An Investigation of the Effects of Alcohol Policies on Youth Stds
34 Pages Posted: 19 Dec 2004 Last revised: 4 Dec 2022
Date Written: December 2004
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of alcohol policies in reducing the incidence of sexually transmitted diseases among youth. Previous research has shown that risky sexual practices (e.g., unprotected sex and multiple partners) that increase the risk of contracting a STD are highly correlated with alcohol use. If alcohol is a cause of risky sexual behavior, then policies that reduce the consumption of alcohol may also reduce the incidence of STDs. In this paper, we examine the relationship between alcohol policies (e.g., beer taxes and statutes pertaining to alcohol sales and drunk driving) and rates of gonorrhea and AIDS among teenagers and young adults. Results indicate that higher beer taxes are associated with lower rates of gonorrhea for males and are suggestive of lower AIDS rates. Strict drunk driving policies in the form of zero tolerance laws may also lower the gonorrhea rate among males under the legal drinking age.
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?
Recommended Papers
-
I Did What Last Night?!!! Adolescent Risky Sexual Behaviors and Substance Use
By Michael Grossman and Sara Markowitz
-
Get High and Get Stupid: The Effect of Alcohol and Marijuana Use on Teen Sexual Behavior
By Robert Kaestner, Michael Grossman, ...
-
Habit and Heterogeneity in the Youthful Demand for Alcohol
By Michael J. Moore and Philip J. Cook