Are Alcohol Prices and Taxes an Evidence-Based Approach to Reducing Alcohol-Related Harm and Promoting Public Health and Safety? A Literature Review

Abstract

This literature review examines alcohol prices and taxes as potential prevention strategies—examining the links with high-risk drinking and drinking patterns and alcohol-related harm. A literature search of the studies on alcohol price and taxation was conducted using multiple electronic bibliographic databases. Examined outcomes were a) drinking patterns and high risk drinking; and b) harm from alcohol. Fifty-four relevant studies were evaluated, and the majority found that a change in price or taxes on alcohol had an impact on one or more of the two main outcome variables. Significant variations exist across studies in terms of designs, settings, effects across groups, and types of harm. In order to reduce alcohol-related trauma, chronic disease, and other consequences of high-risk drinking, an increase in pricing/taxation is a central component of an overall alcohol strategy.