Price

Alcohol taxes and mark-ups in control states, are a way for governments to raise money to offset the societal cost and harm of alcohol use and are generally well-supported by the public. Minimum unit pricing and setting the price floor in control states has also been found to be an effective public health intervention when applied along with taxes, but this policy has not been tried in the U.S. Such strategies are found to increase alcohol prices, lower consumption and reduce alcohol-related harms such as drinking and driving, crime, violence and premature deaths.

Public Opinion and Policy
Consumption & Consumer Choice
Mortality and Morbidity
Alcohol Price and Other Drugs
Government Control

Impact of Maryland’s 2011 Alcohol Sales Tax Increase on Alcoholic Beverage Sales

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The Relationship Between Alcohol Taxes and Binge Drinking: Evaluating New Tax Measures Incorporating Multiple Tax and Beverage Types

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  1. Alcohol Demand and Risk Preference
    Dave D, Saffer H. Journal of Economic Psychology. 29(6), 810-831.
    Date: 2008 (archived)
  2. Changes in Volume of Drinking After Changes in Alcohol Taxes and Travelers’ Allowances: Results from a Panel Study
    Makela P, Bloomfield K, Gustafsson NK, Huhtanen P, Room R. Addiction. 103(2), 181-191.
    Date: 2008 (archived)
  3. Paying the Tab: The Costs and Benefits of Alcohol Control
    Cook PJ. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. .
    Date: 2007 (archived)
  4. Price Elasticity of Demand for Malt Liquor Beer: Findings from a United States Pilot Study
    French MT, Brown Taylor D, Bluthenthal RN. Social Science & Medicine. 62(9), 2101-2111.
    Date: 2006 (archived)
  5. Alcohol Prices, Beverage Quality, and the Demand for Alcohol: Quality Substitutions and Price Elasticity
    Gruenewald PJ, Ponicki WR, Holder HD, Romelsjö A. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. 30(1), 96-105.
    Date: 2006 (archived)
  6. Alcohol Price Elasticity in Control and License States in the United States, 1982-99
    Trolldal BR, Ponicki W. Addiction. 100(8), 1158-1165.
    Date: 2005 (archived)
  7. Decreased Taxation, Spirits Consumption and Alcohol-Related Problems in Switzerland
    Mohler-Kuo M, Rehm J, Heeb JL, Gmel G. Journal of Studies on Alcohol. 65(2), 266-273.
    Date: 2004 (archived)
  8. Alcohol Dependence and the Price of Alcoholic Beverages
    Farrell S, Manning WG, Finch MD. Journal of Health Economics. 22(1), 117-147.
    Date: 2003 (archived)
  9. Changes in Alcohol Consumption Following a Reduction in the Price of Spirits: A Natural Experiment in Switzerland
    Heeb J, Gmel G, Zurbrügg C, Kuo M, Rehm J. Addiction. 98(10), 1433-1446.
    Date: 2003 (archived)
  10. Alcohol Consumption, Beverage Prices and Measurement Error
    Young DJ, Bielinska-Kwapisz A. Journal of Studies on Alcohol. 64(2), 235-238.
    Date: 2003 (archived)
  11. The Economics of Alcohol Abuse and Alcohol-Control Policies
    Cook PJ, Moore MJ. Health Affairs. 21(2), 120-133.
    Date: 2002 (archived)
  12. Alcohol Taxes and Beverage Prices
    Young DJ, Bielinska-Kwapisz A. National Tax Journal. 55(1), 57-73.
    Date: 2002 (archived)
  13. Reducing Harmful Alcohol-Related Behaviors: Effective Regulatory Methods
    Stout EM, Sloan FA, Liang L, Davies HH. Journal of Studies on Alcohol. 61(3), 402-412.
    Date: 2000 (archived)
  14. Economic and Demographic Factors in United States Alcohol Demand: A Growth-Accounting Analysis
    Nelson JP. Empirical Economics. 22(1), 83-102.
    Date: 1997 (archived)
  15. Altering Alcohol Price by Ethanol Content: Results from a Swedish Tax Policy in 1992
    Ponicki W, Holder HD, Gruenewald PJ, Romelsjö A. Addiction. 92(7), 859-870.
    Date: 1997 (archived)
  16. New Estimates of the Optimal Tax on Alcohol
    Kenkel DS. Economic Inquiry. 34, 296-319.
    Date: 1996 (archived)
  17. A Dynamic Demand Model for Liquor: The Case for Pooling
    Baltagi BH, Griffin JM. Review of Economics and Statistics. 77(3), 545-554.
    Date: 1995 (archived)
  18. The Demand for Alcohol: The Differential Response to Price
    Manning WG, Blumberg L, Moulton LH. Journal of Health Economics. 14(2), 123-148.
    Date: 1995 (archived)
  19. My Kingdom for a Drink … ? A Review of Estimates of the Price Sensitivity of Demand for Alcoholic Beverages
    Leung SF, Phelps CE. Rockville, MD: United States Department of Health and Human Services. .
    Date: 1993 (archived)
  20. Alcohol Beverage Price Spectra: Opportunities for Substitution
    Treno AJ, Nephew TM, Ponicki WR, Gruenewald PJ. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. 17(3), 675-680.
    Date: 1993 (archived)
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