Alcohol misuse: tackling the UK epidemic - London

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BMA Board of Science
Appendix 2
UK alcohol control policies
In the UK, separate strategies to reduce the burden of alcohol misuse have been developed in
England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. These strategies are contained within various policy
documents which have the common theme of encouraging the safe use of alcohol and reducing
alcohol misuse through national, local and community-based partnership approaches.
England and Wales
In England, the 2004 Alcohol harm reduction strategy for England (PMSU, 2004) identified 41 action
areas grouped in four categories: better education and communication; better health and treatment
systems; combating alcohol crime and disorder; and working with the alcohol industry. 8
Responsibility
for implementation of the strategy was shared between the Home Office and the DH, and the key
areas of the strategy were re-enforced in Choosing health: making healthier choices easier (DH,
2004). 249
The 2004 Alcohol harm reduction strategy for England was superseded in 2007 by Safe.
Sensible. Social. The next steps in the National Alcohol Strategy (HM Government, 2007) which was
jointly authored by the DH, the Home Office, the Department for Education and Skills, and the
Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). Safe. Sensible. Social. The next steps in the
National Alcohol Strategy (HM Government, 2007) set out eight key action areas:
sharpened criminal justice for drunken behaviour
a review of NHS alcohol spending
more help for people who want to drink less
toughened enforcement of underage sales
trusted guidance for parents and young people
public information campaigns to promote a new ‘sensible drinking’ culture
public consultation on alcohol pricing and promotion
local alcohol strategies. 54
In Wales, the 1996 strategy document Forward together: a strategy to combat drug and alcohol
misuse in Wales (Welsh Office, 1996) set out proposals to increase prevention activity with a view to
reducing the acceptability of taking drugs, and excessive or inappropriate drinking. 250
This strategy
also focused on the national and local delivery of treatment, support and rehabilitation services. This
strategy was superseded by Tackling substance misuse in Wales. A partnership approach (National
Assembly for Wales, 2000) which set out four key aims:
to help children, young people and adults resist substance misuse in order to achieve their
full potential in society, and to promote sensible drinking in the context of a healthy lifestyle
to protect families and communities from anti-social and criminal behaviour and health risks
related to substance misuse
to enable people with substance misuse problems to overcome them and live healthy and
fulfilling lives and in the case of offenders, crime-free lives
to stifle the availability of illegal drugs on our streets and inappropriate availability of other
substances. 251
While England and Wales have separate alcohol control strategies, the licensing systems in both
regions are regulated by the Licensing Act 2003 which came into effect in November 2005. The 2003
Act replaced the previous fragmented system with a single piece of legislation regulating all licensed
activities involving alcohol – including off-licenses and supermarkets, entertainment and late-night
refreshment – and incorporates a number of key measures including:
flexible opening hours for premises, with the potential for up to 24-hour opening, seven
days a week
a single premises licence which can permit premises to be used to supply alcohol, to provide
regulated entertainment and to provide refreshment late at night
Alcohol misuse: tackling the UK epidemic