Evaluating Economic Justifications for Alcohol Restrictions

American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Vol. 65, No. 4, pp. 971-990, October 2006

20 Pages Posted: 16 Sep 2010

Date Written: 2006

Abstract

Does economics justify restricting alcohol consumption? A new line of research concludes that alcohol involves significant social costs and that various restrictions would lead to net social gains. This article focuses on Levy and Miller (1995), who conduct a cost-benefit analysis of serving-intoxicated-patron laws. We administer a survey of taverns in Washtenaw County, Michigan, to investigate the plausibility of some of Levy and Miller's claims. We find a number of problems with their economic discussion: in addition to a number of problematic assumptions, they count private costs as social costs and completely ignore consumer and producer surplus associated with alcohol. We find their assumptions bias the results in favor of the restrictions. Despite their popularity in public policy debates, these economic justifications for restricting alcohol are dubious.

Suggested Citation

Stringham, Edward Peter and Pulan, Ilkay, Evaluating Economic Justifications for Alcohol Restrictions (2006). American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Vol. 65, No. 4, pp. 971-990, October 2006, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1674468

Edward Peter Stringham (Contact Author)

Trinity College ( email )

300 Summit Street
Hartford, CT 06106
United States

Ilkay Pulan

San Jose State University ( email )

San Jose, CA 95192-0066
United States

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
80
Abstract Views
981
Rank
551,205
PlumX Metrics