The Control-of-Consumption Approach to Alcohol Abuse Prevention. I. A Reconceptualization

The single-distribution theory of alcohol consumption and the derived prevention strategy, the control-of-consumption approach, are conceptualized as three probabilistic relationships between four variables, collectively called "the Ledermann string": availability, average consumption, proportion of heavy drinkers, and prevalence of damage. This conceptualization suggests four different intervention strategies, only one of which is seriously considered by advocates of the single-distribution theory: restrictions on availability. A companion article reviews the scientific literature on the relationships of the Ledermann string.