Category: Economics

Does alcohol cost society? The answer is debatable. Alcohol may cost society or it may economically benefit society. And, of course, the costs and profits may cancel each other. However, it’s essential to distinguish between drinking in moderation and abusing alcohol. Failure to do so leads to radically different estimates. That’s because drinking in moderation […]

Taxes and Prohibition of alcohol were related. But ironically, so were taxes and Repeal. Here’s what happened. The Story. There were two major sources of federal government revenue for much of U.S. history. One was customs duties on imported products. The other was taxes on alcoholic beverages. About 30 to 40% of the government’s revenue came […]

Smith Wildman Brookhart (1869-1944) was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1926. He was known there as a ‘fervent dry.’ The problems caused by Prohibition (1920-1933) increased. So did calls for its repeal. Sen. Brookhardt desperately wanted to stop this growing movement. So he began a nation-wide tour debating prominent ‘wets.’ They included prominent opponents […]

It isn’t possible to mail alcohol. The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) cannot ship alcohol through the mail. But beer, wine, and spirits can be sent though FedEx, UPS, and other private carriers. This inconveniences customers. It also harms the USPS. The restriction seems to result from anti-alcohol sentiment. It’s continued long after Prohibition was repealed […]

Selecting wine can be an intimidating or even  overwhelming experience. Thousands of bottles from around the world line the shelves. They range in price from $3.00 to $300.00 or more. Which one will you buy? Do you know how to buy a bottle of wine?   They sometimes bear gold stickers proclaiming their victories in […]

Are alcohol prices and binge drinking linked? Could raising the price of alcohol reduce binge drinking? Heavy episodic drinking is often called binge drinking. It is a serious health risk. Especially among young people. How can binge drinking be reduced? Proposals A variety of approaches are promoted. More law enforcement. Higher alcohol prices. More alcohol […]