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Abstract
As alcohol sales trends rose and fell in Iowa during recent decades, beverage alcohol as a socially constructed object changed. Since the early 1960s Iowans have redefined alcohol and modified their drinking norms. During the same time period per capita consumption first trended up and then down. Although the proportion of Iowans defining alcohol for its social effects and the proportion defining it additionally for personal effects (psychological relief) changed little, the proportion defining alcohol negatively-as generally harmful and particularly as a health hazard-rose dramatically. During the prolonged sales uptrend of the 1960s and 70s Iowans' drinking norms became more approving of others' drinking and slightly more tolerant of others' getting high, while disapproval of intoxication remained constant and virtually unanimous.
Numerous government actions affecting the physical availability of alcohol did not consistently ratchet sales up and down. Annual per capita (age 14+) alcohol sales rose some 75% from 1958 through 1981 with numerous liquor control law changes that increased alcohol availability. Yet, from 1982 at least 1991, sales declined despite law changes that further dramatically increased alcohol availability. During an earlier period (1936 to 1948) sales grew 70% without any change in the state's highly restrictive Liquor Control Act of 1934.
It is concluded that alcohol consumption and alcohol availability are not directly, mechanically or linearly connected and that the consequences of government actions designed to manage alcohol consumption levels by controlling alcohol availability are as yet unpredictable.