There have been two thousand additional alcohol-related deaths in England during the time of 2012 to 2018. According to new research from the University of Sheffield’s School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), these deaths can now be linked to the lower prices on booze and tax cuts.

Why The Tax Cuts Caused More Alcohol Problems

Senior Research Fellow at the University of Sheffield Alcohol Research Group, Colin Angus, explained the relationships: “We found that the cuts to alcohol duties since 2012 led to a one percent rise in alcohol consumption in England. This led to almost 2000 additional alcohol-related deaths between 2012 and 2019, compared to if the alcohol escalator had remained in place until 2015 as originally planned.

The group predicts that “Due to the complex relationship between alcohol and health, the effects of government duty policy since 2012 will continue to be seen for many years into the future, estimated to be as high as 9000 additional deaths by 2032.” The group also discovered that up to  61,000 hospital admissions since 2012 were alcohol-related. Drinking is popular and mainstream in most parts of the world.

The University of Sheffield Alcohol Research Group believes that if government authorities decided to re-introduce taxes that the action would deter crime, improve public health, and lower the deaths attributed to alcohol.  “Reintroducing the alcohol duty escalator would be an effective way to reduce alcohol consumption and its associated negative effects on public health across the UK in the future,” said Colin Angus of the tax.

Lower Taxes Hurt Less Privileged

Abolishing the duty tax affects the most “deprived” communities, say the researchers. People with a tendency toward addiction have more access to more types of it. When there is relatively no tax on alcohol, manufacturers can provide a large variety of cheaper beverages. Cheap liquors are available in a variety of markets, and people with addiction come to buy them.

People with alcohol use disorders in poor communities suffer greatly when their addiction takes over. Alcohol contributes to domestic assaults, debt, lost wages, and poor health. Although England does have the National Health Service to pay for their healthcare, many people have employer-provided healthcare that gives more privileged people access to better healthcare options and treatments that NHS may not cover.