ABSTRACT
The tendency to seek insights from other areas of science and scholarship is a mark of both the strength and the weakness of alcohol studies. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, increasing attention has been paid to the possibility that economics might provide useful insights into the nature of alcohol problems. Economists, cautious in the face of unreasonable optimism, have now begun to respond. During the past 30 years, general levels of alcohol consumption have risen considerably, not only in Western and industrialised countries, but also in the Third World. The increasing popularity, and diversity in form, of beverage alcohol, together with the increase in its misuse, have led to heightened efforts to seek explanations for, and solutions to, excessive or harmful drinking. The recognition of the importance of this diversity of influences has led to the view that anybody may develop alcohol problems if that person drinks enough or in an inappropriate manner.
