We estimate the total demand for alcoholic beverages with annual U. S. time-series data from 1940–80 using two alternative measures of alcohol consumption. By concentrating on the total demand for alcoholic beverages we subsume the cross-price effects. Our results indicate a price elasticity of (minus)0.5 and an income elasticity of 0.4 and weak evidence of a somewhat higher propensity to consume alcoholic beverages by those under 21. After correcting for heteroskedasticity, the estimates are found to be statistically stable over the sample period.
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