What does the cryptic crossword clue "Legislation on drink fails to work properly (4,2)" mean?

The wordplay uses a charade (building blocks). ACT (synonym="legislation") + SUP (synonym="drink") = ACTSUP The answer is ACTSUP.

Legislation on drink fails to work properly (4,2)

Guardian Cryptic #29168 | 7 Down | 2023-09-06 flower