Feasibility of introducing effective alcohol harms reduction strategies in a low regulation region: A qualitative study from Hong Kong

Abstract

To counter the harms of excessive alcohol use, the World Health Organization (WHO) outlined a series of alcohol policy recommendations, including the most cost-effective “Best Buys”. This study aims to obtain key stakeholder views on feasibility of implementing various publicly endorsed alcohol policies in Hong Kong, a relatively low alcohol consumption region with few extant alcohol regulations. Between 2019 and 2021, we conducted semi-structured interviews with stakeholders involved in alcohol policy adoption and implementation. Interviewees included hospitality/alcohol sales workers (n = 13) and government officers (n = 4). The stakeholders noted that although WHO advocacy facilitated local policy considerations, the adoption of stringent measures was challenged by low political priority due to the low visibility of harms. For implementing strategies, the stakeholders cited alignment with social norms as a major facilitator, whereas law enforcement difficulties and resistance from industry/business sectors were viewed as major obstacles. There was a general belief that population-level alcohol policies would be effective for certain groups of drinkers but would also harm the local economy and detract from Hong Kong's image as a “world city”. Hong Kong may not be ready to adopt a wide range of highly restrictive population-level alcohol policies. Local governments should carefully consider contextual factors when following international recommendations.