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Should Taxes On Alcohol Be Raised?

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Should Taxes On Alcohol Be Raised?
Should taxes on alcohol be raised?
Consequences of alcohol tax rates on beverages consumption and alcohol-related complications have been widely studied over the past fifty years. Nowadays, the challenge for both economists and politicians is to estimate and form a tax level that maximizes social prosperity and most efficiently increases incomes. Alcohol taxation is an essential component of a complete alcohol control strategy. Even if any increase in alcohol tax rates will not cause a significant reduction in total selling, the growth in tax income will be greatly more than any decline in consumption and sales. Moreover, any drop in sales would likely effect in a decrease in alcohol issues and
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Based on economic philosophy, therefore, if the price of alcohol will increase, diminishing alcohol consumption is predictable. Alcohol is an optional item, not an essential. Increasing taxes on alcohol is more justifiable than increasing taxes on other services and products. For example, increased utility rates or bigger prices on bread will cause public displeasure. Increases in alcoholic-beverage taxes should mainly be sensed by those who drink deeply. It seems, that in much of the world, alcohol taxes stay on low level and it is inexpensive, because alcoholic beverages have become more accessible over time as economies have grown and families earnings have increased, even when prices have stayed steady, alcohol taxes are not high enough to cover the huge costs alcohol imposes on persons, families and nations, counting health care expenditures for alcohol-related diseases, lost productivity, early deaths, increased car accidents due to drunk driving. Alcohol is leading drug problem in many countries, and increased prices by higher tax rates are a key tool, that can be used to inspire more self-control by individuals who drink and using this tool easily can be improved overall standard of living. Moreover, higher alcohol taxes can produce revenues for efforts to reduce alcohol use, and diminish the effect of externalities that alcohol has on society. It is relevant to discuss some negative externalities which has alcohol consumption on individuals and whole society. Alcohol related damage may also express in large public expenses, such as, decrease in work productivity. For example, it seems believable, that heavy drinkers suffer from trouble in finding and holding job, concentrating on the career, and may obtain less working skills through training and educational programs. However, drinking of alcohol by itself doesn’t mean that person is

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