Project ARM: Alcohol risk management to prevent sales to underage and intoxicated patrons

Clear policies and expectations are key to increasing responsible service o f alcohol in licensed establishments. Few training programs focus exclusive ly on owners and managers of alcohol establishments to reduce the risk of a lcohol service. Project ARM: Alcohol Risk Management is a one-on-one consul tation program for owners and managers. Participants received information o n risk level, policies to prevent illegal sales, legal issues, and staff co mmunication. This nonrandomized demonstration project was implemented in fi ve diverse bars. Two waves of underage and pseudo-intoxicated purchase atte mpts were conducted pre- and postintervention in the five intervention bars and nine matched control bars. Underage sales decreased by 11.5%, and sale s to pseudo-intoxicated buyers decreased by 46%. Results were in the hypoth esized direction but not statistically significant. A one-on-one, outlet-sp ecific training program for owners and managers is a promising way to reduc e illegal alcohol sales, particularly to obviously intoxicated individuals.