ALCOHOL RESEARCH AND SOCIAL-POLICY - AN OVERVIEW

Science can facilitate the task of choosing among complex social polic ies, although if rarely serves as the only basis for policy developmen t. Science's role in policy formation can be decisive when public supp ort already exists, as with the passage of the Federal Uniform Drinkin g Age Act. Science can assess a policy after it has been implemented a s in the scientific evaluation of the health warning labels on alcohol ic beverage containers. In addition, science can investigate the short - and long-term benefits and risks of areas where the development of p olicies is likely. An example is the current scientific examination of the tradeoffs involved in moderate alcohol consumption.