EDITORS' INTRODUCTION Harm caused by different beverage types-A recurring question

摘要

This publication is one of two thematic journal issues produced by the project "Trouble per liter-The effects of policies favoring lighter beverages." The project's origins date back to March 2007, when Nordic and Russian alcohol researchers met up for a research-based alcohol policy conference in Moscow. During the meeting it became evident that, from a Russian point of view, the historic Nordic drinking trend away from a domination of distilled spirits towards a more mixed pattern, with beer playing a major role, could be interpreted as a successful result of a long-term alcohol policy strategy. Had a conscious steering of the overall consumption towards a preference of lighter-alcohol-content products indeed led to a more moderate and less harmful consumption style in the Nordic countries? The Nordic researchers were struck by the lack of evidence in this area. Could the claim of a successful policy be proven true or false-had larger shares of lighter beverages decreased overall rates of alcohol-related harm-even if the effect was measured, for example, per liter of ethanol consumed?