The economics of alcohol policy
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World Health Organization. Regional Office for Europe
Abstract
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iv, 53 p.
This publication provides a balanced account of the extent to which sound economic analyses can guide decisions on alcohol policies, particularly when decision-makers must weigh the interests of the alcohol and hospitality industries against those of public health advocates. While attempting to demystify economic concepts and methods, the author also alerts policy-makers to the many cases where economic estimates of the costs and benefits of alcohol production and consumption are likely to be either very rough or exaggerated. The book opens with a conceptual framework, focusing on economic concepts and arguments that are most often used, and misused, in debates about alcohol policy. The next two chapters consider the usefulness of economic calculations as a guide to the overall costs and benefits of alcohol to society. Methods used to calculate benefits, in terms of employment, trade and revenue, are critically assessed together with methods used when estimating the social costs of alcohol. Chapter 4 considers the effectiveness of alcohol prices as a policy measure. Discussions of price and income elasticity support the conclusion that the use of taxation to restrict consumption and to ensure sufficient state revenue from alcoholic beverages is the most important areas where economic studies can reliably guide alcohol policies. Chapter 5 describes the contribution that economic analyses can make when decision-makers must choose between alternative policies.
This publication provides a balanced account of the extent to which sound economic analyses can guide decisions on alcohol policies, particularly when decision-makers must weigh the interests of the alcohol and hospitality industries against those of public health advocates. While attempting to demystify economic concepts and methods, the author also alerts policy-makers to the many cases where economic estimates of the costs and benefits of alcohol production and consumption are likely to be either very rough or exaggerated. The book opens with a conceptual framework, focusing on economic concepts and arguments that are most often used, and misused, in debates about alcohol policy. The next two chapters consider the usefulness of economic calculations as a guide to the overall costs and benefits of alcohol to society. Methods used to calculate benefits, in terms of employment, trade and revenue, are critically assessed together with methods used when estimating the social costs of alcohol. Chapter 4 considers the effectiveness of alcohol prices as a policy measure. Discussions of price and income elasticity support the conclusion that the use of taxation to restrict consumption and to ensure sufficient state revenue from alcoholic beverages is the most important areas where economic studies can reliably guide alcohol policies. Chapter 5 describes the contribution that economic analyses can make when decision-makers must choose between alternative policies.