STAGE 5. Defining the action plan

What steps should be completed?

Step 1: Specify intervention actions

PREVENTIVE INTERVENTIONS IN LEISURE SPACES*

Bars, nightclubs, restaurants and other spaces where large-scale leisure events are held are considered high-risk places for hazardous behaviours, such as alcohol and other drug abuse, driving under their influence, or fighting and aggression.

Preventive interventions in these areas usually include a number of components, such as training customer service and management staff in responsible alcohol serving techniques and handling intoxicated clients; legislative measures on sales to minors, alcohol and driving, etc.; and/or communications to alert about problems, facilitate acceptance of legislative measures, modify social attitudes and norms, etc.  

Training leisure establishment staff, and incorporating and implementing regulatory policies in these spaces (as described above), can reduce intoxication and, seemingly, traffic accidents and violent behaviour.

The following characteristics of preventive interventions in leisure spaces are associated with positive results:

GOOD FUNCTIONING

They train the managers and workers at leisure premises in how to serve alcohol responsibly and how to handle intoxicated clients. They provide professional support and treatment to staff and managers who need it. They include strong communication strategies to alert the population to the problems and encourage acceptance of the programme. They include active participation by health, social and legal/police services (adherence to drug regulations). They promote compliance with regulatory laws and policies on substance use/abuse in these spaces and in the community.

 

* Based on International Standards on Drug Use Prevention (UNODC):