Change Policies

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Change Policies: Introduction

Strategies and Approaches to Change Policies

What Communities Can Do

What Parents Can Do

What Agencies Can Do

What Schools Can Do

Strategies & Approaches › Change Policies › Raise Alcohol Taxes

Raise Alcohol Taxes

Alcoholic beverages are far cheaper (after adjusting for overall inflation) today than they were in the 1960s and 1970s. While raising excise taxes, and therefore prices, would have some effect on alcohol use by adults, price has been documented to have a differential affect on youth alcohol consumption patterns. Taxes can also be a source of revenue for funding strategies aimed at reducing underage drinking and its associated harms.

Issue

Alcoholic beverages are considered “cheap” by youth in the community.

Strategy

Encourage Congress and state legislatures to raise excise taxes to reduce underage consumption and to raise additional revenues for this purpose. Top priority should be given to raising beer taxes (since beer is the beverage of choice by youth), and excise tax rates for all alcoholic beverages should be indexed to the consumer price index so that they keep pace with inflation without requiring further legislative action.

For an example of an alcohol-related policy change in California that spurred a large debate among policymakers, prevention providers, and the public, go to the following California, Alcopops, and AB 417.

For additional strategies and approaches for changing policies, see the following:

What You Can Do: Community
What You Can Do: Parents
What You Can Do: Agencies
What You Can Do: Schools

References:
Bonnie, R.J. & M.E. O’Connell (eds). 2003. Reducing Underage Drinking: A Collective Responsibility. The National Academies Press, Washington, D.C.

Bonnie, R.J. & M.E. O’Connell (eds). 2003. Reducing Underage Drinking: A Collective Responsibility. The National Academies Press, Washington, D.C.

A Guide to Zero Tolerance and Graduated Licensing: Two Strategies that Work. Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation. Available at: http://www.udetc.org/documents/Guide2zero.pdf#search=%22a%20guide%20to%20zero%20tolerance%20and%20graduated%20licensing%22. Accessed on [09/06/06]

Office of Applied Studies. 2004. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. NSDUH Report: Alcohol Dependence or Abuse and Age at First Use. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Underage Drinking Prevention Action Guide and Planner. 2001. Center for Substance Abuse Prevention. Available at: http://media.shs.net/prevline/pdfs/phd858.pdf#search=%22underage%20drinking%20prevention%20action%20guide%20and%20planner%22. Accessed on [08/25/06]

Environmental Strategies to Prevent Alcohol Problems on College Campuses. 2005. Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation. Available at: http://www.udetc.org/documents/EnviroStrat.pdf#search=%22strategies%20to%20promote%20alcohol%20free%20events%22. Accessed on [08/29/06]

Johnson, K.D. Underage Drinking: Problem-Oriented Guides for Police Problem-Specific Guides Services. U.S. Dept. of Justice. Available at: http://www.popcenter.org/problems/PDFs/underage.pdf#search=%22statistics%20on%20alcohol%20free%20events%20and%20underage%20drinking%22. Accessed on [09/01/06]

Drinking in America: Myths, Realities, and Prevention Policy. U.S. Dept. of Justice. Available at: http://www.udetc.org/documents/Drinking_in_America.pdf. Accessed on [09/05/06]

The Relationship Between Alcohol Availability and Injury and Crime. Available at: http://www.alcoholpolicymd.com/alcohol_and_health/alc_availability.htm. Accessed on [01/09/06]

Bans of Off-Premises Sunday Sales. Alcohol Policy Information System. Available at: http://www.alcoholpolicy.niaaa.nih.gov/index.asp?Type=BAS_APIS&SEC={1215CDC3-980E-4868-87FB-524C3A1EC415}. Accessed on [09/28/06]