It may not be popular with the pub crowd, but bumping up the minimum cost of alcoholic drinks could save lives, according to researchers at the University of Victoria.
Joint research by the University of Victoria, the University of Toronto and the University of Sheffield in the U.K. indicates boosting the average minimum cost for alcohol from about $1.25 per B次元官网网址渟tandard drinkB次元官网网址 B次元官网网址 roughly a can of beer or glass or wine B次元官网网址 to $1.50 would improve public safety and government profits.
B次元官网网址淲e know what impact itB次元官网网址檚 going to have on probable rates of admission to hospital on alcohol-related injuries and death,B次元官网网址 said Tim Stockwell, the studyB次元官网网址檚 principal investigator. B次元官网网址淭he government (also) collects more revenue and the retailers make more money.B次元官网网址
The research estimates 39 fewer premature deaths, 244 fewer hospital admissions and more than 1,000 fewer crimes committed in B.C. after only one year, in addition to an increase of $2.8 million in provincial and $1.7 million in federal taxes.
The study looked at alcohol-related injuries and deaths, hospital admissions, crime, government revenue and alcohol expenditures for light, moderate and heavy drinkers.
Stockwell, who works with UVicB次元官网网址檚 Centre for Addictions Research, said their research shows heavy drinkers would be affected most with an increase of more than $200 per year, and moderate drinkers would have an increase of about $11 per year. Light drinkers would have little extra expenditures.
B次元官网网址淭he bottom line is consumption goes down a little, especially the heavy drinkers, it doesnB次元官网网址檛 affect light drinkers and moderate drinking doesnB次元官网网址檛 change much at all,B次元官网网址 Stockwell said.
Norman Giesbrecht of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto and a co-investigator on the project, said there is enough evidence to show that strong alcohol polices can go a long way to reducing the harm for heavy drinkers.
Implementing changes wouldnB次元官网网址檛 involve any significant additional training or financing for businesses or inspectors for government, he said.
B次元官网网址淐ompared to other things, such as changing the system ... pricing lends itself administratively to being efficient,B次元官网网址 Giesbrecht said. B次元官网网址淚t is (also) much wider in scope and range than some other measures which would also be important but would be more focused.B次元官网网址
But Giesbrecht cautioned against considering any single solution as a magic bullet to fix alcohol-related problems.
B次元官网网址淭here are other tools in the pricing area that also need to be considered, the average price should keep pace with the cost of living,B次元官网网址 he added.
B次元官网网址淭he pricing should (also) be linked to the strength of the alcohol. I should not be able to pay the same amount for an eight per cent beer as for a 3.5 per cent beer. It just encourages intoxication.B次元官网网址
While the information is out there, Stockwell said it is up to the public and the politicians to decide what is most important before making an informed decision.
B次元官网网址淚t depends on oneB次元官网网址檚 priority,B次元官网网址 Stockwell said. B次元官网网址淚s it for saving lives and preventing people from getting injured? Or is oneB次元官网网址檚 greater priority is on freedom and liberty and people having access to cheap alcohol? We have a democratic society, we are (just) doing (our) bit to put that information out there.B次元官网网址
alim@vicnews.com