What is Moderation Management?

Traditional alcohol treatment programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) offer abstinence as the only answer to problem drinking. Another approach is Moderation Management. Founded by Audrey Kishline of Ann Arbor, Michigan, and based on the AA support group model, Moderation Management is based on the idea that people can control their behavior and learn to drink in moderation.

Moderation Management is just one program in a larger movement called harm reduction advocated by Alan Marlott, director of the University of Washington’s Addictive Behavior Research Center. Rather than insisting on abstinence, harm reduction recognizes that substance use is a fact of life and seeks ways to reduce the negative effects. Another example of harm reduction is needle exchange programs for intravenous drug users.

Critics of harm reduction claim that it’s a cop-out and promotes increased acceptance of drug and alcohol use. But proponents point out that moderation programs have been used successfully in Europe and offer an alternative to people who might not seek out an abstinence program. Also, as many as one-third of people who do come to moderation programs eventually go on to abstinence.

For more information, visit www.moderation.org.