Alcohol Policy Information System
A project of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

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Alcohol Policy Classification System
The Alcohol Policy Classification System (APCS) is a tool for organizing and retrieving bills and regulations in APIS' Enacted Bills and Adopted Regulations section.  All bills and regulations are assigned by APIS Staff to:

  • One or more alcohol policy areas (that are organized into nine broad categories), and
  • When applicable, one or more cross-cutting dimensions (that are organized into five broad categories).

The Enacted Bills and Adopted Regulations section may be searched by these alcohol policy areas and cross-cutting dimensions.  Doing so will help ensure that your search yields bills and regulations that address area(s) and/or dimension(s) of interest to you—even if the language of bills/regulations that address these area(s) or dimension(s) varies across States or over time.

Major categories and subcategories of the APCS are listed immediately below.  Click here to view detailed descriptions.



  • ALCOHOL POLICY AREAS (Categories 1-9)
  • CROSS-CUTTING DIMENSIONS (Categories 10-14)

  • ALCOHOL POLICY AREAS (Categories 1-9)

    1.         ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE CONTROL

     1.1              Manufacturing and Distribution

    1.1.1             Manufacturing

    1.1.2             Packaging and labeling

    1.1.3             Structure of distribution system

    1.1.4             Distribution prior to retail sale

    1.1.5             Other ABC issues prior to retail sale

    1.2              Retail Sale Outlets

    1.2.1             Retail outlets for on-premises consumption

    1.2.2             Retail outlets for off-premises consumption

    1.2.3             Local option

    1.2.4             Density and proximity of retail outlets

    1.2.5             Conditions of premises

    1.2.6             Other retail outlet issues

    1.3              Retail Sale Transactions

    1.3.1             When/how retail transactions may occur

    1.3.2             Purchasers of alcoholic beverages

    1.3.3             Monitoring sales transactions

    1.3.4             Other retail transactions issues

    1.4              Other alcoholic beverage control issues

    1.4.1             Other alcoholic beverage control issues

    2.         TAXATION AND PRICING

     2.1              Taxation

    2.1.1             Taxes applied specifically to alcoholic beverages

    2.1.2             Taxes and fees applied to alcoholic beverage businesses

    2.1.3             Other taxation issues

    2.2              Pricing

    2.2.1             Pricing—direct State control

    2.2.2             Discounts, coupons, rebates, and specials

    2.2.3             Other pricing issues

    3.         advertising, marketing, and mass media

    3.1.1             Advertising content

    3.1.2             Broadcast, print, billboard, and online advertising

    3.1.3             Marketing and promotions

    3.1.4             Other advertising, marketing, and mass media issues

    4.         TRANSPORTATION, CRIME, AND pUBLIC SAFETY

     4.1              Transportation and Vehicle Operation

    4.1.1             Noncommercial cars, trucks, and motorcycles

    4.1.2             Other noncommercial vehicles

    4.1.3             Commercial cars and trucks (excluding common carriers)

    4.1.4             Common carriers

    4.1.5             Other commercial vehicles

    4.1.6             Other alcohol and transportation issues

    4.2              Violence and General Crime

    4.2.1             Crimes against persons

    4.2.2             Property crimes and other nonviolent crimes

    4.3              Alcohol-Specific Offenses

    4.3.1             Public inebriation and public consumption of alcohol (excluding underage offenses)

    4.3.2             Unlawful purchase, possession, or consumption of alcoholic beverages

    4.3.3             Noncommercial provision of alcoholic beverages

    4.3.4             Other alcohol-specific offenses

    4.4              Other Public Safety Issues

    4.4.1             Other public safety issues not specified above

    5.         Health CARE services and financing

     5.1              Facilities, Services, and Programs

    5.1.1             Hospitals and hospital-based services and programs

    5.1.2             Residential facilities, services, and programs

    5.1.3             Outpatient treatment facilities, services, and programs

    5.1.4             Other health care and related facilities, services, and programs

    5.2              Providers

    5.2.1             Physicians

    5.2.2             Licensed mental health and human services providers

    5.2.3             Certified alcohol and drug treatment providers

    5.2.4             Other nonphysician health care providers and staff

    5.3              Financing and Insurance

    5.3.1             Medicare

    5.3.2             Medicaid

    5.3.3             Other public health care financing programs

    5.3.4             Health insurance coverage and mandates

    5.3.5             Denial of health insurance coverage

    5.3.6             Private health insurance and other health care financing issues

    5.4              Other Issues Related to Health Care

    5.4.1             Health care service delivery system organization and administration

    5.4.2             Medical and other health-related records

    5.4.3             Screening, assessment, and diagnosis

    5.4.4             Coerced treatment for alcohol and drug use disorders

    5.4.5             Related health conditions not elsewhere included

    5.4.6             Other issues related to health care

    6.         Education

    6.1.1             Primary and secondary schools

    6.1.2             Colleges and universities

    6.1.3             Public information and education

    6.1.4             Other education issues

    7.         Public SERVICES, functions, and programs (not elsewhere categorized)

    7.1.1             Public housing

    7.1.2             Child protection

    7.1.3             Welfare, public assistance, and income maintenance

    7.1.4             Unemployment and worker's disability compensation

    7.1.5             Corrections

    7.1.6             Public lands and facilities

    7.1.7             Other public services, functions, and programs

    8.         EMPLOYMENT AND WORKPLACE

    8.1.1             Alcohol in the workplace

    8.1.2             Employee Assistance Programs (EAP)

    8.1.3             Profession and occupation specific alcohol issues

    8.1.4             Other employment and workplace issues

    9.         Other ALCOHOL POLICY AREAS (not otherwise categorized)

    9.1.1             Alcohol and pregnancy

    9.1.2             Death certificates and coroner's reports

    9.1.3             Other policy areas

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    CROSS-CUTTING DIMENSIONS (Categories 10-14)

    10.     Demographic Groups

    10.1.1         Children and youth

    10.1.2         Elderly persons

    10.1.3         Racial/ethnic minorities

    10.1.4         People with physical/cognitive disabilities

    10.1.5         Prisoners

    10.1.6         Military personnel and veterans

    10.1.7         Homeless people

    10.1.8         Other demographic groups

    11.     BEVERAGE TYPES

    11.1.1         Beer and malt beverages

    11.1.2         Distilled spirits

    11.1.3         Wine

    11.1.4         Other beverages

    12.     PENALTIES, LIABILITIES, AND INCENTIVES

    12.1.1         Incarceration

    12.1.2         Other confinement and restriction

    12.1.3         Mandatory education

    12.1.4         Mandatory treatment

    12.1.5         Mandatory community service

    12.1.6         Fines

    12.1.7         Forfeiture

    12.1.8         License restrictions, suspension, and revocation

    12.1.9         Mandatory equipment

    12.1.10     Criminal liability

    12.1.11     Civil liability

    12.1.12     Financial incentives

    12.1.13     Nonfinancial incentives

    12.1.14     Other penalty, liability, or incentive types

    13.     SPECIAL JURISDICTIONS

    13.1.1         Military installations

    13.1.2         Indian lands and tribal authority

    13.1.3         Specified localities

    13.1.4         Other special jurisdictions

    14.     OTHER Dimensions

    14.1.1         Discrimination and nondiscrimination

    14.1.2         Licensing and accreditation

    14.1.3         Charitable and faith-based organizations, programs, and activities

    14.1.4         Testing and screening

    14.1.5         Public sector

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    National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism - National Institutes of Health - Department of Health and Human Services