EMAIL
| PRINT
| REPORT TYPO
| SEND YOUR FEEDBACK
|
Alcohol: Should governments make stronger booze more expensive?
- February 8, 2011 10:05 AM |
- By POV
The disease and social burden of drinking too much alcohol is so high that provinces ought to price alcohol based on its strength, a journal article says.A group of doctors is urging provinces to introduce "disincentive pricing" for alcohol: increased prices for stronger alcoholic beverages.
The doctors, writing in the Canadian Medical Association Journal this week, say the social and medical costs of over-drinking are so high that government must step in to curb sales of alcohol.
Among their other recommendations:
- Imposing a moratorium on private retail sales outlets (outside of bars and restaurants).
- Increasing effectiveness of drinking and driving penalties.
- Eliminating discount pricing.
- Increasing access to screening at clinics for adult drinkers at risk of alcohol abuse.
- Raising the minimum drinking age to 19 in all provinces. The legal purchase age is 18 in Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec, and 19 elsewhere in the country.
The doctors cited studies that estimate the direct health care costs of alcohol use in Canada to be $3.3 billion and the total direct and indirect costs to be $14.6 billion, compared with $17 billion from tobacco and $8.2 from illegal drugs.
Do you think raising the price of stronger alcoholic beverages will decrease alcohol consumption? Do you agree with any or all of the doctors' recommendations? Let us know in the comments below.
(This survey is not scientific. It is based on readers' responses.)
Categories
All News blogs
Most Commented
Most Recommended
Point of View
Most Commented
Most Recommended
Recent Entries
- Quebec: What would happen to the French language without Bill 101?
- Conservative MP Maxime Bernier shown here on Parliament Hill in October 2010. The outspoken MP says Quebec doesn't need Bill 101. (Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press) By CBC NewsMaxime Bernier's musings on Quebec's landmark language law show the Tory MP is out... Continue reading this post
- Alcohol: Should governments make stronger booze more expensive?
- The disease and social burden of drinking too much alcohol is so high that provinces ought to price alcohol based on its strength, a journal article says. A group of doctors is urging provinces to introduce "disincentive pricing" for alcohol:... Continue reading this post
- Smartphone apps: Is an iPhone confession equal to one in a church?
- A man looks at different applications on his iPhone. (Jeff Chiu/Associated Press)An iPhone app called Confession has received the approval of the Catholic Church in the U.S. The app offers guidance for Catholics to help them with the sacrament of... Continue reading this post