Comparison of drinking prevalence among Thai youth before and after implementation of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Act

ABSTRACT

Background

Underage drinking contributes to numerous health and social problems among adolescents. The Alcoholic Beverage Control Act, issued in Thailand in 2008, contains several clauses aiming at preventing underage and novice drinking, such as raising the minimum legal purchasing age from 18 to 20, banning alcohol sale and consumption in places frequented by youth, and banning alcohol advertisements.

Objectives

To estimate the changes in the prevalence of alcohol consumption and perceptions of drinking norms among high-school students 8 years after the Act was implemented.

Methods

Data from the Thai national high-school surveys in 2007 (N = 50,033; 49.9% female) and 2016 (N = 38,535; 49.8% female), using similar questionnaires, were analyzed. Prevalence rates and group norms toward drinking were compared between the two surveys, using weighted Poisson regression and prevalence ratios.

Results

Drinking prevalence significantly increased in females, with prevalence ratios ranging from 1.2 for 30-day intoxication to 2.1 for 30-day binging. In males, the 12-month drinking prevalence increased in 2016, but a non-significant change for binge drinking and a 40% decrease for intoxication was seen. Higher proportions of students in 2016 perceived that most of their friends also drank alcohol compared to students in 2007 (16.8% vs. 11.2%; 49.8% increase). A significant effect of the year of survey on drinking patterns was seen across all school levels.

Conclusion

Drinking rates decreased among males, but increased in females. These changes may be somewhat due to the Act, or to changes in the social environment in Thailand over this 8-year period.

KEYWORDS:

• Underage drinking
• school survey
• prevalence
• adolescents
• alcohol control law

Role of funding source

The CAS and TSAN had no involvement in the study design, in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; in the writing of the report, or in the decision to submit the paper for publication. The results presented, and their interpretation are the authors’, and not do not represent the views of CAS, TSAN, nor the Thai Health Promotion Foundation.

Disclosure of Interest

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, [SA], upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

The 2007 National School Survey was funded by Centre for Alcohol Studies (CAS), Thai Health Promotion Foundation [CAS 50-B-087]. The 2016 National School Survey was funded by Thailand Substance Abuse Academic Network (TSAN), Thai Health Promotion Foundation [TSAN 58-B-017].