Minimum Pricing of Alcohol versus Volumetric Taxation: Which Policy Will Reduce Heavy Consumption without Adversely Affecting Light and Moderate Consumers?

Alcohol consumption is among the top three risk factors for global disease burden, accounting for 5.5% of disability-adjusted life years lost, behind tobacco smoking including second-hand smoke (6.3%) and high blood pressure (7.0%) [1]. Increasing the cost of alcohol to consumers, through government pricing and taxation policies, has been shown to be effective in reducing overall consumption in the population, rates of heavy drinking, and the incidence of alcohol-related harm, whether it is implemented with other complementary alcohol strategies, or on its own [2,3]. 

 

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