Recent research by the University of Florida suggests that increasing taxes on alcohol could help curb America’s alcohol addiction problem.
The empirical data cited within the published research is unique to Florida. The principle, however, is universal and could be effective across the United States.
In gathering their statistics, the University of Florida performed an analysis on previously published data regarding society’s response to higher taxation on alcohol. Their studies concluded that such taxation could be even more effective than drinking prevention programs, decreasing the need for
alcohol rehab.
“The basis of these results is incredible,” begins a spokesperson for Mountainside Drug Rehab and Alcohol Treatment Center. “If this type of taxation saw its way through the appropriate channels to become law, it could benefit society in so many ways. The decline in alcohol consumption would decrease health problems such as cirrhosis of the liver, decrease social problems such as drinking and driving and would decrease emotional problems that result from continued alcohol use. In addition, the increased revenue for states, as a result of this tax, could be put to use for addiction prevention programs and treatment, effectively dealing a double-blow to the many addictions plaguing America today.”
The data suggests that doubling the average state tax on alcohol would result in a 35 percent reduction in alcohol related deaths, an 11 percent reduction in traffic crash deaths, a 6 percent reduction in sexually transmitted diseases, a 2 percent reduction in violence and a 1.4 percent reduction in crime. Previous studies have produced the same conclusions, with one study suggesting that a mere 10 percent increase in the price of alcohol leads to a 5 percent reduction in alcohol consumption.
Throughout the years, Mountainside Drug Rehab and Alcohol Treatment Center has been committed to pioneering programs that assist individuals in living a life of sobriety.
The compassionate, caring treatment team at Mountainside is comprised of licensed and certified counselors and social workers as well as an on-staff Nurse Practitioner and a Registered Nurse, both of whom have specializations and extensive experience in drug addiction and alcohol treatment. For clients who may have psychiatric issues and/or a dual diagnosis, Mountainside provides the services of a Psychiatrist who also has specialization in addictions. As a result of their unique, innovative approaches to addiction treatment over the past 12 years, Mountainside has become the model for the addiction treatment field.
The program, along with its professional addiction treatment team, has earned national recognition and resulted in Mountainside being invited to Washington by the White House to meet with the White House Drug Czar, John P. Waters, for an in-depth meeting on what makes its program so successful. These accolades did not go unnoticed within the addiction treatment field and resulted in the adoption by many throughout the country of a more holistic approach to drug addiction treatment.
If you or someone you love is addicted to drugs or alcohol, or if you have any questions, please contact Mountainside
Drug Rehab and Alcohol Treatment Center for a confidential inquiry at 800-762-5433.
