A new  report from the Campaign for a Healthy Alcohol Marketplace finds that the public is generally happy with current alcohol regulations. And, contrary to what you may hear in the media, there is no cry for greater convenience for buying alcohol products. The report, "Public Supports Strong Alcohol Policies," looks at a variety of policies and public attitudes as expressed in recent surveys. Link to full report here.

While policy makers are currently considering the addition of more alcohol outlets and more days and hours of sale, citizens support current regulations. Furthermore, they are more concerned about protecting society from alcohol
harms than creating new jobs. Such issues as "reducing drunk driving" and "underage drinking" appear to be more important than "lower prices for beer and wine." 

Making things easier for consumers may seem like a positive thing. But, when it comes to alcohol, the public does not see the need. Instead, 91% of respondents in a national survey said that it was easy to find a wide variety of alcoholic beverages in their communities. Another consideration is that the number of people who drink frequently is small-- only about 20%. So only a few benefit from additional convenience. But, when alcohol harm occurs, it can impact the whole community. 

  

For more information, see www.healthyalcoholmarket.com or Contact Pam Erickson at pam@pamaction.com.