Changes in the EU
European trends are not only characterized by increasing liberality. While Norway’s and Nordic alcohol policy tools are coming under increasing pressure, there is clearly growing interest within the EU for political measures to control or reduce consumption. We need therefore to analyse how different international alcohol policy strategies play out in Norway, and how wider developments in the Nordic area and Europe affect overall policy design in Norway.Norway
SIRUS will continue to monitor and analyse the implications for Norway of international alcohol policy. This includes cross-border shopping and alcohol use in Norway over time; analysis of political processes and economic factors at home and abroad. The significance of alcohol taxes for price setting of alcoholic beverages (whether bought over the counter or in restaurants, bars etc.) has exercised many commentators. Given the considerable difference in the price of beer in particular (whether from off- or on-licensed businesses), both in Norway and abroad, it would be interesting to explore how far taxation affects price formation of a variety of alcoholic beverages.Consumption patterns
Our knowledge of alcohol/drug use and abuse derives mainly from studies of representative samples of defined social groups or the entire population, and of substance abusers either undergoing treatment or serving terms in prison for drug-related offences. These studies have taught us something about developmental stages such as experimentation, socially condoned use of intoxicants and serious abuse. But our knowledge of the dynamics of these processes, of how substance use grows into a definable pattern over time, or how what we can call legal and illegal substance use careers actually unfold is relatively limited. Research in this area will require theories and models from several disciplines, and should help theory development. It is an area of research requiring particularly robust methodological expertise.Individual level
There is a need to understand substance use at the individual level for several reasons. First, we need to study how far what is known as recreational – sporadic – use of banned substances is normalised; second, we need to learn more about substance use in relation to the development of sub-cultures and identity construction; and finally, there is a need to explore the signifying functions of substance use, socially and psychologically.Society level
At society level there is a need to better understand how social factors such as culture, legislation, market and economy impinge on consumption patterns and user careers. It has been argued, for example, that Norway has a larger drug abuse problem in relative terms and that the culture of abuse stands out from those of other countries in Europe. One instance is Norway’s injecting culture which is assumed to lead to higher overdose mortality rates.In addition, while other countries often target visible abuse in public places with reference to its “public nuisance” value, it is seldom called on to justify Norwegian policy. There is a need for comparative analyses of drug use and reactions to abuse at the national level to improve our understanding of this.
Preventive strategies
There are several reasons why it is difficult to increase the effectiveness of national drug and alcohol policy instruments, especially in the area of alcohol. Attention has turned therefore to locally produced and run measures, both here in Norway and in the wider Nordic region. We need to learn about what makes for an effective policy mechanism, and devise methods to implement and sustain them over time. Ongoing evaluation of locally managed abuse prevention in Norway will in addition to critical scrutiny, synopsis and discussion of the international evaluation literature – including both effect and process evaluation – be relevant in this connection.Practical knowledge
It is important to analyse how preventive action is effectuated in practice. This requires first studies of factors which either facilitate or hamper implementation. Second, it will be necessary to analyse how far contextual factors affect efficacy of individual measures. Third, outcome and process evaluations will be needed, and methodological question analysed on the basic of research. Last but not least, scientific research on prevention must be translated into information of use to practitioners and local government administrations.Consequences of substance abuse
One clear premise for policy making is the immense health and social damage caused by alcohol, drugs, tobacco, addictive medicines and gambling. It affects the individuals themselves, their families and society as such. Indentifying how – and under which conditions – use of narcotic substances by different groups harms health and social relations is therefore of the utmost importance in applied social science research.Building knowledge
There is a need to improve knowledge in several areas relating to the consequences of substance use and abuse. This includes- Developing reliable indicators of adverse health and social effects. This is important when it comes to estimating the scale of the problems from national, regional and local statistics and information stored in registers. It will also serve as a good starting point for evaluating national and/or local action
- Identifying incidence and types of harm caused by substance abuse to third parties, children and wider family , neighbourhood, job etc.
- Exploring how individual, contextual and cultural factors affect risk and likelihood of different types of harm
- Assess the importance of positive effects of use of narcotic substances
- Strengthen method-related competence and refine analytical methods for describing connections between substance use and different effects at the individual and society level