Increased taxes would reduce consumption of alcohol
Gin Lane - Credit: Archant
THOSE who oppose increased taxes or a minimum unit price for alcohol ought to take their arguments to their logical conclusions.
Alcohol costs very little to produce. In William Hogarth’s day, people could drink as much of, say, gin as they liked for a few pence. If alcohol were available at cost price today, the assumption must be that some people would drink as much of, say, gin as they liked. The results would be as horrendous as they were in Hogarth’s day. Due to taxes, this happens less than it might.
Therefore, logic dictates that the overall price of alcohol is a major factor in how much alcohol even so-called ‘sensible’ drinkers consume. It follows that increased taxes or a minimum unit price would further reduce the consumption of alcohol.
We would all be better off if less alcohol were to be consumed.
GEOFFREY WOOLLARD
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