From: The New Temperance Movement," by David J. Pittman, published in Society, Culture and Drinking Patterns Reexamined, by the Rutgers Center of Alcohol Studies, 1992.
To support the U.S. government's goal of reducing American per capita alcohol consumption 25 percent by the year 2000, Pittman's published work lists the following goals:
-- Restricting advertising, including a ban on ads in both print and electronic media;
-- Eliminating business tax deductions for alcoholic beverage ads;
-- Mandatory health warnings on alcoholic beverage containers. (Already enacted into law; proponents are now asking for stronger warnings.);
-- Raising the minimum drinking age to 21. (Already enacted into law. A recent university study found that this measure has not decreased teen-age drunk driving);
-- Increasing taxes on alcoholic beverages. (Federal tax increase in 1991; many states have increased or are considering increases);
-- Earmarking alcoholic beverage taxes to defray costs of abuse programs.
-- Restricting alcoholic beverage sales by: decreasing the number of stores, bars and restaurants which can sell it, limiting the days and hours of sales and limiting the number of sales outlets in lower-income communities. (Some restrictions have been enacted in local communities including areas of San Diego, Calif.);
-- Legislative price controls on alcoholic beverages;
-- Mandatory alcohol industry funding of public service advertisements to point out the social and health damage of alcoholic beverages and,
-- Requiring ingredient labeling (currently being considered by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms).