The social science model for reducing alcohol problems stresses changing norms about drinking, integrating drinking into other meaningful activities, and gradual socialization of drinking behavior by means of mass persuasion, consciousness raising, youth education, legal measures, and voluntary efforts. Although the traditional public health model based on epidemiological method, agent-host-environment relationships, and a levels conception of prevention underlies most approaches to reducing alcohol problems, the transfer of methods effective for control of infectious diseases to social-behavioral problems is subject to question. The distribution of consumption model, arguing that alcoholism rates vary directly with consumption levels, proposes to lower consumption and therefore alcoholism by raising the relative price of absolute alcohol. The proscriptive model, historically abjuring the use of beverage alcohol in any form, has recently shown tendencies toward accepting moderation. Against this background, analysis of relationships among vested alcohol interests—the alcoholism movement and helping professions, the alcohol industry, and the alcoholic beverage control system—indicates that consistent policy about alcohol is not possible without a mechanism for their coordination and participation. Further, assumption by the helping professions of primary responsibility for reducing alcohol problems would likely increase rather than decrease problems. Separate, autonomous, and co-equal institutional status for prevention, shifting it from an exclusive emphasis on a problems perspective, is necessary to reduce alcohol problems effectively.