This issue of the journal was prepared in anticipation of the international conference on Society and Alcohol, organized in December 1995 in Paris by the WHO Regional Office for Europe. In the introduction, P. Anderson of the Office’s Alcohol Action Plan provides an overview of legislation and policy in this area across the countries of the Region. Next, data on alcohol consumption among adolescents and young adults (ages 11–15 and 18–24) in European Union countries are presented, along with survey results on their opinions and those of their parents, highlighting the factors influencing their consumption. For France, survey data collected for the CFES focus on young people aged 12–18. A historical overview of the evolution of information messages targeting young people prompts reflection on the most effective approaches for this population group, which is highly prone to risk-taking. The challenges of prevention and the programs implemented in countries such as Switzerland, the United States, and France (alcohol-free bars, comprehensive health education in middle schools by the ANPA, initiatives by youth information centers) are presented along with some communication tools.