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Environmental Prevention

Strategy 2: Impacting Access and Availability

Accessing alcohol is not a difficult maneuver, even for those far below the legal drinking age of 21 years old. Alcohol outlets are plentiful, the staff at those establishments can be lax about checking identification, and fake IDs are common.

Those under legal purchasing age have little difficulty acquiring tobacco products, as well, due to some of the same conditions seen with alcohol availability. And despite law enforcement efforts, even simple access to illegal drugs is commonplace in many communities.

A key environmental strategy to reduce alcohol, tobacco and other drug abuse in a community is limiting access and availability of all of these substances, not just for those who are underage for alcohol and tobacco use, but for the entire community.

Communities address access and availability in a variety of ways, some systematic (i.e.: addressing zoning issues) to small scale (i.e.: educating parents about disposing of outdated prescription medications).

What communities can do:

• Control alcohol outlet density: Through zoning ordinances communities can reduce or limit the number of alcohol outlets within a given area.
• Control hours or days of operation of alcohol sales outlets: Alcohol consumption levels and rates of alcohol-related problems tend to increase when the hours and days of sale increase. Some things to keep in mind:
  • Decreasing hours and days of sale can be difficult in an era of consumer convenience.
• Be alert for attempts to extend hours or days of sale and be ready to make a strong case for continuing limited availability.
• Be on the lookout for high risk outlets which:
  • Allow aggressive sales practices
  • Sell to underage youth
  • Sell to obviously intoxicated individuals
  • Violate license restrictions on hours or days of sales
  • Market fortified wines
  • Use promotions that encourage over-consumption (2 for 1; drinking games)
  • Contribute to or are not addressing trafficking on the premises
  • Encourage or allow loitering
  • Do not provide proper lighting
• Restrict availability at sporting and recreational events: Assess the appropriateness of alcohol and/or tobacco industry sponsorship of sporting events, community festivals, and other activities. Consider the percentage of the audience that is underage, and whether the event attracts families. Limit alcohol sales, sponsorship and advertising as appropriate at that event or venue. Discontinue sales before the event is over to increase time without alcohol before driving.
• Require server training: Servers can be part of the problem by encouraging heavy drinking, allowing it to continue, promoting intoxication and providing alcohol to those underage. Encouraging or requiring training programs for those who serve alcohol in community bars and other establishments, as well as events, including concerts, athletic activities, and community festivals, can curb illegal sales to intoxicated individuals and/or to minors. Server training can also lead to more responsible service practices and management policies.
  
  Community coalitions can work on initiatives which:
  • Establish laws requiring server training
  • Promote enforcement of laws prohibiting service to intoxicated patrons
  • Target trouble spots
  • Keep the legal burden on owners
  • Provide incentives regarding license retention, reputation, liability
  • Close license loopholes
  • Avoid grandfather exceptions
  • Be sure alternatives to alcohol are offered
   
• Regulate sales: Limiting the amount of alcohol that can be purchased through keg registration. Advocating for removal of a specific product from the shelves of a grocery store or other venue.
• Ensure proper identification: Implementing stronger identification requirements for purchase and/or consumption of alcohol and/or tobacco at community establishments.
•  Address abandoned properties: Working with law enforcement and community officials to force property owners to deal with vacant properties where drug activity takes place, or demolish abandoned properties when necessary.
• Remove machines dispensing tobacco products: Many family restaurants and other businesses frequented by youth have vending machines for tobacco products. Often they are in a back hallway and no one is monitoring who is using the machine. Community coalitions can advocate for the removal of the machine or that it be placed in an area where its use can be monitored. With the smoking ban now effective in Ohio, businesses are not as invested in maintaining these machines.

For more information about the effectiveness of these strategies, as well as practical guidance on implementation, see Prevention Problems Related to Alcohol Availability: Environmental Approaches, a document available on the web site of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Ohio’s Liquor Control Commission provides information on Ohio’s Drinking Age Laws, how to deal with problem liquor permit premises, how to object to the issuance or renewal of a liquor permit and other liquor permit information on their website.

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