Letter: Let’s raise the price of alcohol

With all the discussion about raising the cost of cigarettes, in an effort to reduce the cost of medical treatment for people allegedly affected by cigarette smoke, both smokers and persons affected by second-hand smoke, I think there is an area of abuse that can also be legislated for the good of our state: alcohol.

While, personally, I do not know anyone who has been deemed to have documented death as a direct result of smoking, I do know of relatives, children and countless citizens of our fair state that have died of the direct result of alcohol abuse. Either by way of DWI, physical abuse resulting in injury or death, of self-inflicted death or injury, drinking is a major problem in Louisiana.

What can be done about this devastating situation? How about $20 for a six-pack of beer at the local grocery/liquor store, or $20 for a mixed drink at the local watering hole, or $75 for a fifth of alcohol?

I realize that most people will get up in arms in response to this proposal, but wouldn’t the desired effect be the same as raising cigarette prices, that is, reducing the dollars spent on treatment for alcohol-related disease, medical treatment for injuries that are alcohol-induced (from DWI, physical injuries from drunks being out of control etc.) plus much-needed dollars for alcohol abuse education. Raising the cost of alcohol to a point that many of the state’s drinkers can’t afford to, or will no longer want to, buy alcohol would certainly reduce all the negatives related to drinking.

That being said, since partaking of alcoholic beverages is deemed socially acceptable to regular citizens, legislators, doctors, teachers, sometimes but rarely pastors/priests, and others of “honorable” persuasions, I doubt if any of our elected officials have the gumption to do anything other than say “Oh well, c’est la vie.”

Think about it.

Jim Sylvest

legal videographer

Clinton

Comments

1) Comment by DMJ - 07/02/2013

How about "no"? Couple things... Alcohol, like it or not, is an industry in Louisiana, one which is responsible for countless jobs, most of which are in small businesses- bars, stores, restaurants, small breweries. As with all sales taxes, you raise the tax on alcohol and the only ones who will be able to absorb the loss in sales (which increased sales taxes most certainly cause) are the big players- corporate chain restaurants/bars, Mockler Beverage, large grocers. Like all sales taxes, this will be regressive. That being said, alcohol consumption is more than an industry; it's a millenia-old social ritual, and it has many positive aspects besides just jobs. I say we keep our revenue stream as diversified as possible and stop looking for ways to shift the cost of government from those with the most money to those with less.

2) Comment by arin - 07/02/2013

Let's tax the unemployed.

3) Comment by nimby? - 07/02/2013

bus fare is half the price of a pack of cigarettes , why not raise it so transit can pay for itself ?

4) Comment by Being_Stupid - 07/02/2013

We need to start taxing organic food, soy milk, and recyclable tote bags.

5) Comment by nimby? - 07/02/2013

in a recent survey 100 percent of those asked feel others should pay more taxes ....

6) Comment by swinham - 07/02/2013

Here's a simple fact: There are studies that show actual health benefits from moderate consumption of alcohol. There are NO studies showing any medical or other benefits from smoking tobacco. Therefore, this is not even the same thing. As others point out, anything we consume can be overdone with negative effect. "Sin" taxes are punitive and dependent on varying definitions of sin. The use of sin taxes to finance routine government services is also morally hypocritical. If someting is proven to be truly universally harmful, shouldn't the logical position be prohibition? For example, if we really care about smokers, rather than tax revenue, wouldn't our moral sensibilities be better served by making smoking illegal?

7) Comment by Bighug - 07/02/2013

I agree with gary. My father smoked at least a pack per day until he died of lung cancer at 68. Jim might argue that there is no proof that my dad's cancer was caused by his smoking, but one could argue also that just because someone was drunk when he had a wreck, it couldn't be proved that alcohol caused it. I drink, and would not be opposed to a reasonable tax on alcohol such as the proposed tax on tobacco. The taxes on alcohol Jim suggests are not reasonable.

8) Comment by gary - 07/02/2013

Jim, how old are you? You do not know of everyone that has/had cancer caused by smoking? You gotta be living under a rock.

9) Comment by Attila - 06/02/2013

I propose that we raise the tax on eggs, bacon, pork chops, pig lips, feet, vi enna sausage, Spam, lard, and all other foods of high fat content...More people consume these products than do alcohol. How about butter, cream, and whole milk? Lots of sauces made from those. Let's go after King Cake, Bear Claws, Fritters, Donuts, Cinnamon Rolls, and all of the other confections that contribute to obesity. Don't forget potato chips and all other high fat snacks.Tax em all...yeh...that will solve our revenue prolblem...Oh, let's not forget neck bones and chicken feet...don't want to discriminate.

10) Comment by Mildred Citizen - 06/02/2013

The purpose of a tax, legally, is to raise revenue. To design taxes to be punitive is technically against the law. If we are going to use taxes to punish behavior, we need a tax on sugar. Obesity is an epidemic in this country and is one of the leading causes of increased health care costs. An overweight individual is more likely to have a heart attack, diabetes, stroke, joint/back problems, and overall poor health. So, let's put a tax on sugar of just ten cents per pound. That would raise $5 billion per year, which we could use to help pay for Medicare/Medicaid.