By a margin of two to one, voters favor a tax increase on alcohol in their states to help fund education, health care and law enforcement related to drinking, according to a new national survey by the AMA.
The survey, released April 4 by the AMA Office of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse, also reveals that 90 percent of Americans are concerned about teenage and underage drinking.
It showed that voters strongly favor raising alcohol taxes to balance state budgets over other solutions, such as raising state sales or income taxes or cutting funding for social services, Medicaid or education.
"Alcohol abuse costs Americans more than $148 billion each year in health care and social costs. Among the most vulnerable of these drinkers are teens. Research shows that alcohol use has a devastating effect on teens' developing bodies and brains. Alcohol consumption by teens may cause permanent learning and memory loss," said AMA President-elect John C. Nelson, MD, MPH.
The results come at a time when organizations working to solve underage drinking problems are pushing for alcohol tax increases in at least seven states.
"As with smoking, the price of alcohol matters, especially with teenagers," said Richard A. Yoast, MD, director of the AMA's Office of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse. "Just as price increases for tobacco reduce consumption and disease, higher alcohol prices are proven to reduce everything from violent crimes to rape. The difference is taxes on cigarettes have been increased frequently and significantly over the years while alcohol taxes have remained astoundingly behind the times."
The telephone survey included a random sample of 800 registered voters from April 15-18, 2004.
Source: American Medical Association
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