Alkoholförebyggande arbete på krogen och bland folkölsförsäljare i ...

6 alkoholförebyggande arbete på krogen och bland folkölsförsäljare i sex försökskommuner
Summary
As an element in the implementation of the National Alcohol Action Plan 2001–2005 and
National Drug Action Plan 2002–2005, a development project was initiated January 2003
in six Swedish municipalities. The aim was to develop local prevention work and thereby
reduce the problems harmful effects associated with alcohol and illicit drugs. Kalmar,
Kramfors, Laholm, Lund, Solna and Umeå were chosen to take part in the project. An evaluation
of the project has been carried out through comparing the test municipalities with
six additional municipalities, matched to the test municipalities with regard to population
and geographical location. The municipalities have developed the prevention work in several
areas, including the serving of alcohol in restaurants and medium-strength beer sales.
The efforts have been aimed at increasing compliance with the Alcohol Act, which entails
reducing overserving of alcohol to intoxicated individuals and minors in restaurants and
the sale of medium-strength beer to people under the age of 18 years. The evaluation finds
no reduction in the serving of alcohol to intoxicated restaurant patrons during the project
period, neither in the trial municipalities nor the control municipalities, despite an increasing
percentage of restaurants being involved in the work. The results regarding serving
alcohol to minors and the sale of medium-strength beer to under-age customers indicate
that it has become somewhat more difficult for youths to be served alcohol in restaurants
and to buy beer in shops in the test municipalities. Significant differences between the test
municipalities and the control municipalities were, however, not observed here either. The
results raise questions about how implementation of the method of responsible beverage
serving had been carried out. It would appear that the municipalities have concentrated
mainly on education initiatives for restaurant staff, while very little has changed in the way
they carry out inspection and control.