Maryland's 2011 alcohol sales tax reduced alcohol sales, study suggests

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-04/jhub-m2a041116.php

Public Release: 11-Apr-2016
Maryland's 2011 alcohol sales tax reduced alcohol sales, study suggests
Increase in state's alcohol sales tax appears to have led to decrease in sales of spirits, beer and wine
Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health

Maryland's 2011 increase in the alcohol sales tax appears to have led to fewer purchases of beer, wine and liquor in the state, suggesting reduced alcohol use, new Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health research indicates.

Specifically, sales of spirits (commonly referred to as "liquor") were 5.1 percent lower, beer sales were 3.2 percent lower, and wine sales were 2.5 percent lower. Alcohol sales are widely accepted as a proxy for alcohol consumption.

The study, led by researchers at the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, is believed to be the first to examine the impact of alcohol sales taxes on sales of multiple types of alcoholic beverages. Earlier studies have suggested that excise taxes on alcohol can lead to fewer alcohol sales and reduced consumption.

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