Promoting public health in liquor licensing
Perceptions of the role of alcohol community workers
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 11057124 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Liz Stewart (Policy-relevant research and evaluation of alcohol-related community action research projects for 14 years., corresponding author), Sally Casswell (0000-0002-2211-7096, Alcohol and Public Health Research Unit (University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand)), Andy Thomson (Alcohol and Public Health Research Unit.) |
| Year | 1997 |
| Volume | 24 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 1-37 |
| Publication date | 1997-03-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Contemporary Drug Problems (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0091-4509 • E-ISSN: 2163-1808 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/009145099702400103 |
| OpenAlex | W286435148 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
| References cited | 20 |
The impact of liquor licensing laws on the availability of alcohol has been recognized as an important factor in the level of consumption and alcohol-related problems through the mechanisms of control on hours and days of sale (Smith, 1987, 1988a, 1988b, 1988c; Olsson and Wikstrom, 1982; Nordlund, 1985); categories, numbers and density of outlets (Wagenaar and Holder, 1991); McGuinness, 1983; Godfrey, 1988; Gruenewald, Ponicki and Holder, 1993; Watts and Rabow, 1983; Holder and Blose, 1987; Blose and Holder, 1987; Hoadley, Fuchs and Holder, 1984) and enforcement of penal provisions within the law (McKnight and Streff, 1994; Jeffs and Saunders, 1983). Community response liquor licensing administration and enforcement may play a key role in facilitating the reduction of problems, including the interest, organization and agenda of community and government bodies involved with the regulation of alcohol (Room, 1980). The level of resources available individual agencies, their interpretation of the legislation, and the rigor with which they enforce the law are also important. In New Zealand a major review of the liquor licensing system during the mid-1980s culminated in a new Sale of Liquor Act coming into force in April 1990. The new Act liberalized alcohol availability; for example, it enabled 24-hour opening, more flexibility in licensing opportunities, and wine sale in supermarkets. It also devolved more responsibility for liquor licensing administration, inspection and enforcement the local government level, while retaining a national licensing body. Although the Act made licenses easier obtain, a new development was the inclusion of a specific objective for the Act recognizing alcohol's potential association with harm: to establish a reasonable system of control over the sale and supply of liquor the public with the aim of contributing the reduction of liquor abuse, so far that can be achieved by legislative means. These and other features signaled potential focus on the reduction of alcohol-related harm. Community action encourage public health input: the Liquor Licensing Project The introduction of the Act presented an opportunity influence its administration and enforcement in an organized way, so that it would include a significant focus on reducing harm. With this in mind, the Alcohol and Public Health Research Unit (APHRU) set up a two-year community action project called the Liquor Licensing Project. The aim was evaluate whether a public health emphasis in administration and enforcement of the Act, during its initial implementation period, could be encouraged through the activities of alcohol community workers. Participation of community workers The project was designed incorporate the approach that had evolved from an earlier evaluated community action project on alcohol (Casswell and Gilmore, 1989). This included the participation of community alcohol workers and the use of formative evaluation assist their action planning. Emphasis had been on encouraging support for procedures undertaken by key sectors within the community, such as police, health authorities and local government, promote a long-term effect on reducing alcohol harm through influencing alcohol's availability, price and promotion and the management of drinking environments. In the earlier Community Action Project (CAP), which ran between late 1982 and 1985, a person with community organization skills was employed given prominence alcoholrelated issues in the community and initiate or encourage the implementation of strategies by local organizations. The evaluation indicated that if well planned and implemented, the community-organization approach was feasible and could be effective in influencing public support for policy issues (Casswell and Gilmore, 1989; Casswell, Gilmore, Maquire and Ransom, 1989; Casswell and Stewart, 1989; Casswell, Ransom and Gilmore, 1990; Stewart and Casswell, 1993)
Administration (probate law) · Advertising · Alcohol industry · Business · Commission · Enforcement · Government (linguistics) · Law enforcement · Legislation · Political science · Community Health and Development · Health Policy Implementation Science · Law · Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
| Citations per year | 0.1 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2005 - 2011 (7) |
| Highly cited | No |