The policy process: multiple stakeholders and multiple agendas

AbstractThis chapter uses a political economy framework to answer the following questions. Who are the major players in the alcohol policy area? How does each player contribute to the policymaking process? What is their individual and collective impact on public health? The major stakeholders involved in the formulation, implementation, and enforcement of alcohol policy include government legislative bodies, health professionals, non-governmental organizations, the scientific community, the mass media, and commercial interests linked to the alcoholic beverage industry. An appreciation of the various players in the alcohol policy arena can heighten our understanding of the following fundamental conclusion—alcohol policy is often the product of competing interests, values, and ideologies. This chapter shows how industry interests diverge considerably from those of public health professionals and non-governmental organizations, and that working in partnership with the alcohol industry is likely to lead to ineffective policy in terms of public health and welfare.