The thesis aims: - to analyse the extent of alcohol-related problems in Hungary, - to assess available policy options to reduce the incidence of alcohol-related problems - to understand Hungarian policy making in the alcohol field - to prepare recommendations for alcohol policy that are relevant to the Hungarian situation It consists of eight chapters. Chapters follow the aims by first introducing the target and the place of the study (Chapter 1), second providing evidence about the extent of alcohol related problems in Hungary and in comparison to other countries (Chapter 2), third summarising policy means to influence the incidence of alcohol related problems based on experiences of other countries and locate alcohol policy in the broader policy context (Chapter 3), then presenting the framework and the methods used for the analysis (Chapter 4), analysing the policy environment by looking at the legislative background (Chapter 5), the organisational structure and major alcohol policy movements of the past decades (Chapter 6), characteristics of public policy making in general and public health and alcohol policy making in particular (Chapter 7), and the current situation of alcohol policy through actors - their understanding, interests, influence, relation to each other and to specific alcohol policy instruments - (Chapter 8), finally summarising the findings and preparing feasible policy recommendations for Hungary (Chapter 9).