EFFECTS OF PRICES, CIVIL AND CRIMINAL SANCTIONS, AND LAW-ENFORCEMENT ON ALCOHOL-RELATED MORTALITY

Alcohol use has been linked to several causes of death. This study pro vides an empirical analysis of the effects of various public policies on mortality rates by state and year for the years 1982-88. Causes of death analyzed are: alcohol primary cause; traffic accident; homicides ; suicides; falls, fires and other accidents; and contributory cause d eaths (cancers of the alimentary tract). We find that increasing the p rice of alcohol decreases mortality rates for some of the causes, but not for primary cause deaths. Higher excise taxes on cigarettes reduce contributory cause mortality. Dram shop laws have negative and statis tically significant effects not only on mortality rates from traffic a ccidents, but for several of the other causes. There is a need for fur ther analysis to determine how these reductions are achieved. We find no evidence that imposing mandatory minimum jail terms, fines or licen se revocation for a DUI conviction affects alcohol-related mortality. However, increased police protection decreases mortality rates for sev eral categories, especially homicides and traffic accidents. We find t hat imposing the death penalty reduces homicide rates. Reductions in a lcohol-related mortality may be achieved by implementing a mix of publ ic policies. No single policy is a panacea.