Alcohol: Community Action

The Harvard Center for Cancer Prevention is dedicated to helping you lower your personal risk of diseases like cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. However, there are also many things you can do to help prevent these types of diseases in your community. One such thing is to help people limit the amount of alcohol they drink. While drinking in moderation may offer some health benefits, it can increase the risk of several types of cancer, including breast, mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, and colon. Because habits develop early in life and because drinking among minors is strongly linked to a host of other problems (including unintentional injuries, assaults, and school dropouts), it is particularly important to limit drinking among young people.

By taking some of the steps outlined below, you can help create a safe and healthy community.

Support Programs and Policies to Reduce Underage Drinking in Schools and Colleges.

Join or Create a Coalition to Reduce Alcohol Use in Your Community.

Support Programs and Policies to Reduce Underage Drinking in Schools and Colleges.

Because many young people spend substantial time in school or on college campuses, these institutions play an important role in reducing underage drinking. For example, high schools can offer peer support programs, and colleges can establish alcohol-free dorms. Whether you are a parent or simply a concerned community member, you can use the resources below to help reduce the problem of underage drinking.

American Medical Association
A Matter of Degree: The National Effort to Reduce High-Risk Drinking Among College Students
Learn the facts about underage drinking from the American Medical Association.

University of Minnesota School of Public Health
Alcohol Policies: What Colleges Can Do
Encourage college and school administrators to establish such as those offered by the University of Minnesota School of Public Health.

US Department of Education's Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention
What Campuses and Communities are Doing
See some examples of what specific campuses are doing to prevent underage drinking.

Join or Create a Coalition to Reduce Alcohol Use in Your Community.

Community coalitions can play an important role in helping people of all ages limit their alcohol use. The group's activities might include promoting alcohol-free events, sending letters to legislators or local businesses, or testifying before town councils. As you get involved in a community coalition, use the resources below.

Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America
Coalition Starter Toolkit
Learn the basics of organizing a community coalition—from fundraising to media outreach—with a toolkit offered by the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America.

FACE Truth and Clarity on Alcohol
The Community Action Kit
Work with your coalition to develop policies and strategies that will reduce underage drinking in your community. The Community Action Kit can help you get started.

Contact your elected officials to express your coalition's support for reducing alcohol use in your community. If they share your views, thank them and request their continued support. If they do not, express your dissatisfaction and encourage them to change their position.

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