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AMERICAN MEDICAL
ASSOCIATION HOUSE OF DELEGATES
Resolution: XX
(A-05)
Introduced by: American College of
Preventive Medicine
Subject: Increasing Taxes on
Alcoholic Beverages
Referred to: Reference Committee ?
Whereas, Excessive alcohol consumption caused
approximately 76,000 deaths and 2.3 million years of
potential life lost in the United States in 2001 (MMWR
2004; 53: 866-870); and
Whereas, Alcohol-related death rates are higher for
African Americans, Hispanic/Latino men, American
Indians, and other racial and ethnic groups (www.niaaa.nih.gov/about/Disparities01.htm);
and
Whereas, The overall economic cost of alcohol abuse was
$185 billion for 1998 (www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa51.htm);
and
Whereas, The relative price of alcoholic beverages has
declined dramatically in the past 50 years, with the
average price of beer having fallen by more than 25%
relative to the Consumer Price Index, and the
inflation-adjusted price of liquor having fallen by
almost 50% during that period (www.cspinet.org/booze/FedBeerTaxTP.htm);
and
Whereas, Federal taxes on alcoholic beverages have not
been increased since 1991, when they were increased by
approximately $0.05, $0.035, and $0.11 per drink of
beer, wine, and liquor, respectively (www.cspinet.org/booze/FedBeerTaxTP.htm);
and
Whereas, 71% of Americans would support increasing the
national beer tax a few cents per bottle to equal the
tax on liquor, if the funds were used for substance
abuse prevention (www.cspinet.org/booze/FedBeerTaxTP.htm);
and
Whereas, In most states, alcohol taxes have not
increased in decades and their value has declined with
inflation (www.cspinet.org/booze/taxguide/TaxIndex.htm);
and
Whereas, Most of the research on the effects of alcohol
taxes indicates that tax increases lead to lower alcohol
consumption rates among adults and youth, fewer
binge-drinking episodes, and lower traffic fatality
rates (www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa51.htm); and
Whereas, AMA policy (H-30.972) “reaffirms the concept
that alcohol is an addictive drug and its abuse is one
of the nation’s leading drug problems”; and
Whereas, One of the seven items on the AMA’s healthcare
advocacy agenda is “Improving public health through
promoting healthy lifestyles and eliminating health
disparities”; and
Whereas, AMA policy supports increases in tobacco taxes,
and allocation of tobacco tax revenues to tobacco
control programs, health education, counter-advertising
efforts, treatment of those with tobacco-caused illness
(including nicotine dependence), and coverage of the
uninsured (H-495.987; H-505.963; H-290.982; H-165.882;
D-490.998); therefore be it
RESOLVED, That our AMA support increases in federal
taxes on beer, wine, and liquor, with a substantial
portion of the new revenues to be earmarked to the
prevention of alcohol abuse and drunk driving, treatment
of persons with alcohol dependence or at-risk drinking
patterns, and public health and medical programs that
serve vulnerable populations (Directive to Take Action);
and be it further
RESOLVED, That our AMA encourage state and local medical
societies to support increases in state and local taxes
on beer, wine, and liquor, with a substantial portion of
the new revenues to be earmarked to the purposes noted
above (Directive to Take Action); and be it further
RESOLVED, That our AMA support, to the extent possible,
state and local efforts to increase taxes on beer, wine,
and liquor (Directive to Take Action); and be it further
RESOLVED, That our AMA collaborate with other national
organizations with an interest in this subject,
including national medical specialty societies, the
American Public Health Association, the Center for
Science in the Public Interest, Mothers Against Drunk
Driving, and the AMA Alliance (Directive to Take
Action); and be it further
RESOLVED, That when state legislative efforts to
increase alcohol taxes are stymied, consideration be
given to the use of ballot initiatives in the 24 states
that allow such initiatives (www.iandrinstitute.org/statewide_i&r.htm).
(Directive to Take Action)
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