Prevention of Alcohol Harms

Any amount of alcohol use carries health risks not just for individuals, but for the whole community. Alcohol is linked to car crashes, drownings, increased health-care spending and policing costs, intimate partner violence and lost productivity, to name a few.  

Any reduction in alcohol use lowers the risks to personal and community health and safety. The key to fostering a culture of moderation is a supportive and healthy built community environment. 

Although the primary responsibility for health services in the province rests with the Province of B.C. and local health authorities, local governments have the potential to significantly affect the health and well-being of citizens at the community level.  

Every year, councils and boards make thousands of important decisions about community planning, programs, policies and partnerships that affect their residents.  

Municipalities and regional districts are uniquely situated to influence how, where and when alcohol is made available – directly affecting health. While alcohol has a unique and prominent role in our economy and social fabric, health-conscious alcohol policies can effectively reduce harm without limiting local business vitality. 

View substance use costs

Building healthy communities is complex. It involves many institutions, non-profit and community organizations, government agencies and individuals. Partners working together can better support alcohol prevention measures than any one organization or agency working alone. Collaboration results in positive synergies and combined and focused resources that get more accomplished and better support reducing the risks associated with alcohol use. 

Interested in collaborating with Interior Health?

Contact the Healthy Community Development team at healthycommunites@interiorhealth.ca.ca or the Legal Substances team at legalsubstances@interiorhealth.ca.

• Harm Reduction - Community Partners
• Canadian Alcohol Policy Evaluation
• PlanetYouth – Creating a better future for youth
• Substance Use Prevention and Health Promotion (The Essentials of Series)
• Framework for a Public Health Approach to Substance Use - Canadian Public Health Association
• Prevention and early intervention