Advocates of this approach emphasize two important ideas. A second concept important to this approach is that the environments or settings in which consumption of alcohol occurs are an important piece of the puzzle. Drinking, in and of itself, may not necessarily be a problem. Drinking just before driving a car on the freeway is a problem. We can create environments which reduce the risks associated with alcoholconsumption through State and local laws.
Private businesses can implement policies to do the same thing.
Thus, laws which curtail the sale of alcohol to minors reduce the risk of teenage traffic crashes, Banning sales of alcohol during the last segment of a professional sporting event reduces the likelihood that spectators will drive away from the stadium under the influence of alcohol, thus reducing the risk of drunk driving traffic accidents. By banning alcohol consumption on worksites during the lunch hour, a construction company can reduce the injury rate and increase productivity. These are all examples of policies designed to prevent alcohol problems, and they cost little or nothing to implement. Public policy oriented prevention has two advantages over educationally oriented prevention. For one thing, it costs a lot less.