The Effects of Perceived Availability of Different Alcoholic Beverages on Young People's Drinking in Europe: A Comparative Exploration

Abstract

This study considers several topics: The perceived availability of alcoholic beverages, the purchase of alcoholic beverages, prevalence of drinking and prevalence of intoxication. All these variables are analyzed at the individual level. Because most European societies have some minimum legal drinking age (MLDA) this information is used to describe the society's formal regulation of physical alcohol availability to adolescents. Cross-sectional self-reported anonymous data from the 2003 European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) was used. Perceived good availability of wine and spirits increased the probability of purchasing wine and spirits and the probability of drinking wine and spirits. There were no similar associations for beer. Perceived good availability was related to prevalence of drinking, but not to prevalence of intoxication. The importance of minimum legal age for purchasing various alcoholic beverages was minimal.