Alcohol Abuse

The alcohol is being abused by the Americans in the last few years except one exception and this includes the college students, who drink a lot. The consumption of alcohol persistently kills many people who consume it in big amounts. It takes more than 80,000 lives of the Americans each year and takes away over $220 billion from the economy. There is also much concern regarding the adverse effects of the new product from the health experts, and it particularly takes the effects of the flavored alcoholic drinks into account which apparently attracts the young girls and women to indulge into more consumption of alcohol. Various community organizations, educational institutions, and government agencies are attempting to fight against the health concerns of the alcohol consumption. They are taking steps to promote self-restraint amongst the adolescent and dependable consumption of alcohol by adults who do absorb.

Raising alcohol taxes does not reduce alcohol abuse. Several studies, including a recent analysis supported by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, have concluded that heavy drinkers “are least likely to respond to higher taxes.” Moreover, from 1997-2008 — when the affordability index of alcohol increased by 25 percent — underage drinking dropped by nearly 17 percent, according to government data. Interestingly, during the recession, when disposable income contracted substantially, U.S. per capita alcohol consumption did not. Consumers chose instead to drink at home, a less costly option. Thus, alcohol taxes function as a tax on the hospitality industry, unnecessarily harming thousands of businesses and costing tens of thousands of jobs.

Despite the fact that it is illegal for adolescents to purchase alcoholic beverages, experience with alcohol is almost universal among them. Adolescents' alcohol use is widespread and alcohol has been tried by 44 % of eighth graders, 64 % of tenth graders, and 77 % of twelfth graders. A critical issue with adolescents' alcohol abuse is the widespread occurrence of heavy drinking measured by the percentage of adolescents' reporting five or more drinks at one time at least once in the prior two-week period. 11 % of eighth graders, 22 % of tenth graders, 29 % of twelfth graders have reported occasional heavy drinking (Johnston, O'Malley, & Bachman, 2005). he overwhelming majority of alcohol consumers drink responsibly and already pay their fair share of taxes. For a typical spirits bottle, 54 percent of the purchase price goes to taxes. It's unfair to punish responsible drinkers with higher taxes to pay for the small percentage who drink irresponsibly.

Alcohol abuse is a serious issue. The best joint efforts of society, government and industry should continue to be applied against this problem. Unfortunately, anti-alcohol advocates and some well-meaning but misguided public health officials often embrace ineffective population-based controls including higher taxes, advertising bans and severe restrictions on access as simple answers to deter alcohol abusers — a small percentage of the overall population.

The better solution is a comprehensive effort that includes tough laws, strong enforcement, educational programs and targeted interventions. These methods are working. Underage drinking ...