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Alcohol policy reform in Australia: what can we learn from the evidence?
Author(s) -
Doran Christopher M,
Hall Wayne D,
Shakeshaft Anthony P,
Vos Theo,
Cobiac Linda J
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2010.tb03589.x
Subject(s) - psychological intervention , harm , investment (military) , window of opportunity , safer , environmental health , intervention (counseling) , business , alcohol consumption , consumption (sociology) , public economics , medicine , political science , alcohol , economics , nursing , engineering , law , sociology , chemistry , computer security , politics , computer science , social science , biochemistry , aerospace engineering
Alcohol consumption is a major risk factor contributing to the burden of disease in Australia. The National Preventative Health Taskforce recommends the long‐term goal of reshaping Australia's drinking culture to produce healthier and safer outcomes. A study of the cost‐effectiveness of interventions to reduce alcohol‐related harm in Australia suggests that policymakers could achieve over 10 times the health gain if they reallocated the current level of investment. The optimal package of interventions identified in the study comprises, in order of cost‐effectiveness, volumetric taxation, advertising bans, an increase in the minimum legal drinking age to 21 years, brief intervention by primary care practitioners, licensing controls, a drink‐driving mass media campaign, and random breath testing. Australia has a window of opportunity to significantly expand activities to reduce alcohol‐related harm. It is important that federal and state governments take this opportunity to reform alcohol policy in Australia.