Public Opinion on Alcohol Policies

Abstract

We conducted a survey of a probability sample of adult residents in the State of Michigan, assessed public support for various alcohol and drinking-driving policy changes, examined how opinions on various policies clustered, and compared Michigan results with national surveys on these issues. Results showed high levels of public support for raising alcohol excise taxes (82%), prohibiting concurrent sales of alcohol and gasoline (74%), administratively suspending drivers licenses of those over the legal alcohol limit (67%), limiting the numbers of alcohol outlets via government regulation (63%), and lowering the legal alcohol limit for drivers to .05 g/dl (55%). Support for these policies was found across all income and education categories, but was significantly lower among frequent heavy drinkers. Policies with lower levels of public support include liability of commercial servers and social hosts, and stricter limits on hours of alcohol sales. Results are clearly relevant to current policy debates, and point to the need for further research on how opinions concerning alcohol policies are interrelated.

Public opinion on alcohol service at licensed premises: a population survey in Stockholm, Sweden 1999–2000

“…During the past decade, several studies, mainly from the US and Canada, have been conducted on public opinion on alcohol policies [30][31][32][33]. The results of these studies show strong support for alcohol-control policies in the local community.…”

Opinions on the Privatization of Distilled-Spirits Sales in Washington State: Did Voters Change Their Minds?

“…Results from a probability sample of adult residents of Michigan showed that 63% of respondents supported government control to limit the number of alcohol outlets (Wagenaar & Streff, 1990). A similar study of privatization in Ontario, Canada, indicated that the majority (73%) of respondents disagreed with privatization and preferred government control (Anglin et al, 2003).…”

The prevention of drug use among youth: Implications of ?legalization?

“…According to Warner (1989), there are 50 million instead of 91 million current smokers, because of consistent and strong anti-smoking efforts since 1964. As previously noted in the research conducted by Wagenaar and Streff (1990), it could be suggested that more stringent alcohol control policies and more strict sanctions against those who drink and drive are endorsed by a sizable majority of the American public. Given the social and economic costs attributable to alcohol and tobacco products, how could anyone argue persuasively to add another drug such as marijuana to that list, especially younger persons?…”

“…For them, alcohol use is "illegal." Wagenaar and Streff (1990), report results from a study of a representative sample of 760 Michigan adults. They found that even 74% of those who drank alcoholic beverages more than once a week were in favor of increasing excise taxes on alcohol and earmarking these funds to combat drinking driving.…”