Estimating the measurable impact of local alcohol licensing policies on population health in England using ecological longitudinal data

Alcohol policy in England is determined at local government level, and as a result differences between local authorities in priorities around how best to reduce the effects of alcohol consumption have led to variability in local composition of alcohol control policies and interventions. An important policy area is that of regulating the physical availability of alcohol and modifying the commercial drinking environment. We evaluated whether the intensity with which local licensing policies, including specifically cumulative impact zones, were implemented and enforced has resulted in measurable differences in local population health.