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Environmental policies to prevent or reduce substance use are effective tools that address the broad population in a community.
Graduated driver's license laws: These laws require phases in the licensing process that limit beginner drivers' experiences. These can include limits on the number of passengers allowed in cars, curfews, and zero-tolerance policies on underage drinking.
Happy hour restrictions: "Happy hours" at bars and restaurants encourage customers to consume a large number of drinks in a short time. Some states have laws prohibiting or restricting happy hours.
Compliance checks: Compliance checks are used to identify alcohol establishments that sell alcohol to underage youth.
Alcohol server training: Training programs are designed to educate alcohol servers to help prevent intoxication among patrons, prevent service to underage drinkers, and prevent intoxicated individuals from driving.
Social host laws: Social host laws hold noncommercial servers of alcohol (such as homeowners or parents) liable in the event that they provide alcohol to a minor or an obviously inebriated individual who later becomes involved in an accident that causes injury or death to a third party.
Keg registration laws: These laws require that kegs of beer be tagged with an identification number and information be recorded about the purchaser. Sometimes a deposit is also required as an incentive to return the keg properly tagged. These laws make it easier to track the whereabouts of kegs and the individuals using them.
- Find out if there are effective policies or state laws for these and other environmental strategies in place in your community.
- To identify the appropriate environmental policies for your community, it is important to understand substance use in your local context because national data may not be accurate for your community.
- Environmental policies to prevent and reduce substance use have been researched and evaluated to determine if they are effective. Choosing policies that have an impact on substance use rates in other communities are likely to have a similar effect in your community.
The National Survey on Drug Use and Health Report Graduated Driver Licensing and Drinking among Young Drivers (April 30th 2004), reported that states with more restrictive driver-licensing laws had lower rates of youth age 15-17 driving under the influence of alcohol and lower rates of heavy drinking than states with less restrictive laws. States with the most restrictive driver-licensing laws have requirements such as having an adult accompany the driver, and restricting the number of passengers allowed in the car, and the hours youth are permitted to drive.
Source: The National Survey on Drug Use and Health Report. Graduated Driver Licensing and Drinking among Young Driver, April 30, 2004.
Marin Institute. Solutions to Community Alcohol Problems: A Roadmap for Environmental Prevention, 2005.
The Alcohol Epidemiology Program, University of Minnesota. Sample Alcohol Policies.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Office of Applied Studies. "Graduated Driver Licensing and Drinking among Young Drivers." The National Survey on Drug Use and Health Report, 2004.
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