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Evaluating Economic Justifications for Alcohol Restrictions

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  • Edward Stringham
  • Ilkay Pulan

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.

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  • Edward Stringham & Ilkay Pulan, 2006. "Evaluating Economic Justifications for Alcohol Restrictions," American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 65(4), pages 971-990, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ajecsc:v:65:y:2006:i:4:p:971-990
    DOI: 10.1111/j.1536-7150.2006.00485.x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Trey Malone & Jayson L. Lusk, 2019. "Releasing The Trap: A Method To Reduce Inattention Bias In Survey Data With Application To U.S. Beer Taxes," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 57(1), pages 584-599, January.
    2. Diana Weinert Thomas & Michael Thomas, 2010. "Encouraging a Productive Research Agenda: Peter Boettke and the Devil's Test," Journal of Private Enterprise, The Association of Private Enterprise Education, vol. 26(Fall 2010), pages 103-115.

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