Author(s): Kenneth Blum
“Regulating Alcohol around the World: Policy Cocktails”
Tiffany Bergin
This review of Tiffany Bergin book “Regulating Alcohol around the World: Policy Cocktails”, praises the book to as both informative and as suggested by the title amusing. The book delves into the extensive history of alcohol and its effects on the societies who consume it and covers the responses of governments and policymakers who have struggled with regulation. The accounts of some of the more unusual and lesser-known policies are described as both detailed and intriguing. Although, for readers of the journal of “Addiction Research & Therapy”, the reviewer points out that addiction, alcoholism let-alone the newer molecular neurobiology and of addiction are not adequately covered, Bergin does point out the ever-present conflict between scientific research and policymaking, which she refers as the “two communities”. She reminds the reader throughout her case studies that even though there is a historical rift between researchers and policy developers, scientific research nonetheless appreciably influences legislators. The book is highly recommended to policy makers interested in the regulation and prohibition of alcohol other psychoactive substances and in general, as an entertaining read.
