Due to budget constraints, many states are enacting or considering cuts to funding for treatment programs. But although all 50 states and the District of Columbia levy some type of tax on alcoholic beverages, very few -- Arizona, Idaho, Kansas, Mississippi, Montana, New Jersey, Oregon, Tennessee and Utah -- use the tax revenues or other income from alcohol sales to fund badly needed alcohol-treatment programs.

Fifteen states dedicate the revenues generated from alcohol sales to support programs in education, corrections, tourism promotion and other areas, or simply to supplement the budgets of the state, counties or municipalities.

"Our analysis shows that only nine states are taking advantage of the alcohol excise tax," said Eric Goplerud, PhD, director of Ensuring Solutions to Alcohol Problems at The George Washington University Medical Center. "Cutting funding for treatment doesn't make economic sense when untreated alcohol problems cost the country billions more in health care costs."

COMMENTS ON THIS ARTICLE:

Posted by Mickey Finch on 26 Jan 09 11:04 AM EST

Cutting funding to treatment and having alcohol taxes fund other programs sound like the history of our field repeating itself. People with alcohol/drug problems need help and I have seen people in healthy recovery over and over due to being in treatment. Yet, funding for one of the biggest issues causing some of the biggest problems for society continue to be low. The stigma and ignorance regarding addictions continue!!

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