An exploration was made of attitudes and practices of general practitioners (GPs) and nurses concerning early identification of, and intervention for, alcohol-related problems. Sixty-five GPs and 141 nurses in 19 primary health centres in a county in southern Sweden answered a 28-item questionnaire before implementation of an intervention programme. The questionnaire covered experiences with patients with alcohol-related health problems, knowledge and perceived capacity concerning early identification and intervention, attitudes towards the role of primary care staff in early identification and intervention and current intervention methods in use at the health centre. Self-reported frequency of asking about alcohol use was higher among GPs than nurses. Both groups reported more frequently asking about alcohol consumption in cases where they believed that the health status was influenced by alcohol. For both professions, knowledge and skills concerning identification were rated as better understood than that concerning intervention methods. Nurses rated their knowledge and skills less confidently than GPs. The overall attitude was fairly positive towards early identification and intervention, but nurses were more worried than GPs that patients would react negatively to questions about alcohol. Attitudes, self-rated capacity, and practice were related. The low level of early identification and intervention in primary care appears to be related more to insufficient practical skills than to attitudes. Nurses appear to be an unexploited resource, in need of training and support. Nurses may need to be convinced that an active role does not interfere with the nurse-patient relationship. Building teams of GPs and nurses in primary care might enhance the dissemination of alcohol prevention into regular practice.