Alcohol kills more people in Alaska than opioids, meth, and all other illicit substances combined. More than a third of households are negatively impacted by alcohol misuse, and Alaskans are dying at a rate twice as high as the national average. It is the leading health issue in our state and something must be done.
Increasing alcohol taxes has been proven time and again across the U.S. as one of the most effective ways to reduce the harms of excessive alcohol consumption, and to combat underage and binge drinking. Evidence shows that increased alcohol taxes are directly correlated with decreased deaths, traffic accidents, interpersonal violence and crime. No other industry is allowed to get away with wreaking such havoc on our community, and alcohol should be no exception. Read more here.