Effective Interventions on Under-Age Drinking and Alcohol Availability

The PAKKA project and sanctions for violating the age limits Eyes on Ages Conference, Amsterdam, May 30th, 2013 Thomas Karlsson

PAKKA -project interventions on under-age drinking Aim of the interventions: To reduce availability of alcohol in stores and restaurants by enforcement of surveillance and by educating in responsible beverage sales (RBS). Reducing social availability from friends, siblings and parents by education, campaigns and mobilization. Changing community attitudes and media advocacy. The interventions were a part of a wider community project (PAKKA - project Local Alcohol Policy ), which studied the effectiveness and feasibility of a local level alcohol policy based on community partnerships. The project had a quasi-experimental setting. Two intervention areas were selected and these were matched with comparison sites. Data was collected before and after the intervention. 4/12/2025 Thomas Karlsson / Mikaela Lindeman 2

Mystery shopping trials in retail sales stores Pseudo-patron trials were used to study how responsible off- premise establishments were in controlling age limits in retail sales of alcohol. In the trials eight volunteers (4 girls, 4 boys) that looked under- aged, but were in fact over 18, were recruited as pseudo-patrons for the study. In choosing the pseudo-patrons, a panel of experts was used consisting of the researchers, the project co-ordinator and a bouncer. Altogether 66 shops were selected from the study and control region. All types of off-premises were included in the study (supermarkets, shops, kiosks, gas stations and state monopoly Alko stores) 4/12/2025 Thomas Karlsson / Mikaela Lindeman 3

Mystery shopping trials in retail sales stores Over 300 purchase attempts were made during the baseline measurements in 2004. Follow ups were conducted two years later in 2006. The pseudo-patrons were instructed to buy beer or cider from the grocery stores, kiosks and gas stations and R2D:s or a small bottle of wine from the monopoly stores. After each purchase attempt, the pseudo-patrons filled in a questionnaire where questions about each separate purchase occasion were asked. 4/12/2025 Thomas Karlsson / Mikaela Lindeman 4

Results and conclusions The evaluation showed that the availability of alcohol to youth had become more restrictive. Refusal rates (%) 100 90 90 In addition, young peoples drinking became less common and public attitudes on alcohol policy had become more restrictive. 80 70 70 70 64 55 60 51 50 50 44 41 2004 When comparing our results with purchase trials made in Norway we could conclude that alcohol monopoly outlets had a stricter control of legal age limits than other types of outlets. 40 2006 30 22 20 10 0 Source: Rossow, I., Karlsson, T. & Raitasalo, K. (2008) Old enough for a beer? Compliance with minimum legal age for alcohol purchases in monopoly and other off-premise outlets in Finland and Norway. Addiction, 103, 1468 1473. Due to the encouraging results of the PAKKA project, a similar study has in 2011 been done for gambling (slot machines) and for tobacco sales. 4/12/2025 Thomas Karlsson / Mikaela Lindeman 5

Proportion of purchase/gambling attempts where buyer was denied purchase/gambling, % 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 37 177 173 179 0 Monopoly Alcohol Tobacco Gambling Warpenius, K., Holmila, M. & Raitasalo, K. Peliin ei puututa: Alkoholin, tupakan ja rahapeliautomaattien ik rajavalvontaa testanneet ostokokeet v hitt isliikkeiss . YHTEISKUNTAPOLITIIKKA 2012:4 s. 375-385 2012 4/12/2025 Thomas Karlsson / Mikaela Lindeman 6

Supervising authorities In Finland, the supervising authorities in the alcohol field are the police and alcohol inspectors from the Regional State Administrative Agencies. The alcohol inspectors surveillance visits to bars, restaurants and stores take place in a planned manner, often together with the police. When it comes to alcohol and young people, the police has the right to confiscate bottles and dispose of alcohol obtained from intoxicated under-aged people in public places. The police monitors youth drinking especially during the weekend when the schoolyear ends and again during the weekend before the next term starts. 4/12/2025 Thomas Karlsson / Mikaela Lindeman 7

Sanctions for violating the age limits The licensing authority has the possibility to give a warning (admonition/written) or restrict the license by limiting the serving hours, serving area or types of alcohol being served. The licensing authority has also the possibility to withdraw the license for a certain period or even permanently if: a) the Alcohol Act or the provisions or regulations issued in virtue of it have been violated, b) the license holder is considered to no more fulfill the conditions for having the license or to have lost his/her reliability; or c) there has occurred disturbance or other malpractice on the licensed premises. 4/12/2025 Thomas Karlsson / Mikaela Lindeman 8

Offences sanctions Permanent cancellations of licences are, most often, caused by the licence holder neglecting to pay his taxes and other public charges. For single, minor misdemeanors, the sanction usually is a warning or a fine. Repeated, more serious offences can lead to the withdrawal of the license either for a certain period or permanently. Selling alcoholic beverages to a minor under 18, and selling alcoholic beverages to a person who is clearly intoxicated, are considered serious offences. 4/12/2025 Thomas Karlsson / Mikaela Lindeman 9

On-premise supervision 2005 - 2011 8000 450 A + B licences Control measures related to licensing supervision 400 7000 A- licence = all alcoholic beverages B- licence = light alcoholic beverages, max 22 vol. % 379 350 6000 300 5000 250 4000 227 200 3000 150 2000 100 1000 59 50 35 9 0 0 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Network for the licensed serving of alcoholic beverages (A + B licences) Written notices Written warnings Temporary revocations of licence Permanent revocations of licence Restrictions on licence 4/12/2025 Thomas Karlsson / Mikaela Lindeman 10

Retail supervision 2005 - 2011 8000 450 Retail outlets + Alko stores Control measures related to alcohol sales through retail outlets 400 7000 350 6000 300 5000 250 4000 200 3000 150 2000 100 73 1000 50 22 2110 0 0 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Network for the retail sales of alcoholic beverages (retail outlets + Alko stores) Written notices Written warnings Temporary revocations of licence Permanent revocations of licence 4/12/2025 Thomas Karlsson / Mikaela Lindeman 11

Media picks (these ones in English only) 4/12/2025 Thomas Karlsson / Mikaela Lindeman 12

Police supervision of minors drinking, weekends in June & August 1600 1400 Number of cases 1200 1000 Reports of an offence 800 Reports to social care 600 400 Drug offences 200 0 June 2010 August 2010 June 2011 August 2011 June 2012 August 2012 4/12/2025 Thomas Karlsson / Mikaela Lindeman 13

Police supervision, weekends in June & August Litres 3000 2500 Disposal of distilled spirits 2000 1500 Disposal of alcoholic beverages 1000 500 0 June 2010 August 2010 June 2011 August 2011 June 2012 August 2012 4/12/2025 Thomas Karlsson / Mikaela Lindeman 14