Physical Availability: What is It and How Can We Address It Traci L. Toomey, PhD Division of Epidemiology & Community Health University of Minnesota

Policy/ Program Alcohol- related Problems Availability Rates and Patterns of Consumption

Availability Physical Economic Legal

Place: Physical Availability Density of alcohol establishments Types of licensed alcohol establishments & other venues Alcohol service at licensed venues Days & hours of sale Non-licensed locations

Density of Alcohol Establishments Number of establishments per: –Population –Roadway mile –Geographic area (including around campuses) Density important at smaller geographic units than community or state

Density of Alcohol Establishments Higher density associated with more: – Violence – Property crime – Other crime –Public drunkeness –Noise –Negative health outcomes (e.g., sexually transmitted diseases)

Potential Strategies Use local and state policies to restrict total number of alcohol establishments Use licensing and zoning laws to limit density in specific areas Promote other types of economic development

Types of Licensed Alcohol Venues On-premise (e.g., bars, restaurants) Off-premise (e.g., liquor & grocery stores) Community events (e.g., festivals) Stadiums (e.g., professional, college)

Alcohol Service at Licensed Venues Sales to underage Over-service of alcohol Promotion of heavy drinking –Drink specials –Promotion of drinking games

Propensity of Sales to Underage Festivals Early 2000s Bars/restaurants Early 1990s Bars/restaurants Late 1990s Stadiums Mid 2000s

Propensity of Sales to Intoxicated Festivals Early 2000s Bars/restaurants Early 1990s Bars/restaurants Early 2000s Stadiums Mid 2000s

Over Service Contributes to Problems Drinking and driving Violence in and around establishments

Intervention Compliance Deterrence Server/Clerk Behavior Confiscate false ID Refuse sales to youth Internal Merchant Policies ID Checking Server Training Monitoring System Alcohol Sale Laws Reduce Availability  Prevent Illegal Alcohol Sales Reduce Consumption & Related Problems

Potential Strategies: Training Server/manager training Less promising for preventing sales to underage More promising for preventing over service –May reduce BAC levels of patrons –May prevent sales to obviously intoxicated patrons May have short-term effects

Potential Strategies: Enforcement Compliance checks effective for preventing sales to underage –Need to conduct more than once or twice per year –Need to check all establishments Enforcement for over-service is more complex –Need more research to evaluate

Potential Strategies: Dram Shop Liability State law or case law allows lawsuits targeting establishment owner or server for illegal alcohol service –Potential limitations: (1) compensation caps, (2) imposed statue of limitations, (3) evidence required –RBS training should not negate dram shop liability

Days & Hours of Sale More days of sale = more problems A few more hours of sale = shift in timing of problems Greater than few hours of sale = more problems

Potential Strategies Use state & local policies: –Maintain current restrictions on days of sale –Maintain or reduce hours of sale

Non-licensed Locations Parties and other social events at: –Tailgating events –Parks –Houses –Hotels –Residence halls –Etc.

Tailgating Odds of BAC > times higher if tailgated

Parties Parties are a common source of alcohol for underage youth Parties occur in many different locations

Potential Strategies Institutional policies –Restrictions on room rentals –Alcohol/keg bans on campuses Local/State policies –Restrictions on use of alcohol in parks –Keg registration –Social host laws –Noisy assembly laws –Ban tailgating Increased enforcement

University of Minnesota