Description of Strategy
Communities Mobilizing for Change on Alcohol (CMCA) is a community-organizing program designed to reduce teens’ (13 to 20 years of age) access to alcohol by changing community policies and practices. CMCA seeks both to limit youths’ access to alcohol and to communicate a clear message to the community that underage drinking is inappropriate and unacceptable. This strategy employs a range of social-organizing techniques to address legal, institutional, social, and health issues related to underage drinking. The goals of these organizing efforts are to eliminate illegal alcohol sales to minors, obstruct the provision of alcohol to youth, and ultimately reduce alcohol use by teens. The program engages community members in seeking and achieving changes in local public policies and the practices of community institutions that can affect youths’ access to alcohol (National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices, 2012).
Also known as...
Communities mobilizing for change on tobacco alcohol
Discussion of Effectiveness
Alcohol
The current literature provides varied evidence on the effectiveness of CMCA. The National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices systematic review found a significant decrease in alcohol access at on-site retail outlets (bars and restaurants), but not for off-site retail outlets (liquor stores) (National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices, 2012). Another systematic review (Guide to Community Prevention Services, 2013) found evidence showing CMCA was associated with reducing fatal alcohol-related crashes, nighttime injury crashes, and alcohol-related crashes among drivers 16-20.
Evidence generally supports the effectiveness of CMCA for youth ages 18-20 years old; however, evidence is not supportive of the effectiveness of CMCA for youth ages 15-17 years old (National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices, 2012; Wagenaar, Murray, & Toomey, 2000; Wagenaar et al., 2000).