Jürgen Rehm: Draining the ocean to prevent shark attacks? The empirical foundation of alcohol policy
The line of reasoning behind current alcohol policy is examined and related to empirical research on the consequences of alcohol consumption. It is found that current alcohol policy places too much emphasis on both aggregate consumption and chronic disease as the main problems, and availability and access to alcohol as the most important instruments in reducing alcohol-related harm. There is empirical evidence, however, that other forms of harm are equally if not more important in many cases, and that the empirical links between availability and consumption, and between consumption and harm, are not always as important as predicted. Some consequences for alternative alcohol policy strategies for the future are discussed.
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