alcoholtaxessavelives.org

Julie Martinez, Chris Weathers, Cassandra Romero

Alcohol Taxes Save Lives and Money Resolution 

Whereas, New Mexico’s death rate from alcohol is the highest in the nation, and alcohol causes 16.4% of deaths in the state;

 Whereas, a 25¢ per drink increase in the state alcohol tax would save 52 lives, prevent 306 violent

acts and 12,375 cases of alcohol dependence or abuse in New Mexico every year, and reduce underage drinking by 7,150 youth (a 13% reduction);

 Whereas, alcohol problems cost New Mexico $1.876 billion per year, including $793.5 million paid

directly by governments – an additional $406 in government expenditures per New Mexican, whether they drink or not;

 Whereas, the 49% of New Mexicans who don’t drink alcohol and the 32% who drink at low-risk levels

currently pay for the costs generated by the 19% of New Mexican adults who drink excessively;  

Whereas, excessive drinking costs New Mexico $1.28 billion in reduced productivity, and a 25¢ per drink increase in the state alcohol tax would save the state’s economy $128 million per year in lost

work days, and lower insurance and health care costs;  

Whereas, a 25¢ per drink increase in the alcohol tax would help retain health care coverage for the more than 200,000 previously uninsured New Mexicans now covered by the recent Medicaid

expansion; 

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the undersigned person or organization supports a 25¢ per drink increase in New Mexico’s alcohol tax to save lives, reduce underage drinking, pay for some of

the harms caused by excessive drinking, and fund: 

Expanding alcohol prevention & treatment programsReimbursing cities and counties for the costs of alcohol-related harms

Continued health care coverage under the Medicaid expansion  

16.4% of all deaths in New

Mexico are alcohol-related

New Mexico is #1 in the Alcohol Re-

lated Deaths!

Youth Risk Resiliency Survey 2013

Drank alcohol

before age 13 years

NM 22.3 %US 18.6

%

Excessive drinking burdens New Mexico with $1.8 Billion in economic costs for lost work days, and increased insurance and health care costs.

CDC Recommends Increasing Alcohol Taxes to Reduce Excessive Drinking

and Harm

Higher alcohol prices or taxes were consistently related to:

• Fewer motor vehicle crashes and fatalities (10 studies)

• Less alcohol-impaired driving (3 studies)• Less mortality from liver cirrhosis (5 studies)• Less all cause mortality (1 study)• Effects also were demonstrated for measures of

violence, sexually transmitted disease, alcohol dependence (5 studies)

Good Policy• Provides Funds locally For:

1. Prevention, Intervention & Treatment

2. Reduce Alcohol Costs to Cities and Counties

3. Continued health care coverage under the Medicaid expansion

Good Policy• Saves Lives• Prevents Underage Drinking• Reduces Alcohol Dependence &

Abuse• Reduces Violence• Creates Jobs

Harms Are Going Up But Alcohol Tax Revenues

are Going Down

New Mexico’s Alcohol Tax Revenues as a Percentage of Total General Revenue – 2010 Real Dollars. Per Volume Tax

Almost Half of New Mexicans Don’t Drink

Source: Center for Disease Control’s 2011 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey of adults aged 18 years and older

Excessive drinking is defined as underage drinking, drinking while pregnant, heavy drinking, and binge drinking.

Heavy Drinking:• For women, 8 or more drinks per week• For men, 15 or more drinks per week

Source: Center for Disease Control’s 2011 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey of adults aged 18 years and older

Binge Drinking:• For women, 4 or more drinks during a single occasion• For men, 5 or more drinks during a single occasion

Consumers will pay in proportion to how much

they drink

• The 32% of New Mexicans who do not drink excessively will only pay an average of $9.85 additional per year to help cover the harms caused by alcohol abuse.

• Excessive drinkers will pay an average additional cost of $51.14 per year.

• The 49% of New Mexicans who do not drink will not pay an additional cent.

Excessive drinking burdens New Mexico with $1.8 Billion in economic costs for lost work days, and increased insurance and health care costs.

Prevent 306 violent acts

Prevent 12,375 cases of alcohol dependence or abuse in New Mexico every year

Save 52 lives annually

Create JobsThese additional revenues

can create over jobs 2,800.!

A 25¢ per drink increase in New Mexico’s alcohol excise tax would result in $154,090,910 in new state revenues.

State Revenue

Even after subtracting for possible lost jobs in the alcohol industry

Prevent Underage DrinkingAlcohol use among New Mexicans between the ages of 12 and 20 would decrease by 13%

Binge drinking among youth would decrease by 4,680 teens & young adults

That’s 7,150 fewer youth

drinking a year!

$20,618,000

The annual costs of underage drinking would be reduced by

Economic GrowthA 25¢ per drink alcohol excise tax would result in a 10% decrease in alcohol consumption due to the increased cost of alcohol. The decrease in alcohol

consumption would also result in an annual increase in economic productivity of $128,133,220 in New Mexico, because of less missed workdays, fewer on the job accidents & lower insurance

costs

10%

Cross - Border Sales Aren’t Much of an Issue