5 ms·
How grotesque. The purpose of taxes on alcohol is to discourage drinking. They should regard the current situation as a triumph.
by causi 4y ago
How grotesque. The purpose of taxes on alcohol is to discourage drinking. They should regard the current situation as a triumph.
- nazgulsenpai 4y agoIf they wanted to discourage drinking they would raise the legal drinking age or institute bans. "Sin taxes" have always been about revenue.
- TremendousJudge 4y agoOutright bans have historically never worked to discourage drug use. They only create a very rich criminal class that thrives in selling illegal products.
- paxys 4y agoThe only outcome of such bans is an unregulated and untaxed black market. See the outcome of the "war on drugs" as an example. If people want to drink alcohol they will find ways to do so. The best governments can do is ensure quality control and tax it (and fund public education and health via those taxes).
- marcosdumay 4y agoYeah, right. If there's one thing that works predictably is banning drugs...
- AtlasBarfed 4y agooh you, so idealistic The main reason marijuana has political oomph to get decriminalized is that it becomes a revenue source. Once a couple states started minting money in decriminalization, the other states hopped on board with great enthusiasm. It comes down to a cost / revenue perspective. Alcohol and many drugs are profit centers. Cigarettes? Not a profit center in the end, so heavy discouragement. Well, probably. I think vaping will become a lot more accepted by governments if it is true that nicotine itself isn't where the health problems are.