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Rural Health Information Hub
Rural Health Information Hub

Policies to Limit Consumption of Substances

Policy interventions can discourage personal use of substances and limit consumption. Examples of these types of policies include:

  • Pricing Policies – Policies that affect the pricing of legal substances can reduce excessive use, underage use, and substance-related harms. Pricing policies include increasing taxes, setting minimum prices for retailers, and placing limits on price promotions. For example, pricing policies for alcohol can be mandated on a federal, state, and local level and differ by beverage type (such as wine, beer, liquors). Studies show that implementing minimum unit pricing policies can reduce alcohol consumption and prevent alcohol-related deaths. The Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF) recommends increasing alcohol taxes as a strategy for reducing harms from excessive alcohol consumption.
  • Public Availability and Use Restrictions – Restricting the availability of substances at public events, such as concerts, street fairs, and sporting events, can result in a decline in the availability and use of substances at these venues. This strategy can be implemented voluntarily by event organizers or through local legislation. Smoke-free policies can prohibit smoking in both indoor and outdoor spaces to reduce smoking prevalence and second-hand effects to others. Smoke-free policies can also apply to multi-unit housing facilities, such as apartments and condos, to limit exposure to all residents.
  • Regulation of Product Manufacturing and Packaging – Policies that limit the types and looks of products sold can reduce initiation and use of substances, especially among youth. This may include restricting the sale of products with added synthetic flavors and odors, banning infused edibles (for example, candies, cookies, beverages), and requiring plain packaging or graphic warnings. For example, some rural and tribal jurisdictions have banned sales of tobacco products flavored as fruit, candy, alcohol, and dessert.
  • Advertising Restrictions – Changing the content and placement of substance advertisements may help to reduce underage and excessive use. Efforts for advertisement restrictions include local ordinances, state and federal laws, and self-regulation by industries. Restrictions often focus on limiting advertising across various types of media (for example, television, radio, billboards, social media), limiting advertising to youth audiences, and influencing ad content. The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act is a federal law passed in 2009 that allows the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to regulate marketing of tobacco products.