Regulating the Availability of Alcohol

Abstract

Limiting the access to alcoholic beverages fall partially outside the health sector but they need to be implemented in order to reduce alcohol accessibility, leading to less alcohol consumption, harms, and therefore the health and social costs of alcohol. Despite the widespread use of licensing systems, they continue to be underused as a policy tool, and measures are only partially adopted and are not enforced. It is important to increase public and policy makers understanding of their need and value, so they can be promoted and included in alcohol policy plans in all countries. This fact sheet will describe what they include, how they need to be done to be effective, what is their impact and why they need to be implemented.