Does retail alcohol deregulation increase crime and traffic crashes. This is important to the question of privatizing monopoly retail alcohol sales in states or provinces.
Does a wider selection of alcoholic beverages promote alcohol abuse? Do more retail stores lead to more traffic crashes? Do longer sales hours lead to violence? In short, does greater availability cause excessive drinking and problems?
The Study
To study such questions, the researcher analyzed data from six Canadian provinces for an 18-year period. She compared the effects of different retail alcohol distribution systems. Did rates of per capita violent and property crimes and traffic crashes differ by level of regulation? What about heavy drinking among young people?
There were no differences in either crimes or traffic crashes between levels of regulation. Nor did alcohol sales per capita differ.
Finally, the researcher examined data from the Canadian Community Health Surveys. There were no consistent differences between levels of regulation and heavy episodic drinking. That is, so-called binge drinking among teens and young adults.
Alcohol Deregulation – Does It Cause Problems
Resources
Web
Books
- Bergin, T. Regulating Alcohol Around the World. Policy Cocktails.
- Brady, M. Indigenous Australia and Alcohol Policy. Meeting Difference with Indifference.
- Carpenter, C., and Dobkin, C. Alcohol Regulation and Crime.
- Cnossen, S. Alcohol Taxation and Regulation in the European Union.
- Giesbrecht, N. Commerce, Public Health, and the Evolution of Alcohol Policy in Canada.
- Grossman, M., and Markowitz, S. Alcohol Regulation and Violence on College Campuses.
- WHO. Framework for Alcohol Policy in WHO European Region.
Source
- Sen, A. Is retail alcohol deregulation correlated with more crime and traffic injuries? Evidence from Canadian provinces. J Crim Crim Just, 58(2), 252-286.