ACCESS TO ALCOHOL - GEOGRAPHY AND PREVENTION FOR LOCAL-COMMUNITIES

Alcohol availability, measured in terms of geographic density of alcoh ol-sales outlets, is linked to specific patterns of alcohol-related mo tor Vehicle crashes in communities. To curb alcohol-related problems s uch as violence, traffic crashes, and drinking and driving, community advocates often focus on reducing alcohol availability through modific ations of zoning laws and licensing requirements, In developing interv entions and policy activities to reduce alcohol availability, communit y policymakers should assess the effects of outlet density using an ad equate community ''biogeography'' of the interrelationships among drin kers, their drinking environments, the locations of alcohol outlets, a nd the locations of alcohol problems, Communities also should consider that the economic development of downtown areas, which is often accom panied by the rapid growth of alcohol outlets, is likely to affect the incidence and prevalence of alcohol-related problems in surrounding a reas.