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Take Action: Tell Federal Govt. to Increase Alcohol Taxes

Did you know that since 1991, the Big Alcohol lobby has cost the U.S. $57 billion in revenue? Or that an alcohol tax increase could fill nearly 12% of the President's revenue portion of the nation's ten-year deficit reduction goal? It's time to tell our national leaders to hold Big Alcohol accountable and get them to pay their fair share to help reduce the deficit. The fiscal catastrophe of alcohol-related harm will be reversed with a per-drink tax increase of 10 cents on spirits, 15 cents on beer, and 18 cents on wine. Alcohol is unlike other products because consuming it causes great harm to the general public and great costs to government. Click here to tell our federal officials now that alcohol taxes should be increased to reimburse government for part of the cost of alcohol-related health and public safety services. Read more of Alcohol Justice's new policy brief on alcohol taxes here.

- Take Action - Alcohol Justice Policy Brief - Press Release

Harrisburg, PA Considers Charge for Harm

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Mayor Linda Thompson has asked lawmakers to pass a bill that would allow cities and municipalities to impose a 10% tax on alcohol. The plan was originally proposed by a task force as a way to close Harrisburg’s growing budget gap. The tax would help offset the city’s immense law enforcement costs associated with alcohol use. "Our police officers are often called out for DUIs and disturbances after night clubs let out. And that can wrack up a police budget that way into overtime we normally don't anticipate," Thompson said. A bill to allow cities and municipalities to tax alcohol is expected to be introduced in Pennsylvania within the next few months.

Australian Baseball Federation Cuts Ties with Alcohol Sponsors

The Australian Baseball Federation just took a bold step to separate the game from the alcohol industry's harmful influence. On November 1, the ABF accepted a deal from the Australian federal government to cut all sponsorship ties with alcohol corporations. In return, the ABF will receive $25 million in replacement sponsorship deals. The government initiative, entitled “Be the Influence – Tackling Binge Drinking” – is part of its larger National Binge Drinking Strategy. The program, which has now been taken up by 14 sports in Australia including basketball, football and swimming, provides a policy model for other countries to free sports from the influence of Big Alcohol.

Super-Strength Lager Causes Harm in the UK

carlsberg special brew

The reputed United Kingdom publication The Independent recently published a special report on the dangers of super-strength lagers and the hypocrisy of the alcohol companies promoting them. The article called such products “the dirty secret of the global drinks industry,” and noted that “they are causing more damage to vulnerable people than heroin or crack cocaine, according to a leading homeless charity.” In particular, the investigation focused on tactics and strategies used by the alcohol industry to hide behind ‘drink responsibly’ messages while selling products that contain 4.5 drinks per serving--which sounds remarkably similar to supersized alcopops producers in the U.S. Click here to read the AJ report on how the industry uses "drink responsibly" as a public relations tool.