Law of Alcohol Two sides of the coin

Law of Alcohol Two sides of the coin: consumers and retailers 2 nd European Conference on Addictive Behaviours and Dependencies PAPER SESSION 1: Alcohol – informing prevention and policy Elsa Lavado, Lúcia Dias, Ludmila Carapinha, Vasco Calado SICAD Serviço de Intervenção nos Comportamentos Aditivos e nas Dependências www. sicad. pt |TELEF: +351 211 119 000 | EMAIL: sicad@sicad. min-saude. pt Lisbon, 24 October 2017

The research team works in the Portuguese governmental organization dedicated to the monitoring and intervention in addictive behaviours: General – Directorate for the Intervention in Addictive Behaviours and Dependencies 2

Objectives In April of 2013, the Decree-Law 50/2013 changed the legal minimum age for spirituous beverages use, acquisition and possession from 16 to 18 and established that SICAD would do a study in a year and a half in order to evaluate the effects of this legislative change, namely among young people. ns o limitati Law of Alcohol. Two sides of the coin: consumers and retailers legal impos itio n 3

Objectives Decree-Law 50/2 013: “a study (…) to ass ess alcohol use patt erns by young people in general and b y adolescents in particular. . . " Law of Alcohol. Two sides of the coin: consumers and retailers The study consis ts in a triangulation of d irect indicators collec and indirect ted purpose of analy with the zing the implementation of th Law, with specia e Decreeyoung people’s, l attention to and teenagers in particular, alcoh ol use patterns 4

d an t c re s i d of ator n o ti indic a l gu ect n a Tri indirect indicators CNPCJR (National Commission for the Protection of Children and Young People at Risk) ANSR /INMLCF (National Road Safety Authority/ National Institute of Forensic Medicine and Forensic Sciences) INE (Statistics Portugal) ARS/SICAD (Regional Health Administrations/ SICAD) Law of Alcohol. Two sides of the coin: consumers and retailers 5

d an t c re s i d of ator n o ti indic a l gu ect n a Tri indir direct indicators (studies considered) Social Representations of Alcohol. Survey on the Young Population Present at Rock in Rio – Lisbon 2014 Consumption, Representations and Perceptions of New Psychoactive Substances among University Students, 2014 The Health of Portuguese Adolescents - National Data for 2014/ Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) Youth, Alcohol, and Law Alcohol and the Law: Commercial Establishment Professionals Law of Alcohol. Two sides of the coin: consumers and retailers 6

Sample Mixed studies: qualitative and quantitative Target Population: young people and professionals of commercial establishments 5 cities: Lisboa, Porto, Coimbra, Évora, Faro Youth, Alcohol, and Law young people: 10 -24 years old Survey: N=1051 Interviews: N=25 Alcohol and the Law: Commercial Establishment Professionals professionals of commercial establishments: coffeehouses, bars, nightclubs, supermarkets, caravans and petrol stations Survey: N=98 Interviews: N=25 Law of Alcohol. Two sides of the coin: consumers and retailers 7

Results young people Lack of information of existing legislation and a diffuse notion of recent legislative changes Despite some control practices, the law was not always respected: underage could get access to alcoholic beverages, namely in bars, discos and coffeehouses, using different avoidance strategies Young people approve the implement of some restrictive measures on access to alcohol, such as increasing the legal age limits, or lowering the drivers’ maximum legal BAC (Blood Alcohol Concentration) To have fun is the main motivation for alcohol use, although the need to meet social and peer pressures is also important There is a clear perception of the risk associated with alcohol use, but this does not prevent some excesses and harmful behaviors. Devaluation of risks for oneself / overvaluation of others’ drinking patterns Law of Alcohol. Two sides of the coin: consumers and retailers 8

Results professionals of comercial establishments There is a perception of general difficulty in complying with the law in terms of the legal age limits. Main reasons cited: ▪ difficulties in identifying the drinkers’ age ▪ the strategies adopted by underage in connivance with young adults ▪ lack of enforcement ▪ lack of knowledge of the law ▪ commercial interests Knowledge of the law: law there is a training deficit, according to commercial shops professionals, although they have recently received information Law enforcement: enforcement perception of inefficiency Law of Alcohol. Two sides of the coin: consumers and retailers 9

Results Knowledge of the law and legislative changes ized internal t o n the law ) spirit of demand d n a y l (supp Changes in availability and perceived accessibility poor interiorization leg lowe islative cha ry in as outh co nge ha s n soci ated sumpt not res ion ulted prob o ado lems (p r a redu in lesc a ents rticula ction rly in ) not verified Changing alcohol use patterns not verified Less associated problems not verified Social norms favorable to the consumption of alcoholic beverages Perception of law enforcement slightly effective enforc emen t is se people en as ineffe c and pr ofessio tive by youn g nals Law of Alcohol. Two sides of the coin: consumers and retailers 10

Recommendations implement more restrictive measures in particular regarding access to alcohol by underage, with the express approval of young people and professionals in commercial establishments reinforcing and investing in preventive and dissuasive strategies for early consumption and harmful consumption especially targeting recreational setting and professionals of establishments, in order to increase and guarantee the internalization of risk perceptions to monitor legislative changes with information and publicity campaigns young people, professionals and parents, in order to promote the knowledge and internalization of what’s stipulated by law and its application privileging / investing in risk reduction and harm minimization strategies in nightlife contexts namely targeting young people who are starting to drink alcoholic beverages Law of Alcohol. Two sides of the coin: consumers and retailers 11

Recommendations to guarantee the increase and the visibility of inspection actions in commercial establishments selling alcoholic beverages namely related to the issue of the purchase of alcohol by underage (due to its specificity, it is worth noting the need for greater supervision with supermarkets and hypermarkets) make a serious educational investment in the accountability of all the actors on the assumption that it is the change of mentalities that leads to the change of the behaviors to create favorable conditions for the identification card application to become an internalized and compulsory practice in case of doubt of the age or state of the client's drunkenness Law of Alcohol. Two sides of the coin: consumers and retailers 12

New legislation Increase legal minimum age to 18 for ALL alcoholic beverages «This study [from SICAD] shows that, in terms of the consumption and sale of alcoholic beverages to underage in public places, there is still a high level of risk and excess consumption, among the younger population. Indeed, it has been observed that there were no relevant changes in the pattern of consumption of alcoholic beverages by young people in the year following the entry into force of the mentioned legislative changes, either in terms of the type of drinks consumed or in terms of harmful use» Decree-Law 106/2015, June 16 th Law of Alcohol. Two sides of the coin: consumers and retailers 13

Research Team Coordination: Carla Ribeiro Elsa Lavado, Lúcia Dias, Ludmila Carapinha, Vasco Calado The research team wishes to thank to: - To all the young people who agreed to collaborate in this work, making their time and experience available - Colleagues from SICAD Thank you for your attention elsa. lavado@sicad. min-saude. pt lucia. dias@sicad. min-saude. pt ludmila. carapinha@sicad. min-saude. pt vasco. calado@sicad. min-saude. pt www. sicad. pt 14