Stockholm North Centre for Addiction

Abstract

The STAD-project (Stockholm prevents alcohol and drug problems) aims to identify promising options for alcohol and other drug prevention and explore methods for implementing these. One strategy is to reduce access to alcohol among young people. Surveys of adolescents in Stockholm show that important sources of alcohol are restaurants and buying beer class II (2,8-3,5% alcohol by volume) in grocery stores. Legal drinking age at restaurants and for buying beer class II is 18 years in Sweden. STAD has conducted two baseline studies on adolescents access to alcohol. Purpose: To study access to alcohol among young people. Method: In study one (the restaurant study) 160 restaurants were included from the Central of Stockholm and Södermalm. Study two (the grocery shop study) included all shops selling beer (n=100) in two defined areas in Stockholm. In both studies adolescents aged 18 with a younger appearance were selected by expert panels. In study one the young persons visited restaurants in pairs, each ordering a strong beer. In study two the young persons attempted to purchase a 6-pack of beer class II. In both studies adolescents were instructed not to show age identification. Study one was conducted during spring and autumn 1996 and study two in spring 1998. Results: In the restaurant study the adolescents were served strong beer at 45% of 303 attempts. In the grocery shop study the buyers were succesful in 63% of 188 purchase attempts in the grocery stores. Conclusion: The results show that it is easy for young people to access alcohol in restaurants and grocery stores. One strategy to reduce availability is to train serving personnel and retailers. An effective training needs to be developed within a framework of policy. Training also needs to be complemented with more supervision and sanctions. To evaluate the intervention STAD will conduct effect measures recurrently.

Keywords

Alcohol, Young people, Commercial access

Contact

Charlotta Rehnman

Institution

Stockholm North Centre for Addiction

Postaddress

Box 6401

City

SE-113 82 Stockholm

Country

Sweden

E-mail

eva.wallin@bekl.csso.sll.se

Phone

+ 46 8 690 51 40

Fax

+ 46 8 690 59 91