Physicians in emergency rooms, family practice and pediatrics often see, first hand, the negative impacts of underage drinking. However, much of the public debate over and struggle for more effective policies surrounding this problem has occurred without active participation from the medical community. alcohol control activists often assume that there is a "medical" orientation towards this problem.
This paper describes and analyzes the results, to date, of the efforts of twelve state alcohol policy coalitions, participating in a national trial program, that have attempted to mobilize and partner with state medical and specialty socieities. The findings show major disagreements within the medical community about the priority of underage drinking as a public health or advocacy issue, whether it should be addressed primarily as a youth or adult problem, whether it is fundamentally a policy or normative issue, and debates about what these assumptions imply regarding adult alcohol consumption. Alcohol control activists, seeking the clout and resources of physicians are thus confronted with the need to define particular mobilizations strategies, choices about seeking individual or organizational involvement, and concerns about the desirability and/or feasiblity of seeking support. The twelve examples discussed show the similarilities between physician conflicts and public conflicts over how to address underage drinking.
Learning Objectives: 1. Participants will be able to identify three key strategies used to involve policy makers and physicians in alcohol control 2. Participants will be able to identify three obstacles to involvement in alcohol control advocacy 3. Participants will be able to list four major state alcohol control policy initiatives
Keywords: Alcohol, Advocacy
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation National Program Office on Underage Drinking at the American Medical Association
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: I am employed as the director of the program I will be discussing