Communities Mobilizing for Change on Alcohol

The Communities Mobilizing for Change on Alcohol (CMCA) program reduces young adults' (18- to 24 years old) access to alcohol. The program uses community involvement to change policies and practice to effectively limit the access to alcohol of people under legal drinking age. CMCA employs a range of social organizing techniques to address legal, institutional, social, and health issues to reduce youth alcohol use by eliminating illegal alcohol sales to youths by retailers and obstructing the provision of alcohol to youths by adults. The organizing process includes 1) assessing the community, 2) creating a core leadership group, 3) developing a plan of action, 4) building a mass base of support, 5) implementing the action plan, 6) maintaining the organization and institutionalizing change, and 7) evaluating changes. Program interventions target all community members. CMCA can be implemented in virtually any rural, suburban, or urban community.

The goal of CMCA is to change policies and practices of major community institutions to reduce underage access to alcohol.

CMCA intervention significantly and favorably affected drinking behavior of 18- to 20-year olds and also significantly and favorably affected the practices of establishments serving alcohol. Alcohol merchants increased age-identification checking and reduced their sales to minors. Older teenagers (18 to 20 years old) reduced their provision of alcohol to other teens and were less likely to try to buy alcohol or drink in a bar. Arrests for driving under the influence of alcohol declined significantly among 18- to 20-year-olds.

CMCA was evaluated in a fully randomized 5-year research trial across 15 communities. The evaluation results show that the CMCA intervention significantly and favorably affected drinking behavior of 18- to 20-year olds. The program significantly and favorably affected the practices of establishments serving alcohol. Alcohol merchants increased age-identification checking and reduced their sales to minors. Older teenagers (18 to 20 years old) reduced their provision of alcohol to other teens and were less likely to try to buy alcohol or drink in a bar. Arrests for driving under the influence of alcohol declined significantly among 18- to 20-year-olds.