• Ethics approval and informed consent for human studies
• Clinical trial registration before enrollment
• Disclosure of conflicts of interest and funding sources
• Originality and prohibition of duplicate submissions

Authors must confirm that all research complies with local and international ethical standards and that data are reported honestly and accurately.

Authorship should reflect substantial contributions to study design, data analysis, or manuscript preparation. All authors must approve the final version and agree to submission.

The journal screens for plagiarism, image manipulation, and unethical practices. Suspected misconduct is investigated in line with best practice guidance.

Editorial decisions are independent of financial considerations and are based on scientific merit, methodological rigor, and relevance to alcohol research.

Editors are expected to apply policies consistently and document decisions that involve complex ethical or methodological issues.

Peer review is confidential and aims to provide constructive feedback that improves clarity and validity.

Editors select reviewers based on subject expertise and methodological fit. Reviews focus on validity, transparency, and clinical relevance.

Manuscripts are confidential documents. Editors and reviewers must not share content or use data prior to publication.

Authors should provide enough methodological detail to enable replication and include data availability statements that describe access conditions.

• Data repository links or access instructions
• Transparent reporting of analytical methods
• Clear description of limitations and biases

Concerns about editorial decisions or policy application should be directed to the editorial office with clear documentation. Feedback is reviewed to improve transparency and consistency.

Policies are reviewed periodically to reflect changes in research standards, ethics guidance, and data sharing expectations in alcohol research.

Reviewers are expected to provide objective, constructive feedback and to maintain confidentiality. Any conflicts of interest must be disclosed before accepting a review.

Editors provide clear decision rationales and summarize key reviewer concerns to guide revisions.

Transparent communication supports trust between authors, reviewers, and the journal.

Decision timelines are monitored to maintain a fair and efficient review process.

This supports author confidence.

It also reduces delays.

It improves consistency.

It is essential.

Errors may be corrected through notices or retractions when required. Appeals are reviewed by senior editors not involved in the original decision.

Authors should notify the editorial office promptly if they discover errors after publication.

Appeals should provide a clear rationale and address reviewer comments with evidence.

Authors should provide data availability statements and describe analytical methods in sufficient detail for replication.

When data are restricted, authors must state the reason and provide the appropriate access conditions.

Authors, editors, and reviewers must disclose financial or personal relationships that could influence interpretation. Transparent disclosures protect trust in alcohol research.

Editors and reviewers should decline assignments when conflicts exist. The editorial office monitors conflicts to maintain impartial decisions.

Interventional studies must be registered in a public registry before participant enrollment. Manuscripts should include registry identifiers and primary outcome definitions.

If a manuscript has been posted as a preprint, authors should disclose the preprint details and ensure the submitted version reflects any updates or corrections.

Concerns about fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism are investigated with documented evidence. The journal may request raw data, ethics documentation, or institutional statements when needed.

Studies involving animals must follow humane standards and provide approval identifiers. Methods should describe housing, welfare monitoring, and endpoints.

When serious issues are confirmed, the journal may issue corrections, expressions of concern, or retractions to protect the scholarly record.