, Caetano and Laranjeira (2006) identified a number of factors that presently contribute to increased per capita consumption in Brazil, such as a youthful population, lack of alcohol control policies regulating alcohol availability, targeting by the alcohol industry for market development, weak public health infrastructure, and governmental policies that support economic growth and welcome the alcohol industry. Brazil received the lowest score among 25 countries in the Americas on the estimated impact of alcohol-policy strategies implemented in the country (Babor & Caetano, 2005).…”