Excessive alcohol consumption is cause for many health problems and is a heavy burden on our healthcare system. Recent studies are showing, however, that light alcohol consumption (1 beer or one glass of wine per day) may actually be beneficial to ones health.
The problem with the current liquor tax is that it taxes the purchaser of a 6-pack of beer the same as a 24-pack (per unit volume). Couple that with the volume discount of the 24-pack and you have a system which encourages "stocking up". From my experience, stocking up on booze generally increases consumption.
What I propose is an alcohol tax that varies proportionally with the total volume of alcohol purchased. So, for example, if we make the base alcohol tax 2%, and the alcoholic content of the beer is 5% and the can of beer is 355mL:
tax rate on 1 beer is: (0.02)X(0.05)X(355) = 35.5% tax rate on 6 beer is: (0.02)X(0.05)X(355)X6 = 213% etc ... This formula will tax different alcoholic products fairly based on their alcoholic percentage. So a 1 litre bottle of 12% wine would be taxed at a rate of:
(0.02)X(0.12)X(1000) = 240%
The base alcohol tax is arbitrary. It's the formula that I'm pitchin' here ...-- vector, Nov 12 2010 Highland Park http://www.highlandpark.co.uk/Acceptable. [8th of 7, Nov 14 2010] So I get a huge discount when I buy my 24 beers seperately?-- zeno, Nov 12 2010 Just no. It's not the government's business to be my mother. [-]-- MaxwellBuchanan, Nov 12 2010 Stocking up on booze doe not increase my consumption, just lessens the amount of times I have to go to the liquor store.-- xandram, Nov 12 2010 "Tax" [-]-- 8th of 7, Nov 12 2010 //It's not the government's business to be my mother//
That's the Queen's business, right? Or does your mother tax your alcohol?
(note to UK residents: Jokes about your Queen or your mothers are not to be taken seriously.)-- Boomershine, Nov 13 2010 liter of vodka: the moral equivalent of speeding-- WcW, Nov 13 2010 I'd support a tax on politicians who propose new taxes.-- doctorremulac3, Nov 14 2010 // 40 bucks for a halfway decent bottle //
Well, if you will swill down the cheap stuff ...
<link>-- 8th of 7, Nov 14 2010 //Well, if you will swill down the cheap stuff ... <link>//
8th, you idiot! You DRINK that? I just checked with Huntley and Palmer (the chauffers), and they tell me it's a screen- wash.-- MaxwellBuchanan, Nov 19 2010 //a heavy burden on our healthcare system// You have a healthcare system!?-- DrBob, Nov 19 2010 How about:
Tax rate = sugar content x alcohol content x [some constant]?
This would leave children free to enjoy sweets, and grownups free to enjoy grownup drinks. But it would heavily penalize alcopops, Southern Comfort, vodka jellies, Baileys and other alcoholic drinks aimed at children.-- MaxwellBuchanan, Nov 21 2010 random, halfbakery