Since 1974, Alcohol Research: Current Reviews (ARCR) has covered the evolution of the alcohol research field and made scientific developments in alcohol research available to researchers and other interested audiences. Over the years, the journal has touched on all aspects of alcohol research, from basic science to clinical research.
The following visual timeline showcases key milestones from ARCR’s long history. This resource also illustrates ARCR’s ongoing commitment to provide open-access, in-depth reviews spanning the alcohol research field. The timeline will be updated as new milestones are achieved.
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October 1974
Just four years after the establishment of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), the Institute publishes its first pilot issue of the journal, then named Alcohol Health and Research World, with a “newsy, magazine-type focus.” In 1976, the first official quarterly issue (Volume 1, Number 1) is then published.
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1977
In Volume 1, Number 3, the journal publishes its first article on what was then known as fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), reflecting recent advances and descriptions of the harmful effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on the fetus.
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1979
With Volume 4, Number 1, the journal introduces special focus sections, starting with the topic of alcohol misuse and “Family Violence,” providing research insights into a long-standing societal conversation about how alcohol misuse contributes to domestic violence.
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1981
Shortly after the modernization of peer review took off in the 1970s, the journal establishes its Editorial Advisory Board (EAB) to review and provide guidance on the journal’s content. The EAB continues to be an integral part of the journal today.
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1985
In the 15 years since the founding of NIAAA, alcohol research has expanded and become increasingly sophisticated. With Volume 9, Number 3, the journal shifts from a “newsy focus” to a greater emphasis on detailed alcohol research findings.
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1991
The journal publishes a major issue (Volume 15, Number 4) on definitions and diagnostic criteria for what is now known as alcohol use disorder, reflecting a shift from alcohol use disorder being considered a character flaw to a mental health and medical condition.
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1994
With Volume 18, Number 1, the journal goes digital, putting full articles online after publication of the print issue, beginning its open-access policy where articles are available without any fees.
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1996
The journal contributes to the conversation on alcohol policies (Volume 20, Number 4), summarizing a wealth of information on the effects of recent alcohol policies—such as minimum legal drinking age laws, drinking-and-driving prevention, alcohol taxation, and the use of harm reduction approaches—and how science can inform policy development.
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1998
The journal releases its first issue (Volume 22, Number 4) highlighting patterns of alcohol consumption and related problems among various racial and ethnic minority populations. This issue emphasized the importance of understanding and addressing alcohol-related issues among all Americans.
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1999
With Volume 23, Number 1, the journal’s title and look is rebranded as Alcohol Research & Health following a poll of readers and members of the alcohol research field to rename the journal to more accurately reflect the current scope—now comprising peer-reviewed reviews of scientific research.
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2010
Building on 15 years of research into the effects of acute and chronic alcohol consumption in people living with HIV, the journal publishes an issue (Volume 33, Number 3) that reviews the mechanisms, prevention, and treatment of alcohol and HIV comorbidity.
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2012
With Volume 34, Number 3, the journal’s name changes to Alcohol Research: Current Reviews (ARCR) to reflect the journal's evolution from a resource for the lay audience to a peer-reviewed journal geared towards scientists. Each issue focuses on a particular topic and includes an introduction covering a historical and future perspective.
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2020
The journal becomes fully digital, forgoing printing and creating a continuous publication model. Each article is now published immediately online upon completion.
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2021
The journal adjusts requirements for narrative reviews to enhance rigor, further distinguishing ARCR as a reliable source of scientific information on the field of alcohol research.
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2022
The journal publishes its first scoping review, introducing a more rigorous review type. In terms of citations, “Simultaneous Alcohol and Marijuana Use Among Young Adults: A Scoping Review of Prevalence, Patterns, Psychosocial Correlates, and Consequences” is in the top 1% of all papers published that year in the field of Clinical Medicine, according to Essential Science Indicators in the Web of Science Core Collection database.
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2023
The journal gains recognition by being ranked 1st among 38 journals in the “substance abuse” category of the Social Sciences Citation Index, a carefully selected and evaluated collection of journals that delivers to users the most influential scientific research information.
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2024
The journal celebrates its 50th anniversary.
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