Choosing among potentially conflicting policies can be a daunting task. Dr. Enoch Gordis explains how science can facilitate decisionmaking. Science can play a decisive role in policy development when public support already exists, as in the case of the passage in 1984 of the Federal Uniform Drinking Age Act.
Science also can help assess a policy after it has been implemented.
An example of this role is the scientific evaluation of the health warning labels on alcoholic beverage containers. The current scientific examination of the tradeoffs involved in moderate alcohol drinking over the life span is an example of this type of scientific participation in the policy process. Dr. Traci L. Toomey, Carolyn Rosenfeld, and Dr. Alexander C. Wagenaar describe research findings demonstrating the effectiveness of a higher MLDA in preventing injuries and deaths among youth. The authors suggest ways in which the MLDA can be made even more effective, primarily through increased enforcement and deterrence efforts. Dr. Ralph Hingson discusses major legal and community initiatives to reduce the problem of drinking and driving and examines potential measures for further reductions.