The best way to curb problem drinking and the negative effects of alcohol use is a simple matter of pricing.
The recommendation comes from a year-long study released last month by the University of VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 Centre for Addictions Research of B.C.
Researchers examined 20 years of alcohol pricing and sales data in the province. They found that a 10-per-cent increase in the minimum price of all alcoholic drinks led to a 3.4-per-cent decrease in consumption.
According to one of the study authors, the results are just part of a larger picture.
B次元官网网址淥ur studyB次元官网网址檚 relevant to much wider literature,B次元官网网址� said Tim Stockwell, UVic psychology professor and the centreB次元官网网址檚 director. B次元官网网址淓very comprehensive review of what works for preventing harms from alcohol concludes that itB次元官网网址檚 the price of the stuff thatB次元官网网址檚 the most effective policy lever, if you like, that could be pulled on to make a difference.
B次元官网网址淭he point about minimum pricing is that we have lots of independent evidence that the people who drink the most, drink the cheapest stuff.B次元官网网址�
Currently, minimum prices in B.C. vary depending on alcohol type. Stockwell and his colleagues are recommending that the province adopt a single price per standard drink B次元官网网址� whether a bottle of five-per-cent strength beer, a medium glass of average-strength wine or a shot of liquor.
B次元官网网址淒ifferent beverages are not treated the same and from a health and safety point of view, what matters is the price of the ethanol,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚t doesnB次元官网网址檛 matter if itB次元官网网址檚 beer, wine or spirits.B次元官网网址�
Not only could raising the minimum price of alcohol have a positive social impact, it also has an economic benefit, Stockwell said.
He cited the example of Saskatchewan, which raised prices in 2010 due to a revenue shortfall from the potash sector and ended up with more money than expected. The same principle applies to private retailers, who see guaranteed floor prices as a means for more profit.
B次元官网网址淭he province continues to review its alcohol policies to ensure that an appropriate balance is struck between efforts to address the misuse of alcohol and the interests of British Columbians who consume alcohol responsibly,B次元官网网址� wrote Tarina Palmer, spokesperson for the B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch, in an email responding to the report.
B次元官网网址淭he alcohol pricing policy recommendations by our provincial health officer, the Centre for Addictions Research of B.C. and others are being considered as part of our ongoing review.B次元官网网址�
While itB次元官网网址檚 too early to tell whether the province plans to follow the studyB次元官网网址檚 main recommendation, which was also made by the provincial health officer in a 2008 report, other governments have already taken note. The Scottish parliament recently introduced a similar bill, citing the same research that was used to prepare the UVic centreB次元官网网址檚 report.
The study is the first in a research program funded by the Canadian Institutes for Health Research. Future reports from the program will look at minimum prices in several Canadian provinces and the impact they have on consumption patterns and levels of alcohol-related harm.
editor@oakbaynews.com
