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NM: Raising alcohol taxes will reduce underage drinking

NM: Raising alcohol taxes will reduce underage drinking

 

Las Cruces Sun-News

By Marisol Diaz, For the Sun-News

September 25, 2016

New Mexico spends nearly $800 million per year providing services for the harms caused by excessive drinking in the form of extra policing, ambulances, court cases, detention and medical treatment. State taxpayers, whether they drink alcohol or not, each currently pay over $400 per year in hidden Gross Receipts and Personal Income taxes to subsidize excessive drinking. Given the state’s budget deficit, isn’t it reasonable to require drinkers to pay for a portion of the previously mentioned social harms, rather than cutting the jobs of and services provided by and to all New Mexicans?

 

Raising alcohol taxes 25 cents per drink is very popular with New Mexico voters. Last month, Research & Polling, Inc. – New Mexico’s most respected opinion polling firm – conducted a poll of registered voters in Doña Ana, Luna and Otero counties. It found that 77 percent of voters in these counties support raising alcohol taxes 25 cents per drink. Support is not only strong with voters but was also shown to be strongly supported regardless of one’s political affiliation. Republicans supported the measure by a 2-1 margin, Democrats 5-1, and Independents 6½-1.

 

So what exactly does this mean?

 

Raising alcohol excise taxes 25 cents per drink is a public health revenue measure that will help the state out of the budget deficit while greatly improving the lives of thousands of New Mexicans. This means that a significant portion of the costs generated by excessive drinking will be borne by those who engage in this behavior and would reduce a huge financial drain of the state’s treasury. In fact, according to the CDC 49% of New Mexicans have not had a drink of alcohol in the last 30 days, and won’t be required to pay a penny more if alcohol excise taxes are increased.

 

Raising alcohol taxes has also been proven to provide major health benefits. Because of price elasticity, a 25 cent per drink alcohol excise tax increase will decrease drinking by 10%, preventing 12,375 cases of alcohol abuse & dependence across the state. Imagine the impact of more than 12,000 families not having to deal with the emotional and financial crisis of alcohol abuse! The reduced drinking will also save 52 lives it’s first year – including 13 less cancer deaths and 12 fewer DWI fatalities. It will prevent 305 acts of violence, and reduce underage drinking by 13%, preventing 7,150 youth from drinking.

 

The reduction of underage drinking is critically important to Doña Ana County because 36.6% of youth surveyed reported being current drinkers, over 28.9% of youth in the state as a whole (NMYRRS, 2013). Of those students 49.2% were high school seniors ready to become our next generation of drinking adults. Doña Ana County high school aged youth also reported higher than state average percentages of having ever drank alcohol, taking their first drink before the age of 13, binge drinking, extreme binge drinking, and drinking on school property.

 

Youth safety is a priority for any parent. Raising alcohol taxes, and thereby reducing underage drinking, is one method to decrease the harms associated with underage & binge drinking, such as violence, car accidents, and long term illnesses.

 

If you are not a current drinker, then the burden on your pocketbook is none. If you are a responsible adult drinker, are you willing to pay an extra 25 cents per drink to keep much needed services, jobs, and decrease youth drinking in Doña Ana County and throughout New Mexico? To learn more visit Alcoholtaxessavelives.org