Higher alcohol taxes could increase binge drinking, not reduce it. That’s the message of this paper (pdf).
The reasoning here is as follows.
First, shy people are more likely to drink heavily than others - because they need to reduce their inhibitions. As Tony Adams wrote:
The reasoning here is as follows.
First, shy people are more likely to drink heavily than others - because they need to reduce their inhibitions. As Tony Adams wrote:
I wanted to become a proper drinker because all the people I liked, the ones I wanted to be like, enjoyed a drink. They were confident and funny and outgoing, all the things I wanted to be…I was a shy, awkward character who needed a drink so he didn’t have to worry…I wanted to find a girlfriend but was frightened and needed drink for Dutch courage.
Secondly, shyness is partly genetic. In particular there’s a correlation between having blue eyes (pdf) and being shy. Because of this, the authors found that people with blue eyes are significantly more likely to agree with the statement “I drink alcohol to feel more comfortable in social situations.”
Thirdly, there’s a spill-over from genes into social norms. In societies with more blue-eyed/shy people, drinking for Dutch courage, to loosen inhibitions - big binge drinking sessions - is more common. The very fact that an activity is common often means it’s more socially acceptable, which means that non-blue-eyed/non-shy people are also more likely to binge drink. For this reason, binge drinking is much more common in Scandinavian countries - where more people have blue eyes - than in southern European ones. It’s also more common in those US states with biggish populations of Scandinavian ancestry: the Dakotas, Minnesota, Wisconsin.
Given all this, it’s possible for higher alcohol prices to increase binge drinking. This is because higher prices can reduce demand for drink among non-shy people. If the gregarious guy who only pops out for one or two doesn’t go down the pub at all, the counterweight to “binge drinking culture” diminishes. The power of the social norm that supports such drinking therefore rises. In the long-run, therefore, higher alcohol prices might increase binge-drinking, even if they do reduce (pdf) overall alcohol consumption.
Thirdly, there’s a spill-over from genes into social norms. In societies with more blue-eyed/shy people, drinking for Dutch courage, to loosen inhibitions - big binge drinking sessions - is more common. The very fact that an activity is common often means it’s more socially acceptable, which means that non-blue-eyed/non-shy people are also more likely to binge drink. For this reason, binge drinking is much more common in Scandinavian countries - where more people have blue eyes - than in southern European ones. It’s also more common in those US states with biggish populations of Scandinavian ancestry: the Dakotas, Minnesota, Wisconsin.
Given all this, it’s possible for higher alcohol prices to increase binge drinking. This is because higher prices can reduce demand for drink among non-shy people. If the gregarious guy who only pops out for one or two doesn’t go down the pub at all, the counterweight to “binge drinking culture” diminishes. The power of the social norm that supports such drinking therefore rises. In the long-run, therefore, higher alcohol prices might increase binge-drinking, even if they do reduce (pdf) overall alcohol consumption.
Shanksfoor..that, I think.
Are yoos taken the pees?
STB.
Aka, Stubbornly Taking Booze.
Posted by: ScotToryB | June 22, 2009 at 08:11 PM
I love the way you construct these arguments from thin air, Chris. Quite inventive.
Posted by: jameshigham | June 23, 2009 at 09:44 AM
This is clutching at straws. Shy or outgoing, you tend to have a fixed budget for drinking. Price goes up = less booze bought. Not rocket science, just basic economics.
Posted by: JimH | June 23, 2009 at 12:28 PM
JimH, this post is about binge drinking, not the overall quantity of drinking.
I don't know whether it's true or not, but Scandanavia does have a reputation for binge drinking, and alcohol prices are high there, so if so, that's empirical support of Chris's idea. I don't know whether the overall quantity of drinking in Scandanavia is lower than in the Southern Europe, would be interesting to know.
Posted by: Luis Enrique | June 23, 2009 at 01:00 PM
Jim H - it's entirely possible for demand for alcohol to fall as prices rise, and yet binge drinking might rise - eg if we reduce the number of one-or-two pint sessions, whilst making a day of it on the occasions we do go for a drink.
"Basic economics" is often an excuse for sloppy thinking.
Posted by: chris | June 23, 2009 at 01:59 PM
Good article for justifying drinking! Connecting taxes, shyness and drink is really amazing! awesome writing!
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