An open access cross-journal collection
Alcohol and tobacco are among the most widely consumed psychoactive drugs. The substances are consumed for many reasons, which may include their effects on the brain and body, as well as for social and cultural reasons.
However, alcohol and tobacco also rank among the most harmful psychoactive substances. They are leading causes of morbidity and mortality, and can cause harm not only to the individual, but to society as a whole. In many jurisdictions legal alcohol and tobacco are widely available, though the regulatory framework surrounding them can vary considerably from country to country.
In May of 2018, the Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (Scotland) Act 2012 came into effect. The law aims to reduce excessive drinking and the associated harms but was delayed due to a Supreme Court challenge by industry bodies.
In December 2018, the U.S. Surgeon General issued an advisory warning of an “E-cigarette epidemic among youth”. Around the same time in the United Kingdom, Public Health England maintained that e-cigarette use is 95% less harmful than combustible tobacco, and launched a campaign seeking to encourage adults to switch.
Alcohol and tobacco polices generate a significant amount of public interest, and can be surrounded by no small amount of controversy. This special thematic series aims to bring together a selection of the latest research and developments surrounding global alcohol and tobacco policy, from a variety of different viewpoints.
Topics of key importance to recent legislation were encouraged:
- Innovation in alcohol and tobacco policy and policy development
- Implementation and evaluation of policies and their effects
- Global governance of alcohol and tobacco
- Economic analysis of policies including studies of behavioral economics
- Opinions and feedback on policies from healthcare professionals, policymakers and public
- Controversy, conflicts-of-interest, industry involvement in policy formation
- Global influences on the diffusion of alcohol and tobacco commodities
We encourage readers to visit the websites listed below for each individual journal within this collection and additional information on their Aims & Scope, as well as additional work related to that field.
Participating journals
For more information about each participating journal, including article-processing charges, click on its title below. Each article underwent that journal’s full standard peer review process.
- Addiction Science & Clinical Practice
- BMC Public Health
- Globalization and Health
- Harm Reduction Journal
- Implementation Science
- Implementation Science Communications
- Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention and Policy
Submission deadline: August 31st 2022 (now closed)